The 2026 Browns stumbled out of the gate in Jacksonville yesterday, losing 34-10 and looking worse than that. Rookie head coach Todd Monken’s troops failed to avoid pre-snap penalties, muster a balanced offensive attack, and display the aggressive defense that had been the saving grace of recent seasons. Behind an all-new offensive line, QB Deshaun Watson did little to justify Monken’s faith in his game management or solidify his starting role. If you squint you might discern a few bright spots in DT Mason Graham (who had the Browns’ only sack), RB Rocket Sanders (74-yard kickoff return), WR Denzel Boston (a 46-yard TD on a garbage time go route), and RG Austin Barber, who played clean football in his pro debut.
Despite the on-the-field stinker, we are grateful for the impressive crowd of 42 Browns Backers who gathered at the Northville Sports Den. It was heartening to reunite with so many familiar faces from years past and welcome several new ones as well, including some guests driving up from Ohio.
Fundraising for the club’s revitalization efforts and chosen charity, Dementia Friendly Services, got off to a solid start with the raffle of a Cleo Miller signed football and Felix Wright signed decal, along with our weekly “Change for Charity” coin collection challenge with Grand Rapids’ Beer City Browns Backers. Special thanks to Tom Martin, Gary Erne, Cheryl Popp and Rich Stradtman for merchandise and memorabilia donations to fortify our future efforts.
Sales and pre-order pickups of club T-shirts designed by club member Meredith Degenhardt continued at a healthy clip, with more still in stock and/or available to order via https://forms.gle/gHuYTmbHahh4x6oF8, where a selection of stickers, drink sleeves, and koozies are also on offer. We appreciate Meredith’s craftsmanship and cooperation in raising funds and visibility for our chapter.
Congrats to SEMBB webmaster Jack Scheible for winning a vintage issue of Sports Illustrated by solving the weekly trivia challenge at halftime. This was the question: Dennis Northcutt went to Jacksonville after seven seasons with the Browns, catching 93 passes in two seasons there under which Jaguars wide receivers coach? (see answer below)
Remember to reserve your spots at our 20th anniversary celebration, Feb. 7 at Slows Bar BQ in Ann Arbor. Get all the details here, and please act fast, as space is limited. We look forward to welcoming Cleveland Browns Legend Hanford Dixon for this special event.
And one more loose end: the Den returned a Browns coat and hat to us from their lost-and-found. Reach out with a description if they might be yours; colder weather is around the corner!
WEEK TWO PREVIEW
The Browns return to Florida to take on Tampa Bay at 1 p.m. on Sunday. As you surely know, the Buccaneers feature Baker Mayfield, the franchise quarterback we traded away in 2022 after signing Watson to succeed him, so the storyline is intriguing. Will the Browns bounce back, or at least beat the play clock? Will Baker lose three fumbles as he did yesterday against the Bengals? Will Watson play well enough to earn a home start the following week?
Come join us at the Den to find out with your fellow fans! We’ll have more trivia, a 50/50 charity raffle, an introduction from our Backer of the Week, the esteemed Dick Nolan, and more. Our usual backroom won’t be available, so we’ll have a section of the main dining room. (Fortunately the Lions play on Thursday, freeing up ample space.) Please reply if you plan to attend, so we can make sure they dedicate enough tables and service staff for us.
That’s it for now, so bark hard, keep the faith, have a great week, and we’ll see you soon.
Brownsgirl (Susan) and Ace Davis (Dave)
P.S. trivia answer: Todd Monken