It would not be a Cleveland Browns game without a starting player or two on the defense missing in action.
Such will be the case again on Sunday as the Browns have ruled out defensive end Olivier Vernon and defensive back Eric Murray with injuries.
The Murray injury continues a season-long trend that has seen the Browns without a player (or players) in the defensive secondary on an almost weekly basis.
The absence of Vernon, who injured his knee late in last Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos, is the headline, however, because it thrusts second-year defensive end Chad Thomas into the spotlight.