When Bill Belichick faces a rookie quarterback, there’s always a lot of chatter about his track record.
Maybe we should talk more about his ability to get inside the heads of the quarterbacks who played for him.
Belichick’s personal record against quarterbacks who played for him in New England went to 9-3 on Sunday in Cleveland, as the Patriots beat old friend Jacoby Brissett and the Browns, 38-15, with 24 points coming off four Cleveland turnovers.
New England improved to 3-3 on the season, winning back-to-back games for the first time this season. Brissett and Cleveland drop to 2-4.
For the Patriots, rookie Bailey Zappe made his second career start. He was 24 for 34 with 309 yards and two touchdown passes.
Rhamondre Stevenson was forced to mostly go it alone on Sunday with Damien Harris out with a hamstring injury. He did so admirably, added 76 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns.
Four Patriots’ pass catchers ended up with at least 60 yards receiving, including Davante Parker, who had 64 yards on four receptions.
And rookie Tyquan Thornton, making his second NFL appearance, scored twice — first with a catch from Zappe, and later with a rush in the fourth quarter.
Brissett finished 21 for 45 with 266 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions.
A back-and-forth first half ended with the Patriots holding a 10-6 advantage, thanks in large part to a 31-yard touchdown run from Stevenson with 3:23 to go in the second quarter.
The Patriots piled on in the third, eventually stretching the lead to 24-6 with touchdown passes from Zappe to Thornton (the first of his career) and Hunter Henry (his first of the season).
After a rare miss from Nick Folk — his first errant field-goal attempt from inside the 50 since the opener of the 2020 season — Cleveland scored its first touchdown, a 15-yard touchdown pass from Brissett to Amari Cooper with 6:17 left in the fourth quarter, to make it 24-15.
It was the first touchdown the New England had yielded in seven-plus quarters.
But with the game in the balance, a pair of Browns’ turnovers fundamentally ended things. First, a Cleveland fumble on a punt return set the stage for Thornton’s second touchdown of the day, a 19-yard run off a jet sweep, to make it 31-15.
And second, another takeaway yielded a second rushing touchdown on the day for Stevenson, this one a six-yard run with 3:40 to go to make it 38-15.
With the win, Belichick ties legendary Bears coach George Halas as the NFL’s second-winningest coach with 324 overall wins (regular and postseason). Don Shula holds the top spot with 347.
Read all our stories from Sunday’s game
- Shaughnessy: Get ready for another week of Bailey Zappe vs. Mac Jones controversy
- Instant Analysis: Patriots are rounding into form nicely after dominant win over the Browns
- Patriots receiver Tyquan Thornton has speed, an opportunity, and a memento from a victory over the Browns
- Patriots’ defense takes away the run, and takes apart Browns in a thorough beating
- With Patriots’ win over Browns, Bill Belichick ties George Halas for second-most overall victories
- Box score: Patriots 38, Browns 15
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‘A lot of composure:’ Teammates rave about Bailey Zappe — 5:35 p.m.
Rookie Bailey Zappe looked sharp again Sunday, picking up another win as a starter in helping guide the Patriots to a 38-15 win over the Browns in Cleveland.
Zappe finished 24 for 34 with 309 yards and two touchdown passes.
“I think the biggest thing is just staying with the game plan. Not getting outside the game plan,” Zappe said. “We just had a really good offensive day today.
“We celebrate today, and then it’s on to the Bears.”
“A lot of poise, a lot of composure,” veteran center David Andrews said of the rookie, who is 2-0 as a starter. “[He’s] having a lot of fun out there. I think he’s done a really good job for us, doing what he’s being asked to do.”
Zappe fumbled once, but did well relying on his offensive difference makers. Rhamondre Stevenson ran for two touchdowns, and four pass catchers finished with 60 or more yards receiving led by DaVante Parker (four catches on six targets for 64 yards).
“That’s winning football for us, playing complementary football,” said Zappe. “It was a great team win. When you have guys like we have on the offensive side, it’s very easy.”
Zappe was only one aspect of another strong afternoon for New England’s rookie class. Receiver Tyquan Thornton had two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving), and offensive lineman Cole Strange had another solid outing at guard. Defensive backs Marcus Jones and Jack Jones were at the center of the action all afternoon long on defense and special teams — Marcus Jones averaged 11.7 yards per return on three punt return chances, and 19.5 yards per return on his two opportunities as a kick returner.
“They’re getting better every day,” cornerback Jalen Mills said of the first-year players and their performance Sunday against the Browns.
“We have a lot of rookies right now stepping up and playing their roles well,” said Deatrich Wise.
What Belichick said about tying the record — 5:20 p.m.
On a day where Bill Belichick tied George Halas on the list of all-time wins with 324, the Patriots coach took a moment to acknowledge the impact of Halas, Paul Brown, and those who helped “lay the building blocks” of the modern NFL.
“Coach Halas was a friend of my Dad,” Belichick said. “I have a ton of respect for [him] and the McCaskey Family, and for what he did for pro football.
“[Former Cleveland coach] Paul Brown and others like him paved the way for us as coaches,” he added. “They laid down a lot of the building blocks.”
After the contest, Belichick guided his team back out onto the field to take a look at some of the most important names in Cleveland football history that were on the stadium facade, pointing to what he called the “Mount Rushmore” of those who combined football and social justice.
Belichick singled out Paul Brown “for re-integrating the NFL,” as well as Bill Willis, Marion Motley, Ozzie Newsome, and Jim Brown.
“I told them they should go out there and just think for a minute about some of the sacrifices those guys made,” Belichick said.
When asked about his thoughts on his 324th career win, Belichick deferred to those who had played for him over the years.
“You can’t win games in this league without good players,” Belichick said. “I’ve been fortunate to coach a lot of great players and coach with a lot of great coaches.
“Really, winning games in this league is about having good players,” Belichick added, “and I’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of them.”
Making history: Bill Belichick ties George Halas — 5:05 p.m.
Bill Belichick took another step into history Sunday with his 324th career win, tying him with George Halas for second place on the all-time list.
Belichick, whose first win as a head coach came with the Browns against the Patriots in 1991, can surpass Halas next Monday when New England faces Chicago at Gillette Stadium.
“That’s nice. That’s really nice,” said linebacker Matthew Judon.
“It’s big. He’s a part of history. He deserves it,” cornerback Jalen Mills said of Belichick, saying the coach is the reason why he’s in a New England uniform.
“I think it’s huge. A lot of hard work. Never played for another head coach,” veteran offensive lineman David Andrews said. " He’s a great football coach. I have a lot of respect for him.”
“That’s wonderful,” said defensive end Deatrich Wise. “As a player, I think it’s pretty cool to be coached by a legendary coach like himself.”
Belichick is 23 wins behind Don Shula, who sits atop the list with 347 career victories.
Instant Analysis: It took six games, but the Pats are rounding into form — 4:55 p.m.
For as bad as the Patriots looked in the first couple weeks of the season, Bill Belichick deserves credit for rounding his team into form by the middle of October. It took six games, but the Patriots looked a lot like the Patriots of old in their impressive win.
The offense was efficient (399 yards and 6.1 yards per play) and took advantage of the Browns’ mistakes. The play-calling from Matt Patricia had a better flow and more variety. The passing game had terrific balance, with four receivers catching between 60 and 64 yards. Both tight ends finally got involved, with Hunter Henry catching a touchdown and Jonnu Smith rumbling 53 yards.
Read more of Ben Volin’s Instant Analysis here.
Shaughnessy: Get ready for another week of Bailey Zappe vs. Mac Jones — 4:35 p.m.
The only question now is “How come Bailey Zappe wasn’t invited to Bob Kraft’s wedding?”
I mean, who needs Elton John, Drew Bledsoe, and Tom Brady when you’ve got the star power of Bailey Zappe working for you?
Zappe Fever is about to go viral. Bailey Zappe is ready to break the internet. The kid quarterback is hotter than Wordle. He had a better game in Cleveland Sunday than Kraft-wedding-guest Brady had in Pittsburgh.
Read the rest of Shaughnessy’s column here.
Patriots win — 4:25 p.m.
That’s a wrap. The Patriots move to 3-3.
Next up: Monday Night Football vs. the Bears at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 24.
Stevenson adds one more for good measure — 4:13 p.m.
Patriots 38, Browns 15 | 3:40, fourth quarter
The drive: 3 plays, 8 yards, :16
The analysis: Man, that jumped up quickly. It’s now 38-15 with 3:40 to go after that Stevenson touchdown. The Patriots now have 24 points off four Cleveland turnovers.
This one was keyed by a Brissett fumble recovered by Carl Davis.
Thornton scores another, and the Patriots are up big once more — 4:06 p.m.
Patriots 31, Browns 15 | 4:28, fourth quarter
The drive: 1 play, 19 yards, :04
The analysis: Another big moment for Tyquan Thornton, who just scored on a jet sweep after the muffed punt. Time to exhale a bit; New England now leads 31-15 with 4:28 remaining.
What a wild sequence, and the Pats have the ball back — 4:04 p.m.
A wild sequence. Between the botched onside kick, a Myles Garrett sack and Zappe coming down with his own batted pass, it felt like New England was walking a bit of a tightrope.
But the Patriots caught another break, as they came away with the muffed punt. They’ll take over at the Cleveland 19 with 4:32 left.
The play is overturned, and the Patriots get the ball — 4:00 p.m.
After conferring with each other, the officials overturned the call and New England takes over at their own 48.
Cleveland recovers the onside kick?! — 3:55 p.m.
It’s the first successful onside kick for the Browns since 2016.
Cleveland now has the ball at New England’s 48. The play is under review.
The Patriots finally gave up a TD — 3:53 p.m.
Patriots 24, Browns 15 | 6:17, fourth quarter
The drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 2:44
The analysis: The Folk miss looms larger, now that the Browns have scored their first touchdown of the day, a 15-yard touchdown pass from Brissett to Cooper. The two-pointer was no good, which leaves us at 24-15 with 6:17 left in regulation. It’s the first touchdown yielded by the New England defense since the fourth quarter of the Green Bay game, a stretch of seven-plus quarters of action.
A rare miss for Nick Folk! — 3:44 p.m.
WHOA. Nick Folk is off the mark from 45 yards. He made 64 in a row from inside the 50-yard line until that one was no good. It’s still 24-9, but there’s 9:01 to go.
A career day for Zappe — 3:39 p.m.
Well, nearly every day is a career day for Zappe right now, as it’s only his second start. But he’s got 315 yards passing and a 127.8 QB rating with 10:15 to go.
Tough day for Jacoby — 3:35 p.m.
File this one under “Maybe we should have seen this coming.”
Quarterbacks who played under Belichick in New England before facing the Patriots are 3-8 against him. The three wins belong to Drew Bledsoe (2003), Jimmy Garoppolo (2020), and Tom Brady (2021).
The Browns settle for another FG — 3:31 p.m.
The Patriots’ defense tossed up another stop sign on Brissett and the Cleveland offense, holding the Browns to a field goal. It’s now seven-plus quarters without a touchdown against the New England defense. The Patriots will get the ball with 14:35 left, and holding a 24-9 lead.
End of third quarter: Patriots 24, Browns 6 — 3:27 p.m.
End of the third quarter and New England is up 24-6.
Zappe: 19-27, 256 yards, 2 TDs
Stevenson: 15 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD
Parker: 4 catches, 6 targets, 64 yards
The rookies are showing up — 3:20 p.m.
Another good afternoon for the New England rookie class:
▪ Bailey Zappe (19-for-27, 256 yards, two touchdowns, no INTs) appears to be in line for his second straight win as a starter.
▪ Cole Strange continues to be a steady presence at guard, and is one of only a handful of offensive players who hasn’t been flagged for a penalty on the day.
▪ Jack Jones has seen significant snaps over the last two-plus weeks, and continues to be a consistently tough presence at cornerback.
▪ Marcus Jones has had a mistake-free afternoon as a returner, and nearly came away with his first career NFL interception.
▪ Tyquan Thornton caught his first NFL touchdown pass in the second half.
New England leads 24-6 with 2:14 left in the third quarter.
Patriots 24, Browns 6: Hunter Henry gets on the board — 3:12 p.m.
Patriots 24, Browns 6 | 5:32, third quarter
The drive: 3 plays, 140 yards, 1:30
The analysis: The tight ends have really shown up today — that 31-yard touchdown pass is the fifth catch of the afternoon for the Smith/Henry combo, which has 117 yards receiving and a touchdown as a pair. It may be their best day as a position since the start of last season.
The Patriots are now up 24-6 with 5:32 to go in the third quarter. The way the New England defense has been playing, an 18-point lead feels insurmountable.
Jalen Mills with a big INT — 3:09 p.m.
What did we just say about Cleveland being forced to throw the ball? That’s the second interception of the day for the Patriots. It feels like New England can really put its stamp on this one with a touchdown here. It’s 17-6 with 6:36 left in the third quarter.
The Patriots already have nine penalties — 3:07 p.m.
A few notes:
▪ The Patriots’ team record for most penalties in a game is 15, which they’ve hit twice: Sept. 14, 2014, and Sept. 19, 1999. They have nine through two-plus quarters today.
▪ Isaiah Wynn is back in the game at right tackle.
The momentum is shifting in the Patriots’ favor — 3:01 p.m.
New England gets the ball at its own 39, holding a 17-6 lead with 9:08 to go in the third quarter.
Two important things: One, it feels like we are starting to witness a real momentum shift here in favor of the Patriots, especially with the near-pick from Marcus Jones that’ll force the punt.
And two, with the Patriots holding a double-digit lead in the second half, the Browns are going to have to start to go away from their strength here — the ground game — and start to throw the ball. Both good things for New England.
Tyquan Thornton makes his first TD grab — 2:51 p.m.
Patriots 17, Browns 6 | 11:22, third quarter
The drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:38
The analysis: Great drive for the New England tight ends, one that wrapped up with a two-yard touchdown pass to Tyquan Thornton to make it 17-6 with 11:22 left in the third quarter.
Things got started with a textbook catch-and-run from Jonnu Smith. He not only broke off his route early because of pressure, but Zappe also found him with a nice pass.
Smith then ran for some tough yards to get into Cleveland territory. Just a dynamite 53-yard play from the little-used tight end.
Hunter Henry added a 13-yard catch to get New England inside the five. In all, the tight ends accounted for 66 of the 75 yards on the drive.
Barmore downgraded to out — 2:45 p.m.
But he’s on the sideline.
Halftime stats breakdown: Six things to note — 2:38 p.m.
Two quarters are in the books in Cleveland, and the Patriots hold a 10-6 lead.
The stats:
Zappe: 11-17, 141 yards, 1 fumble
Stevenson: 10 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD
Parker: 3 catches, 5 targets, 57 yards
Meyers: 3 catches, 3 targets, 33 yards
Brissett: 9-17, 91 yards, 1 INT
Chubb: 8 carries, 30 yards
Njoku: 2 catches, 3 targets, 37 yards
A few quick notes:
▪ The absence of Lawrence Guy has been minimized by an occasionally ineffective Cleveland ground game.
Chubb has a key part of their offense, but he’s been mostly neutralized. It’ll be interesting to see how both sides try and account for the loss of Christian Barmore, who is questionable to return with a knee injury.
▪ A few numbers: The New England defense has now gone six quarters without allowing a touchdown. … Dating back to last week, the Patriots’ have stopped seven straight fourth-down attempts. … Eight penalties in the first half. Regardless of whatever you think of the calls, that’s certainly not a recipe for success. It’s already a game high, and there are two quarters to go. … The longest play from scrimmage in the first half was a 33-yard pass play from Brissett to Njoku in the first quarter. For New England, it was Stevenson’s 31-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
▪ The last two weeks, the Patriots have been able to paper over Zappe’s deficiencies with some good complementary football. They had (mostly) cut down on penalties, and gotten some defensive scoring and good field position, courtesy of special teams.
Over the first quarter-plus against the Browns — besides the early pick from Dugger — there wasn’t a lot of that. The offensive tweaks they made midway through the second quarter (Marcus Cannon for Isaiah Wynn at right tackle; more passing instead of running) could be a sign of things to come. But the larger point is that the Patriots’ margin for error is so slim, everyone needs to do their fair share if they want to come out of this with a victory.
▪ One of the things I always liked about Brissett dating back to his time in New England was the fact that possessed enough self-awareness to know that he needs to rely on his difference makers. With the exception of the early pick from Dugger, he’s done a lot of that. Mostly short and intermediate passes, mixed in with plenty of handoffs to Chubb.
Brissett is a smart, consistent presence who will never wow you with his skill set, but knows his strengths and weaknesses as a quarterback, and will perform accordingly.
▪ Special teams has been OK for the Patriots. The coverage units have been serviceable, the returners have done as well as could be expected, and Folk connected on his lone scoring opportunity, a 19-yard field goal in the first quarter.
▪ The Patriots will get the ball to start the second half.
At the half: Patriots 10, Browns 6 — 2:34 p.m.
Browns get another FG — 2:29 p.m.
Patriots 10, Browns 6 | :26, second quarter
The drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 2:57
The analysis: The Patriots have allowed a touchdown in the last minute of the first half in two of their five games this year, so the stop that held Cleveland to a field goal with 26 seconds left in the first half represents a win. It’s 10-6 New England as halftime looms.
Cody Davis headed to the locker room — 2:21 p.m.
Kendrick Bourne (toe) and Christian Barmore (knee) are already questionable to return.
Now, safety Cody Davis is headed to the locker room. His injury looked like a non-contact one. He walked off the field on his own, but did so gingerly.
Update, 2:24 p.m.: Cody Davis has been ruled out for the rest of the game.
Rhamondre Stevenson runs it in — 2:12 p.m.
Patriots 10, Browns 3 | 3:23, second quarter
The drive: 9 plays, 87 yards, 4:25
The analysis: Best drive of the game for the Patriots just wrapped up, a nine-play, 87-yard sequence that featured two things: more passing than running the ball, and Marcus Cannon at right tackle instead of Isaiah Wynn. Not sure if that’ll be enough to jump start the New England offense, but it certainly worked on that sequence.
It started with pass plays to Hunter Henry (12 yards) and a laser to Jakobi Meyers (20 yards), two plays that got New England to midfield.
Parker added a 12-yard reception, and Tyquan Thornton caught one that went for 11 yards. The capper came when Stevenson rumbled for 31 yards for the first touchdown of the game. It’s 10-3 with 3:23 left in the first half.
Christian Barmore is down — 2:00 p.m.
Update, 2:05 p.m.: Barmore is headed to the locker room.
One thing that’s missing? The rhythm. — 1:55 p.m.
For whatever reason — scheme, execution, defensive matchups — the Patriots just can’t find any rhythm on offense in the early going.
We’re midway through the second quarter, and Stevenson has seven carries for just 15 yards. Parker has made a couple of nice catches down the field, and Zappe is 6-for-10 for 81 yards. But the offense has been stuck in neutral over the first quarter-plus. The Browns take control deep in their own territory with just over 11 minutes left in the first half.
Wynn benched; Bourne questionable — 1:51 p.m.
Isaiah Wynn was benched for Marcus Cannon at right tackle on that last series.
Kendrick Bourne is questionable to return with a toe injury, the team announced.
Defense is holding — 1:43 p.m.
The Patriots’ defense has now stopped seven straight fourth-down chances dating back to the start of the Lions’ game. Good hold for New England.
End of first quarter: Patriots 3, Browns 3 — 1:39 p.m.
Fast first quarter — no surprise, as there were 12 rush attempts and 13 pass attempts. New England has been whistled for five penalties, all on offense.
Zappe: 5-7, 78 yards
Stevenson: 6 carries, 10 yards
Parker: 2 catches, 2 targets, 43 yards
Myles Garrett gets to Bailey Zappe and forces the fumble — 1:33 p.m.
Zappe couldn’t get the ball off in time with under a minute to play in the first quarter. All-Pro Myles Garrett hit Zappe’s throwing arm. The ball fluttered out, and the refs called a fumble instead of an incompletion. The play was reviewed, and the call upheld.
The analysis: This thing has been a slog for the Patriots here in the early going, with the situation magnified by that fumble from Zappe. Five penalties and early ineffectiveness in the red zone has made things rough. Cleveland has the ball at the New England 38 with 47 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Browns tie it up — 1:28 p.m.
Patriots 3, Browns 3 | 3:00, first quarter
The drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 4:31
The analysis: Cleveland ties the game at three with three minutes left in the first quarter on a 38-yard field goal from Cade York. It puts the capper on a drive that included a third-down pass play from Brissett to Njoku that allowed Cleveland to move the chains, a 33-yarder that was the longest gain from scrimmage to this point in the game. (Dugger bit on a sharp up-and-out move from Njoku.)
Good response from Brissett and the Browns — we’ll see if the Patriots can answer here.
Another day, another Isaiah Wynn penalty. What’s up with him? — 1:20 p.m.
Isaiah Wynn, a Patriots first-round draft pick in 2018, is playing right tackle for the first time this year. He had played at either left tackle or left guard throughout his career at Georgia and New England.
The transition hasn’t exactly been smooth.
He got called for his eighth penalty of the season on the Patriots’ first drive of the game. Ben Volin explored Wynn’s struggles this week.
Inside the Patriots’ first drive — 1:17 p.m.
Patriots 3, Browns 0 | 7:31, first quarter
The drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 6:50
The analysis: Another red-zone trip where the Patriots had to settle for a field goal. Sigh. Other than that, after the Kyle Dugger interception, it was a good opening sequence for the New England offense, including a pair of big third-down connections (one to Bourne and one to Parker). But an inability to punch it in and the weekly Isaiah Wynn false start conspired to keep the Pats’ out of the end zone. It’s 3-0 with 7:31 to go in the first quarter.
Hunter Henry’s misstep costs the Patriots a TD — 1:15 p.m.
At the Browns’ one-yard line, Zappe went to Stevenson twice in a row with no success. On third down, he found Hunter Henry open in the end zone — but the touchdown didn’t count because Henry stepped out of bounds and was the first player to touch the ball when he came back in.
The Patriots settled for a field goal.
We’re underway, and that was fast! — 1:04 p.m.
Kyle Dugger picked off Jacoby Brissett on the Browns’ first possession of the game.
Dugger continues to emerge as one of the Patriots’ most important defensive players, and he’s started today with a bang. The pick gives New England the ball at its own 39-yard line.
Volin predicts a win — 12:45 p.m.
Official Price Prediction — 12:40 p.m.
I think the Patriots are going to really miss Lawrence Guy this afternoon. The veteran defensive lineman is such a huge part of their run defense, and with Nick Chubb looming, it’s going to be a problem. That being said, Bill Belichick will be able to contain Jacoby Brissett and the rest of the Cleveland offense.
On the other side of the ball, if Rhamondre Stevenson doesn’t get at least 25 carries today, something will have gone wrong. In fact, I think he’s going to join Curtis Martin as the two latest New England backs to rush for at least 140 yards in back-to-back games. In the end, that’ll be enough to carry the Patriots and get them to .500. I’m going to say New England 28, Cleveland 20.
What Bill Belichick said before the game — 12:25 p.m.
Some takeaways from Bill Belichick’s game-day talk with Scott Zolak on 98.5 The Sports Hub:
On the offensive line and improved continuity up front: “September is always just (about) getting things adjusted and fine tuned,” he said. “It’s definitely a lot better than it was earlier in the season. Hopefully, we can continue to trend in the right direction.”
[ Read more about Isaiah Wynn’s struggles ]
On Damien Harris being out, and the possibility of rookies Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris getting time today: “Strong and Harris have worked hard. If they get an opportunity today, I think they’ll be ready to compete.”
On facing Jacoby Brissett: “He’s really impressive — a good solid player,” Belichick said. “You have to force problems for him — he doesn’t make too many on his own.”
[ Browns QB Jacoby Brissett, a former Patriot, has come full circle to face his old team ]
On the Cleveland backfield: “Their backs are very productive, and their passing game builds off their running game.”
The Patriots-Browns ties go way back — 12:10 p.m.
Over the years, Cleveland has always added a compelling counterpoint to the Patriots.
The most notable New England-Cleveland game over the last 20 years or so was obviously the return of Tom Brady from his Deflategate suspension in 2016 — a game that ended as a 33-13 laugher for the Patriots.
But there were others, including a wild 27-26 win over a woeful Cleveland team at Gillette Stadium in 2013. The Patriots fell behind 26-14 in the fourth quarter, only to be bailed out with a 13-point rally over the final 91 seconds. There was also the 2010 contest in Cleveland in which the Browns shocked the Patriots, 34-14, on the strength of 184 rushing yards from Peyton Hillis.
Bill Belichick achieved his share of milestones against New England while he was in command of the Browns — there was the playoff game in January 1995 that saw Belichick and the Browns upend Bill Parcells and the Patriots, 20-13. And finally, Belichick’s first win at the helm in Cleveland came in 1991 at the expense of the Patriots, a 20-0 win at Foxboro Stadium.
Your Cleveland weather forecast — 12:00 p.m.
Weather shouldn’t play much of a role this afternoon, as our friends at weather.com say it should be clear and sunny all day in Cleveland, with highs in the low 60s and no chance of precipitation. (For the record, through the first five games, the Patriots are 1-1 when the temps are 80 or above at kickoff, 0-2 when it’s been in the 60s, and 1-0 when it’s been in the 50s.)
Sports betting notes — 11:55 a.m.
A few long-term Patriots’ wagering notes, via Bet Online:
▪ The Patriots’ Super Bowl odds have improved over the last week, going from 150/1 to 75/1. (For comparisons sake, Buffalo is still tops at 7/2, while four teams have the longest odds at 500/1.)
New England’s AFC title odds are at 40/1, down from 75/1 the previous week. (Houston has the longest odds at 250/1, while Buffalo is 2/1.)
And the AFC East odds for New England have gone from 33/1 to 22/1 in the last week. (Buffalo is at 2/13, while the Jets are 33/1.)
▪ The odds on Matt Judon winning Defensive Player of Year have really moved lately, going from 75/1 to 50/1. Micah Parsons is still the runaway leader at 2/3, but if Judon keeps generating consistent pressure, his odds will continue to improve. On that same side of the ball, rookie cornerback Jack Jones is now 10/1 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year after being off the board the first few weeks of the season. Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd is currently the betting favorite at 3/1.
▪ Two more notes: Bailey Zappe is 33/1 to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. (Breece Hall of the Jets is currently tops at 9/2). And Bill Belichick’s Coach of the Year odds continue to ride a roller coaster; he’s currently at 100/1 to win it. (Philly’s Nick Sirianni is currently the favorite at 3/2.)
Breaking down the Patriots inactives — 11:45 a.m.
The Patriots have just announced their inactives:
▪ Quarterback Mac Jones (ankle) is still not ready to return, despite showing improvement in practice and traveling to Cleveland to take part in pregame warmups. That means it’ll be Bailey Zappe as the starter for the second straight week, with Garrett Gilbert (who was elevated from the practice squad over the weekend) as the backup.
▪ Cornerback Jonathan Jones (ankle) was declared out earlier in the weekend, so that move is no surprise. The veteran has been a mostly steady presence this year moving from the slot to a boundary position. I’d expect Jalen Mills and Jack Jones to continue in their roles outside, but no Jonathan Jones could test New England’s depth at the position this afternoon. Maybe more work for the likes of Shaun Wade?
▪ Wide receiver Nelson Agholor (hamstring) was also a downgrade on Saturday. The Patriots have a variety of pass catchers who are capable of stepping up in his absence. This could theoretically open the door for more opportunities for rookie Tyquan Thornton (who saw his first game action last week against the Lions) or Kendrick Bourne (who has been used sporadically over the first five games of the season).
▪ Running back Damien Harris (hamstring) was limited all week in practice after he sustained an injury last week against the Lions, made the trip to Cleveland and was spotted on the field working out this morning. He will sit. That means a lot of work for Rhamondre Stevenson day against the Browns.
▪ Linebacker Josh Uche (hamstring) was limited on Thursday and did not participate in Friday’s practice before being declared out on Friday. The youngster’s absence will test New England’s depth at linebacker. (As an aside, I’m curious about the progression of veteran linebacker Jamie Collins, who remains on the practice squad. If/when he is ready to go, it could create a dicey situation for some of the linebackers on the active roster.)
▪ Defensive lineman Lawrence Guy (shoulder) was limited all week. This is a sizable blow to the New England run defense, as Guy is absolutely vital to what the Patriots want to accomplish on a weekly basis. The other interior linemen, including Christian Barmore, will be taken with slowing the dynamic Nick Chubb.
▪ Defensive back Joshuah Bledsoe appears to be the only healthy scratch on today’s list.
▪ Among the notable actives today for the Patriots include linebacker Raekwon McMillan (thumb), wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (knee) and tight end Jonnu Smith (ankle), all of whom were limited at one point or another over the course of the week.
In addition, rookie running back Kevin Harris could provide some support in the backfield with Damien Harris on the sidelines.
Patriots inactives: Mac Jones, Damien Harris out — 11:30 a.m.
Seven numbers to know — 11:15 a.m.
A few numbers to look for this afternoon, courtesy of the Patriots’ media relations staff:
▪ A win this week against Cleveland will give Bill Belichick his 324th coaching victory, which would tie George Halas for second place all-time among NFL coaches, behind the 347 victories by Don Shula. A win today would also tie Belichick with Shula for second-most regular-season wins with one team (257). Halas is in first with 318 regular-season wins as head coach of the Chicago Bears.
▪ With one sack today, Matthew Judon would tie the franchise record for most sacks in the first six games of a season.
▪ If he breaks 140 rushing yards today, Rhamondre Stevenson would join some special company. The last Patriots player to rush for 140 yards or more in back-to-back games was Hall of Famer Curtis Martin in 1995, when he had 166 yards against the Jets on Nov. 5, followed by 142 yards against the Dolphins on Nov. 12.
▪ In that same vein, if the Patriots average five-plus yards per carry, it would be the first time in franchise history New England hit that mark in four consecutive games. (The Patriots have had three 3-game stretches averaging five-yards per carry in team history: 1977, 2020 and 2022.)
▪ If he picks off a pass today, Jack Jones will become the first New England rookie with an interception in three straight games since Devin McCourty in 2010. The only other New England rookies with an interception in at least three straight games were Mike Haynes with four straight games in 1976 and Ty Law with three straight in 1995.
▪ If Jakobi Meyers can crack the 100-yard receiving barrier today, he would become the first New England player since Julian Edelman in 2019 to have back-to-back games with 100 yards receiving. Edelman had 110 yards at Washington (Oct. 6) followed by 113 yards vs. the New York Giants (Oct. 10).
▪ McCourty will play in his 194th game as a Patriots this afternoon, which moves him into a tie with Mosi Tatupu for sixth place in franchise history. Matthew Slater is expected to play in his 212th game this afternoon, tying Bruce Armstrong for the second-most games played all-time with New England. (Tom Brady is tops at 285 games.)
What happens today? — 11:05 a.m.
Pregame reading list — 11:00 a.m.
The best way to start your football Sunday is with the pregame reading list.
Jim McBride: Patriots’ Nelson Agholor, Jonathan Jones out Sunday; Mac Jones still questionable
Ben Volin: Browns QB Jacoby Brissett, a former Patriot, has come full circle to face his old team
Julian Benbow: The Patriots run defense has struggled — and now they have to face Nick Chubb
Jim McBride: How the Patriots prepare to not miss a beat after an injury at a key position
Dan Shaughnessy: Bill Belichick has some historic NFL ties (and hats), and other thoughts
Good morning, and welcome to football! — 10:50 a.m.
Good morning, and welcome back to football. Today, it’s the Patriots (2-3) and Browns (2-3), set for a 1 p.m. kickoff from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
Lots of questions today: Will Mac Jones be able to play, or will it be Bailey Zappe? Can the Patriots get back to .500 after losing three of four? And how will old friend Jacoby Brissett fare agains the New England defense?
We’ll have the usual routine throughout the day — pregame updates and analysis, in-game news, and postgame highlights from the press conferences — so keep it here for what will certainly be a fun afternoon of football.
CUE THE BAND.
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social.