The Cleveland Browns will be without two, and possibly three key players when they take on the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Juan Thornhill and Anthony Walker have already been ruled out by the team, while Joel Bitonio is considered questionable. Thornhill is dealing with a calf injury that will keep him out of action. Meanwhile, Walker recently had a knee scope and is currently considered week-to-week.
Bitonio is dealing with a back injury but was able to return to practice on Friday.
The veteran left guard left this past Sunday’s game and was having difficulty moving afterward. This left the Browns with just one of their Week 1 starting offensive linemen (Wyatt Teller).
As has been the case for a handful of their recent contests, the Browns should be able to come away with a victory in Houston despite missing a large portion of their regular starters. However, a win is far from guaranteed. Cleveland required some 4th quarter heroics from veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in their comeback win over the Chicago Bears.
There is another factor at play. Cleveland has a short turnaround next week, as they face off with the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. It may be in their best interest to keep Bitonio out of action this week so he has a chance of participating in that contest. With the volume of injuries this team has sustained so far, having self-preservation in mind while on the cusp of a postseason berth would be wise. The Browns really cannot afford any more injuries to key players. Cleveland must do whatever they can to stay as healthy as possible down the stretch, even if that means keeping Bitonio out of action on Sunday.
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