FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- So much for that defensive advantage on the ground.
The Browns defense was primed to have a big game against the Patriots on Sunday. All they had to do was come out and seize the opportunity. Instead, Cleveland fell flat in a 45-7 loss.
Offensively, Cleveland’s star running back Nick Chubb was out. But the Patriots were also without their top back, Damien Harris, who was in concussion protocol. Harris ranks ninth in the NFL with 547 rushing yards, has seven rushing touchdowns and had carried the ball a team-leading 133 times this season for New England.