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DOWN X DOWN › week 9 › Browns at Saints
Updated Nov 2, 5:48 PM ET
2026
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Week 9 · Sunday 1:00 PM ET · Caesars Superdome

CLEvsNO

Browns offensevsSaints defense

Season numbers through Week 8: 8 games for Browns, 7 for Saints. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.

CLE offenseNO offense
Keys to the game · where this matchup tilts, from the season numbers4 reads
01
Biggest edge

Backs catch passes

Saints give up 38 yards a game to running backs (24th), against a league average of 32. Browns' running backs produce 40 (9th).

02
Opportunity

Deep left is open

Saints are worst against deep left throws, allowing +1.21 EPA per attempt. Browns send 7% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.

03
Watch out

Pressure problem

Browns take a sack on 12% of dropbacks (32nd). Saints get home on 7% (11th). League average is 7%.

04
Wash

EPA per play

Call this one even. Browns average -0.08 EPA per play (25th). Saints allow +0.08 (27th). League average is +0.00.

Players to watch

CLE Browns

4Deshaun WatsonQB · 163/249 · 1806 yds · 7 TD · 3 INTEPA per dropback -0.02 · 24th10Quinshon JudkinsRB · 101 car · 342 yds · 3 TD · 21 recEPA per touch -0.1512Denzel BostonWR · 26 rec · 409 yds · 3 TD · 53 tgtEPA per target +0.1144Harold Fannin Jr.TE · 35 rec · 411 yds · 3 TD · 51 tgtEPA per target +0.26 · 17th21Denzel WardLeft Cornerback · 29 tackles · 3 INT · 9 PD3 INT · T-2nd in the NFL94Mason GrahamLeft Defensive Tackle · 16 tackles · 4 sacks4 sacks · T-22nd in the NFL

NO Saints

6Tyler ShoughQB · 183/273 · 1721 yds · 13 TD · 6 INTEPA per dropback +0.02 · 20th41Alvin KamaraRB · 41 car · 125 yds · 3 TD · 22 recEPA per touch -0.1012Chris OlaveWR · 49 rec · 636 yds · 2 TD · 71 tgtEPA per target +0.53 · 18th14Devaughn VeleWR · 33 rec · 348 yds · 3 TD · 48 tgtEPA per target +0.46 · 25th99Chase YoungStrongside Linebacker · 14 tackles · 7 sacks · 3 PD7 sacks · T-3rd in the NFL96Carl GrandersonWeakside Linebacker · 25 tackles · 5.5 sacks5.5 sacks · T-9th in the NFL
The series · Browns and Saints since 1999, and this season's records8 meetings

The series is even at 4–4 since 1999. The Saints have won the last 3. Nov 17, 2024, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome: the Saints won 35–14. Derek Carr started at quarterback for the Saints and Jameis Winston for the Browns; Dennis Allen and Kevin Stefanski coached.

Browns at home1–2the Browns' record
In New Orleans3–2the Browns' record
Most pointsBrowns 30 · Saints 352010 · 2024
Biggest winBrowns by 13 · Saints by 212010 · 2024

The last 5

2024 · Wk 11CLE 14 at NO 35
2022 · Wk 16NO 17 at CLE 10
2018 · Wk 2CLE 18 at NO 21
2014 · Wk 2NO 24 at CLE 26
2010 · Wk 7CLE 30 at NO 17

2026 records

BrownsSaints
Overall5–32–5
Division2–10–1
Conference3–31–3
Other conference2–01–2
Home3–00–4
Away2–32–1
Last 5WLWWLLLLWL
StreakLost 1Lost 1
Points a game17.4 – 21.623.1 – 27.7

Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Browns' side. Records are this regular season.

The lineups · Browns offense against the Saints defenseDepth charts
Saints defense · 3-4 DBrowns offense · 3WR 1TE55Fano77Johnson74Jenkins58Barber71Howard44Fannin4Watson10Judkins12Boston3Jeudy1Concepcion91Broughton93Shepherd94Jordan96Granderson99Young20Werner55Elliss22Emerson1McKinstry7Sanker21Reid23Blackmon

Browns offense · 3WR 1TE

  • QBDeshaun Watson#4 · 163/249 · 1806 yds · 7 TD · 3 INT
  • RBQuinshon Judkins#10 · 101 car · 342 yds · 3 TD · 21 rec
  • WRDenzel Boston#12 · 26 rec · 409 yds · 3 TD · 53 tgt
  • WRKC Concepcion#1 · 33 rec · 352 yds · 0 TD · 49 tgt
  • WRJerry Jeudy#3 · 16 rec · 171 yds · 0 TD · 24 tgt
  • TEHarold Fannin Jr.#44 · 35 rec · 411 yds · 3 TD · 51 tgt
  • LTSpencer Fano#55
  • LGZion Johnson#77
  • CElgton Jenkins#74
  • RGAustin Barber#58
  • RTTytus Howard#71

Saints defense · Base 3-4 D

  • RDEVernon Broughton#91 · 14 tackles
  • NTNathan Shepherd#93 · 12 tackles · 0.5 sacks
  • LDECameron Jordan#94 · 13 tackles
  • WLBCarl Granderson#96 · 25 tackles · 5.5 sacks
  • SLBChase Young#99 · 14 tackles · 7 sacks · 3 PD
  • RILBPete Werner#20 · 53 tackles · 2 sacks · 2 PD
  • LILBKaden Elliss#55 · 29 tackles · 1 PD
  • RCBMartin Emerson Jr.#22 · 18 tackles · 2 INT · 4 PD
  • LCBKool-Aid McKinstry#1 · 23 tackles · 6 PD
  • NBJonas Sanker#7 · 44 tackles · 1 PD
  • SSJustin Reid#21 · 37 tackles
  • FSJulian Blackmon#23 · 36 tackles · 2 INT · 2 PD

Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.

Head to head · CLE offense against NO defense
StatCLE CLE offFavors CLE · Favors NONO NO def allowsNFL avg
Overall
EPA per play
-0.08#25
+0.08#27+0.00
Success rate
42%#18
49%#3144%
Yards per play
5.1#23
6.0#285.4
Explosive play rate
8%#24
11%#289%
Passing
Pass EPA per dropback
-0.06#23
+0.09#23+0.03
Sack rate
12%#32
7%#117%
Running
Run EPA per carry
-0.19#27
+0.04#31-0.08
Yards per carry
3.6#27
4.8#304.1
Money downs
3rd down conversion
32%#30
51%#3041%
Red zone TD rate
47%#31
60%#1461%
Targets by position
WR yards per game
129#23
144#16147
TE yards per game
57#16
68#2755
TE targets per game
7.0#20
8.9#287.6
RB receiving yards per game
40#9
38#2432
Where the ball goes · EPA per throwDeep is 15+ air yds

Browns: EPA per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+0.287% of throws
+0.044% of throws
+0.665% of throws
Short
+0.0542% of throws
+0.2715% of throws
+0.0927% of throws

Saints: EPA allowed per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+1.2117 throws
+0.5010 throws
+0.2516 throws
Short
+0.0476 throws
+0.2538 throws
+0.0967 throws

Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.