TODAY’S GAME
BEREA — Quarterback Baker Mayfield will play through at least three injuries today when the Browns host the Detroit Lions.
Coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday that Mayfield would start despite the right knee contusion he suffered in last week’s 45-7 loss to the New England Patriots. Mayfield sat out practice Wednesday before being limited Thursday and fully participating Friday.
Mayfield has also been dealing with a sore left foot since Nov. 7 and an injured left, non-throwing shoulder since Sept. 19.
“This is probably the most beat up I’ve been in my career, and it’s not like it’s one particular thing; it’s multiple,” Mayfield said Wednesday. “It’s just that time of the year, and things add up.”
Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said Thursday that the foot and knee injuries were affecting Mayfield’s mobility, but Stefanski said Mayfield looked better Friday.
“I thought he was [better],” Stefanski said. “I thought he was good.”
Meanwhile, wide receiver Donovan Peoples-jones returned to practice and is listed as questionable to play today after suffering a groin injury in practice, On Thursday, Van Pelt said he expected Peoples-jones to face the Lions.
“We think so. We hope so,” Van Pelt said. “He was in walk-through today, so if he’s in walk-through, then we expect to have him on Sunday.”
The Browns ruled out nick- elback Troy Hill (neck), cor- nerback A.J. Green (concussion) and rookie receiver
Lions at Browns, 1 p.m., Fox, 1290, 95.7
Anthony Schwartz (concussion) for today. None prac- ticed this week.
Also questionable is defen- sive end Takk Mckinley (groin).
Center JC Tretter (knee) returned to practice Friday after sitting out Thursday.
Browns have options to replace Hill
Stefanski would not reveal how the Browns will cope without Hill, saying, “There’s a couple options.” But Stefanski confirmed one would be to move rookie cornerback Greg Newsome II inside and play Greedy Williams outside.
Defensive tackle Myles Gar- rett said Sunday he hoped to speak to Hill, who was carted off on a stretcher at New England and taken to a Boston-area hospital before flying home Monday.
“He’s doing all right,” Gar- rett said. “He’s getting better.”
Bad-weather game experience could help
Stefanski talked about today’s weather forecast, which calls for a high of 46 degrees, steady light rain and winds from 10-20 mph.
“It’s going to be wet, it’s going to be muddy, it’s going to be ugly, it’s going to be sloppy and all of those things,” Stefanski said. “We understand that, and we have to be ready to go.”
The Browns’ experience in three bad weather games during the 2020 season should help, Stefanski said. On Nov. 1, the Browns lost 16-6 to the Raiders in a game marred by rain, snow, sleet and wind gusts in the 40-mph range. But the Browns beat the Houston Texan 10-7 and the Philadelphia Eagles 22-17 in poor conditions.
“I think we understand that ball security is a premium. All of the guys that touch it — center-quarterback exchange, the exchange between the quarterback and the running backs and catching the ball in adverse conditions — are all things that you have to prepare for, and you have to work at those during this week,” Stefanski said.
Garrett didn’t seem fazed by the forecast, saying, “It’s Cleveland. It’s cold and it rains almost every other day.”
He brought up the Raiders game, mentioning when Las Vegas kicker Daniel Carlson aimed for the right upright on a 41-yard field goal attempt and it bounced off the left.
“OK, that was annoying,” Garrett said of the three games in 2020. “I know it was tough for special teams. But the defensive guys were like, ‘Well, I guess it’s going to be a run game.’ It was a simple game.”
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will start against the Los Angeles Chargers tonight after being removed from the COVID- 19 list.
The team made the move Saturday, a week after Roeth- lisberger went onto the list after testing positive for the coronavirus. The team said Roethlisberger passed the NFL’S COVID-19 protocols and would travel separately to Los Angeles later Satur- day afternoon.
Roethlisberger sat out last week’s 16-16 tie with Detroit after being symptomatic for the coronavirus and then testing positive. He participated virtually with the Steelers (5-3-1) during the week and was in frequent contact with offensive coordinator Matt Canada and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan.
This is the second time Roethlisberger will start after being placed in the NFL’S COVID-19 protocol. He went into the protocol last November after being labeled a close contact. He didn’t practice during the week but played during a 36-10 win over Cincinnati, throwing for 333 yards and four touchdowns.