Browns and Saints try to stay close to their division leaders as they meet in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Cleveland Browns are two games above .500 but find themselves in third place in the AFC North and seeking a victory to keep pace with first-place Pittsburgh and second-place Cincinnati.

New Orleans (2-5) would love to have the same record as Cleveland (5-3), but like the Browns, are just one game out of first place in their division.

“You look at the division, and everyone is right there,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said this week, referring to the NFC South. “Everything is still alive and in front of us. It’s about taking the lessons from the first half, making the necessary adjustments and realizing we’ve got a great opportunity down the stretch if we take care of our business.”

The Saints likely won't have to play against Cleveland starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was placed in the NFL's concussion protocol this week and has missed multiple practices. Browns backup Shedeur Sanders has been preparing to play in the Superdome.

Sanders, who went 3-4 as a starter last year as a rookie, said he has seen “a lot” of video of the Saints defense and appears confident in his chances to play well against a New Orleans defense that ranks 28th in yards allowed per game (372.7) — even if he's reluctant to say so out loud.

“When I smile, just know that means something,” Sanders said. "I’m maturing. Like, I could have given a decent answer, but now I’m just going to smile.”

Both teams have struggled to score early in games and have had to get used to playing from behind. The Saints, who've been outscored 44-6 in the first quarter of their seven games, have struggled to overcome the second-worst first-quarter point differential in the NFL.

The league's worst opening-quarter point differential belongs to the Browns, who've outscored 65-13 in opening stanzas, but have done better to overcome those slow starts.

“It’s not the optimal way to win, right? I mean, it’s obvious,” Browns coach Todd Monken said. “The good news is we’re 5-3 and we have every opportunity to flip that script. That’s what’s great about it, if you want to look at that. I don’t look at the glass half full. I’m going to look at, like, the whole thing’s full, OK? Like, we have nine games left ... and we can certainly flip that script.”

Cleveland (5-3) vs. New Orleans (2-5)

When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.

Latest odds: Saints by 4 1/2.

Against the spread: Browns 5-3; Saints 3-4.

Last week: Browns lost to Pittsburgh 27-6 ; Saints had bye, lost 16-10 to Pittsburgh on Oct. 25 in Paris.

Last meeting: Saints beat Browns 35-14 on Nov. 17, 2024, in New Orleans.

Series record: Browns lead 13-7.

Saints wide receiver Chris Olave vs. Browns top cornerback Denzel Ward, who both are former first-round draft choices out of Ohio State. Olave, now in his fifth NFL season, leads the Saints in receiving with 49 catches for 636 yards and two TDs. Ward, in his ninth season, leads Cleveland with three interceptions and eight passes defensed.

— The Browns have not lost two straight games yet this season.

— RB Quinshon Judkins had 49 scrimmage yards (25 rushing, 24 receiving) last week and has at least 50 scrimmage yards in four of his past five games.

— Rookie WR Denzel Boston had six receptions last week, his most yet in a game. Boston leads rookies in TDs receiving with three, ranks second in yards receiving with 409 and fifth in receptions with 26.

— WR KC Concepcion ranks second among rookies in receptions with 33 and third in yards receiving with 352.

— TE Harold Fannin set career game-highs with 10 in receptions for 154 yards in Week 8. He's caught at least six passes for 90 or more yards in each of his past two games.

— LB Carson Schwesinger led the Browns with 10 tackles last week and has had at least eight tackles in each of his past five games.

— LB Quincy Williams had a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a pass defensed last week.

— DT Mason Graham had three tackles for loss last week, giving him two games this season with at least that many.

— DT Adin Huntington had sack last week and has at least half a sack in four of his past five games.

— Ward had two passes defensed and an interception in Week 8, his second game in a row with an interception.

— The Saints are winless (0-3) in the Superdome this season and 0-4 as the designated home team, including their loss to the Steelers in Paris.

— Saints QB Tyler Shough passed for 278 yards and a TD in Week 7, giving him a TD pass in 10 of his past 11 games.

— Olave ranks fifth with 636 yards receiving this season and has at least five receptions in 11 of his past 12 home games.

— EDGE Carl Granderson had 1 1/2 sacks in Week 7, his third consecutive game with 1 1/2 sacks, the longest such active streak in NFL.

— EDGE Chase Young had 1 1/2 sacks in Week 7 for a second straight game. Young has seven sacks this season.

— Safety Jonas Sanker led the Saints with nine tackles in Week 7 and has at least six tackles in four of his past five games.

— Safety Julian Blackmon had two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and an interception the most recent time he played against Cleveland in 2023, when Blackmon was with the Indianapolis Colts.

AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy contributed to this report

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