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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Injuries ravaged Cleveland Browns ahead of their week seven fixture against Denver Broncos. QB1 Baker Mayfield suffered a shoulder injury, Odell Beckham Jr. remained doubtful, and star running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt also didn’t play. But when the stars were out of action, the rest of the team pulled up big time.

NFL Twitter reacts to Cleveland Browns’ big win against Denver Broncos

USA Today via Reuters

Three stars shone brightest on Thursday Night Football. The first one was D’Ernest Johnson. Cleveland’s backup running back registered an immaculate performance against the Broncos, with 22 receptions and 146 yards covered. Let’s not forget, he also converted a Case Keenum pass to score a crucial touchdown.

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Speaking of Case Keenum, he’s the second star of the day. Cleveland’s backup quarterback stole the show with a heroic performance. Few considered Keenum to be a match winner for the Browns, but he stepped up big time. In a magnificent show of grit, Keenum took a huge gamble by using a fourth down to score a touchdown, breaking tackles from left and right.

While he didn’t make the TD, he picked up a first down. Fortunately, fullback Johnny Stanton converted Keenum’s next pass to score Cleveland’s second touchdown. Finally, the third star that shone was the returning Jarvis Landry. For an injury ravaged Browns, the returning star picked up crucial first downs, and covered 37 yards with 5 receptions.

 

What happened to Odell Beckham Jr?

Despite being questionable ahead of the fixture, Odell Beckham Jr. took the field and started against Denver Broncos. Many expected him to turn on the afterburners and show defensive players a clean pair of cleats. Unfortunately, he had quite a forgettable game, marred by another possible injury.

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OBJ covered only 22 yards with two receptions, before he limped off the field. He returned to the game, but did not leave much of a mark. This throws up the question of whether he’s a commodity Cleveland should hold on to. Former NFL star Robert Griffin III certainly has his own opinion on the matter.

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Was this a sign of things to come for the Browns? Can they actually put on decent displays with their quality offensive line missing? This game honestly surprised us all, but it sure feels good to be a Browns fan, even if the joy won’t be eternal.

Read more: Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett Takes Necessary Action To Avoid NFL Drug Tests