Chargers vs. Browns: Cleveland wins second straight at home

SB Nation’s Chargers blog, Bolts From The Blue, was disappointed with the way the team showed no heart or desire to win in the second half.

It’s a tough decision for a team that has won some big games the last few years, and one you should weigh in on over at Bolts From The Blue.

While discussing that play after the game, SB Nation’s Dawgs By Nature noted that the tipped pass may have saved the game for Cleveland. By holding, the Browns picked up their first win since new owner Jimmy Haslam took over the franchise.

Sunday’s performance ended a streak of three straight games with two touchdown passes for Weeden. He threw for less than 200 yards for the first time since an awful performance in the Browns’ season opener.

Fantasy Impact: Weeden had been playing well prior to Sunday’s game, so count this as a mulligan due to the wind and the rain. He has actually fashioned himself into a viable QB2 in two-quarterback leagues. Weeden is still a backup quarterback in standard formats.

Fantasy Impact: Factor in 17 yards on four carries, and Sunday was easily Brown’s most productive outing of the season. Awful weather forced Rivers into check-down mode, giving Brown 11 targets out of the backfield.

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Rivers’ performance ended a streak of three straight games with two touchdown passes. It was also his first game since Week 1 without an interception. Rivers has passed for under 200 yards twice this season.

Fantasy Impact: While you can’t blame Rivers too much due to mother nature, there’s no denying the fact that he simply hasn’t played well in recent weeks. He has been able to find the end zone which is good, but he has been poison in fantasy leagues that deduct point for interceptions.

Shurmur: Hey Brad

Brad Childress: Hey coach!

Coming off a few underwhelming performances while dealing with an ongoing rib injury, Richardson came alive on Sunday to rush for 122 yards on 24 carries, including a 26-yard romp for the game’s only touchdown. The rookie also caught one pass for 12 yards.

The Chargers neared field goal range for a possible game-winning attempt in the final two minutes, but the Browns held steady on fourth down to force a turnover on downs, allowing them to run out the clock.

Statistically, the Chargers had one of the top rush defenses in the league through the first seven weeks, but in nasty weather, it looks like the Browns will continue to pound it on the ground with Richardson.

Fantasy Impact: Richardson will see the field, head coach Pat Shurmur has emphasized throughout the week. It remains to be seen what kind of role he will take on, however, especially now that the team has some idea of how the injury affects him.

The uncertainty and a tough matchup against the Chargers probably makes Richardson a Flex play at best in standard leagues. You may want to avoid starting him if you can afford to.

Massaquoi practiced this week but has once again been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. He has nine receptions for 145 yards on the season, but has not played since Week 3.

Royal is out with a hamstring injury he suffered in practice this past week. He has 13 receptions for 98 yards and one touchdown this season.

San Diego Chargers

Cleveland Browns

This will be the first official Browns game under new owner Jimmy Haslam, with the transaction clearing on Thursday. CEO Joe Banner was supposed to come aboard full-time on Thursday as well, but the death of his father has delayed his joining the team. The new regime will undoubtedly put Pat Shurmur in the crosshairs, as the second-year coach is now 1-6 after some curious conservative decisions against the Colts -- moves that had Haslam visibly perturbed in the owner’s box.

The game is crucial to the Chargers, who are still in contention at .500, but it’s also an enormous game for Shurmur. The Browns are slight home underdogs, and with San Diego seeming vulnerable after the Denver disaster, a win in Haslam’s first home game is almost mandatory if Shurmur wants to entertain thoughts of sticking around for another year. It’s likely Cleveland’s best shot at a win until December.