As 2023 comes to a close, it’s time to look back on restaurants that have opened in St. Paul this year.

Looking through my list of standouts, it’s clear that many of them feature global eats, from potstickers to arepas to tacos and more. There are so many places we want to tell you about that we are splitting this story in two. The first are my favorite new places serving food from around the world.

The second, which will come out in a few weeks, will feature some new finer-dining restaurants, new American fare and a few more global options.

As always, it’s a good time to be a food lover in the Saintly City.

Spicy Feta

The Spicy Apollo flatbread wrap at Spicy Feta in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

When chef Angelo Giovanis went back to his native Greece, closing Naughty Greek, I was distraught. Those pork gyros were second to none in the Twin Cities. Still, I kept an open mind about its replacement Spicy Feta, operated by the owners of Ariana Kabob & Gyro Bistro in St. Louis Park.

Turns out that while what they’re doing is different (no pork or alcohol, since the restaurant is fully halal), it’s also very, very delicious.

We are enamored with the signature spicy feta dip, served with fluffy, fresh, warm pita bread. You can also get it on fries, but the battered fries here are not as good as the fresh-cut ones that Naughty Greek served, unfortunately. The spicy Apollo wrap, available with any protein, is stuffed with fries, spicy feta sauce, spicy tzatziki, candied jalapenos and plenty of vegetables, and it is definitely not for the typical Minnesota palate. I tried the rotisserie-carved chicken shawarma, which was super flavorful.

My son, who usually does not prefer intense spice, was a fan of the classic, which he ordered with rotisserie-carved steak shawarma, and my husband thoroughly enjoyed his falafel, which he ordered Naughty Greek style — that version comes with kalamata olives, tzatziki, fries, feta and vegetables. We ordered all the sandwiches on fresh, flavorful flatbread, but you can also get them as pita sandwiches.

Though I’ll never stop being sad about Naughty Greek closing, Spicy Feta is a worthy, craveable replacement.

Spicy Feta: 181 Snelling Ave., N., St. Paul or 2400 University Ave., St. Paul; 651-219-4438; eatspicyfeta.com

Potsticker

The potsticker tour for two at Potsticker in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Neighbors were sad when Kim’s Kitchen on Randolph closed, but they seem to be welcoming newcomer Potsticker with open arms, if a busy recent weeknight is any indication.

The restaurant focuses on its namesake, but also has a few other appetizers and a decent selection of entrees.

We had to go for the potsticker tour, which gives you two of each of the eight available flavors and a variety of dipping sauces. The dumplings were all tasty, but certain flavors — the sweet/briny shrimp and squash and the dill and pork — stood out for us. As for dipping, we couldn’t get enough of the “old godmother” sauce, which includes dried chiles, peanuts and garlic. It is a spicy explosion of flavor. The pretty traditional Korean gochujang was our other favorite. The classic posticker sauce was perhaps a little on the vinegary side, and the others a little forgettable.

We also tried the pork belly fried rice (decent if a little bland) and the ribeye noodles (the steak was super tender, and we appreciated the vegetables), but perhaps our favorite things beyond the dumplings were the house cucumbers, marinated in that delicious old godmother sauce. Four of us jockeyed for the last bite, and I’m sad to say I came up the loser.

Next time.

Potsticker: 1214 Randolph Ave., St. Paul; 651-699-4590; mypotsticker.com

Crasqui

Cocotero, a coconut dessert, at Crasqui on St. Paul’s West Side. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

If there’s one new restaurant that opened this year that I want to implore you to visit, it’s this one. The location is a little out-of-the-way — just across the bridge from downtown St. Paul on the West Side — but there’s ample parking and you won’t have a problem getting a reservation.

Best of all, the upscale Venezuelan food that chef Soleil Ramirez and her team are serving at the pretty, tropical eatery is utterly fantastic. You can order from a regular, a la carte menu or indulge in a six-course tasting menu.

The tropical cocktails are great, and every entree we have tried is something I’d order again. Standouts: Memorias de Tabay, a juicy pork chop nestled atop a slurpable savory blackberry sauce and the black bean souffle, a genius, perfectly executed and tasty vegetarian main.

Don’t skip the arepitas, three little versions of the dish that Ramirez makes at Arepa Bar in Midtown Global Market, to start and the cocotero, a flan/rum-cake mashup served in a half coconut shell, for dessert.

Crasqui: 84 S. Wabasha St. No. 3, St. Paul; 952-600-5578; crasquirestaurant.com

Erta Ale

The vegetarian platter at Erta Ale, the new Ethiopian restaurant in Lowertown St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

In my opinion, there can never be enough Ethiopian restaurants in St. Paul. This newcomer, in the former Kyatchi space in Lowertown, has a nice atmosphere, and most importantly, a great vegetarian platter.

Served atop spongy, tangy injera, the typical platter includes lentils three ways, greens, green beans, roasted beets, cabbage and potatoes. Each preparation is delicious, and for my husband and me, it’s a perfect dinner and a steal at $17.99. If you must have meat, the chicken tibs are tender and full of flavor. You can get them with rice, but we prefer more injera.

Erta Ale: 308 E. Prince St., St. Paul; 651-728-8081; ertaaleethiopian.com

Habanero Tacos

Mole enchiladas from Habanero Tacos on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Mexican is another cuisine I can’t get enough of, and this Snelling Avenue newcomer is serving up delicious versions of all of my favorites.

Tostadas are crisp and hold a scoop of creamy beans, juicy shredded chicken, crisp lettuce and salty cheese. The mole, which we ordered upon enchiladas, is sweet, but deeply flavorful, and a three-meat platter (chicken, steak and shrimp) — a sort of make-your-own-taco deal, was good, if a little pricey at $24. Next time, I think I’d go for some street tacos.

I also saw some good-looking fajitas coming out of the kitchen, and after referring a fajita-loving friend, he confirmed that they are, indeed, delicious.

The restaurant does have a full bar, but beware that the habanero margarita we tried tasted suspiciously like a bottled mix and had very little spice to it. They do have Pacifico, my favorite Mexican beer, on tap, though.

Habanero Tacos: 80 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 651-666-3961; habanerotacosstp.com

Centro/Everywhen Burger Bar

Centro Crunch from Centro in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

More tacos! And a way-better version of a tortilla-wrapped tostada than the one served at a certain national chain.

There’s a reason this new spot in Highland Park is packed every night with neighbors — the atmosphere is fun and upbeat, it’s family-friendly (order from a QR code at your table, and be shocked at how fast the food arrives) and it’s inexpensive for the quality of the tacos, enchiladas, burgers and more.

For real, though, I can’t get enough of the Centro Crunch, which consists of quality, flavorful ground beef, an actually crisp tostada, crunchy green lettuce, creamy cheese and fresh tomatoes wrapped in a giant tortilla, which is seared together on a flat-top. And the not-too-sweet (and not from a mix) margaritas are available in pitcher format for your friend-group hangs.

Centro/Everywhen Burger Bar: 750 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 612-489-5558; centrompls.com or everywhenburgers.com

Juche

Dwaegi Bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) at Juche in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Last but far from least, I can’t get enough of the Korean food being served at the former Cook St. Paul space on Payne Avenue.

Owners Eddie and Eve Wu and chef Chris Her have created a space that is dark, modern and cozy and is brimming with hospitality and delicious bites.

Grab a few friends, nab a booth and order as much as your bellies can hold — everything from the burgers to the bi bim bap to the kimchi fried rice is soulful and bursting with flavor. At this very moment, I am craving the dwaegi bindaetteok, or mung bean pancakes, which are helpfully cut into bite-sized pieces for easy sharing.

Juche has fun, soju-based cocktails, but also serves Makku, a canned version of the very Korean lightly effervescent fermented rice drink makgeolli.

I am so happy for this team for taking a post-pandemic leap and opening a restaurant that really speaks to their hearts. It’s working.

Juche: 1124 Payne Ave., St. Paul; 612-490-3380; juchestpaul.com

Related Articles

Pimento Jamaican Kitchen now open downtown — till 2 a.m. on weekends

Suburban favorite Andiamo set to open on Snelling Avenue next year

Favorite quick weeknight recipes from 2023

Sneak peek: Highland Popcorn, which employs people with disabilities, is set to open early next year

Quick Fix: Southwestern Veggie Skillet Dinner

Dustin Hopkins made a 34-yard field goal with 32 seconds to play to lift the Cleveland Browns to a 20-17 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Bears defense disrupted Browns quarterback Joe Flacco all day, including interceptions by Eddie Jackson, Tremaine Edmunds and Tyrique Stevenson.

But Flacco came through when it mattered most.

His 51-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper tied the game at 17-17 with 3 minutes, 18 seconds to play. Flacco threw a perfect pass between three Bears defenders to Cooper, who ran 25 yards down the right sideline to score.

After the Bears offense had to punt on the following drive, Flacco threw two big passes to tight end David Njoku, the first a 31-yarder to get to the Bears 48-yard line. Then on third-and-15, Flacco hit Njoku with a 34-yard pass to the Bears 19.

When Hopkins’ field goal sailed through the uprights, it stopped the Bears (5-9) from nabbing their first three-game winning streak since December 2020.

Flacco completed 28 of 44 passes for 374 yards with two touchdowns and the three interceptions.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields completed 19 of 40 passes for 166 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, both on Hail Marys to end a half.

Fields completed a 30-yard pass to Tyler Scott to get the Bears to the Browns 45 with 20 seconds to play and then threw two incompletions. On a Hail Mary pass to end the game, wide receiver Darnell Mooney had the ball in his hands in the end zone, but it popped out and D’Anthony Bell grabbed it out of the air to seal the victory for the Browns (9-5).

The Bears took a 10-point lead in the third quarter.

After a 7-7 halftime tie, Edmunds’ first career pick-six came after T.J. Edwards hit wide receiver Cedric Tillman as the ball was coming at him. Edmunds grabbed it out of the air and ran 45 yards for the touchdown and a 14-7 Bears lead. Edmunds has four interceptions this year, including three in the last four games.

Cairo Santos made a 41-yard field goal to give the Bears a 17-7 lead with 7:07 to play in the third quarter.

Late in the third quarter, the Bears came up with a defensive stop, but returner Trent Taylor muffed the punt. The Browns recovered at the Bears 20.

On the next play, Stevenson intercepted Flacco at the 1-yard line and returned it 34 yards. But the Bears couldn’t capitalize on the takeaway. Fields was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Browns 33 when he was tripped up just short of the first down.

Hopkins made a 33-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to cut the Bears lead to 17-10. Former Bears wide receiver Marquise Goodwin got behind the defense to catch a 57-yard Flacco pass that set up Hopkins’ kick.

‘Devastating’: The Chicago Bears’ latest loss — with another blown lead in Cleveland — may cut the deepest
Darnell Mooney’s Hail Mary drop will make the Chicago Bears’ lowlight reel, but far more went wrong for the offense

Here’s how the game unfolded.

Inactives announced

Bears wide receiver DJ Moore and safety Jaquan Brisker are active Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Moore was listed as questionable after he dealt with an ankle injury all week, but he practiced in full Friday and will play against the Browns.

Brisker dealt with groin tightness in practice Wednesday, didn’t practice Thursday and was limited Friday. He also was listed as questionable.

The Bears previously declared out linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (pectoral). They elevated linebacker DeMarquis Gates on Saturday to take Sewell’s spot.

Safety Quindell Johnson and offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter are also inactive. Nathan Peterman is inactive but will serve as the emergency third quarterback.

With Yannick Ngakoue going on injured reserve with a broken ankle this week, defensive end Dominique Robinson is active for the first time since Oct. 22.

Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, who missed the last three games with a shoulder injury, is active.

The Browns previously declared out defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (pectoral), center Ethan Pocic (stinger) and safety Juan Thornhill (calf). Linebackers Anthony Walker and Jordan Kunaszyk, cornerback Kahlef Hailassie and defensive end Sam Kamara are also inactive.

Halftime: Big plays hard to come by in 7-7 tie

The Bears’ only touchdown drive of the first half Sunday against the Browns was a wild four-play, 1-yard possession that took 2 minutes, 23 seconds off the clock.

On a rainy afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium, big offensive plays were at that kind of premium as the Bears and Browns went into halftime tied 7-7.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields hit tight end Cole Kmet for a 5-yard touchdown pass to cap their strange scoring drive. It came after safety Eddie Jackson came up with his first interception of the season off Browns quarterback Joe Flacco and returned it 27 yards to the Cleveland 1.

After D’Onta Foreman lost 3 yards on a first-down carry, the Browns committed three straight penalties — two for too many men on the field and pass interference on Martin Emerson while defending DJ Moore.

After another Foreman carry was stopped for no gain, Kmet was called for a false start. But two plays later, Kmet hauled in the touchdown for a 7-0 Bears lead.

The Browns responded with a 12-play, 84-yard drive capped by Flacco’s 2-yard touchdown pass to David Njoku to tie it. Njoku jumped to grab the ball over Jaquan Brisker in the back of the end zone.

Flacco sparked the drive with a 42-yard pass to Amari Cooper with Tyrique Stevenson covering. The drive also included Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s 5-yard pass to Jerome Ford on fourth-and-2 at the Bears 19.

Fields completed 12 of 21 passes for 101 yards with the touchdown and an interception on a Hail Mary on the last pass of the half. The Bears got to the Browns 37-yard line on the last drive but couldn’t put points on the board.

Flacco completed 14 of 23 passes for 140 yards with the touchdown and the interception.

The teams combined for 40 yards on the ground.

Bears left guard Teven Jenkins left the sideline on a cart after getting shaken up on a late second-quarter play. The Bears ruled him out for the rest of the game with a concussion.

Catch up on the rest of our coverage.

5 things to watch — plus our predictions

The last time Bears quarterback Justin Fields played the Browns in the regular season was his first career start on Sept. 26, 2021. It’s an impossible one to forget.

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett recorded 4 1/2 of the Browns’ nine sacks against Fields, who completed just 6 of 20 passes for 68 yards under then-coach Matt Nagy. Fields lost 67 yards to the sacks.

As the Bears return to Cleveland, Garrett, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, still is wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. He ranks seventh in the NFL with 13 sacks and is tied for fourth with 26 quarterback hits. Read more here.

Bears Q&A: When would a potential Justin Fields trade take place? How realistic are their playoff chances?

‘Nothing was given to him. He had to earn everything’

When Ryan Poles signed T.J. Edwards to a three-year, $19.5 million contract in March, the Bears general manager called it an “awesome story.” The former Lakes High School quarterback, now 27, was the latest local guy to join the Bears, and he arrived following a rise to Eagles starter that many teams didn’t see coming.

Now, Edwards’ latest chapter has fueled a season in which he is a consistent cog in the Bears defensive turnaround.

The 6-foot-1, 242-pound weak-side linebacker set a Bears record for the most tackles through 10 games with 112. And through 13 heading into Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, he also has seven tackles for a loss, two interceptions, four passes defended, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two sacks and six quarterback hits. Read more here.

Yannick Ngakoue will miss the rest of the Bears season with a broken ankle, forcing a resurgent pass rush to adjust
Coach Matt Eberflus sees win as ‘proof’ the Bears are making progress. The defense showed it.

Stats package

Kyle Orton’s franchise record is not yet in jeopardy.

But Justin Fields’ 93 pass attempts since his last interception is a sign of progress for the quarterback, who returns to the site of his first career start. Read more here.

Bears Week 15 storylines: Justin Fields’ well-timed test, DJ Moore’s ‘Slim Shady’ magic and some ‘In the hunt’ perspective
Column: What music motivates Chicago athletes? Here’s a sports mixtape of their favorite songs.
How Bears DJs set the ‘atmosphere’ for fans — and players — at Soldier Field
True or false: QB Justin Fields’ performance Sunday gives Bears GM Ryan Poles reason to stick with him in 2024
3 things we heard from the Bears, including Justin Fields on late hits and Cairo Santos on the NFL’s first Brazil game
What to know about the Bears’ possible move from Soldier Field — and which other suburbs are vying for the stadium
Bears honor Leyden District 212 teacher as a ‘Classroom Legend’ for his academic wins: ‘At the end of the day, he gives his best effort’

NFL draft watch

Before “Maserati Marv” drives off to the NFL, he has some more hardware to pack.

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is the winner of the 2023 Chicago Tribune Silver Football, voted by the conference’s head coaches as the Big Ten’s best player. He is the 23rd Buckeye — tops among Big Ten schools — to win the Silver Football in the award’s 99-year history. An Ohio State or Michigan player has won in 12 of the last 15 years.

While Harrison left the door open last week to returning for his senior season, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison is widely expected to enter the NFL draft, in which he’s projected as a likely top-five pick. Read more here.

QB Drake Maye is entering the NFL draft and won’t play for North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl
NFL evaluators praise J.J. McCarthy’s ‘unbelievable mind.’ Would the Bears target the Michigan QB and local product?

Erick Fedde journeyed to the Korea Baseball Organization with the goal of making it back to the major leagues.

“It was somewhere I felt I could work on all my new pitches and get the ball every fifth (or) sixth day there and throw a ton of innings and prove what I had,” Fedde said during a video conference call Thursday.

He proved it — and then some — by earning KBO MVP honors in 2023.

The right-hander officially agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Reports of a deal first surfaced on Dec. 5.

Fedde, 30, said the opportunity with the Sox means “everything.”

“I had that terrible taste in my mouth about the way my career ended up in the major leagues (in 2022 with the Washington Nationals), and going to Korea, it could be the last taste I ever had of it,” Fedde said. “I really didn’t want that to be how my career ended in the major leagues, and luckily I’m able to pitch well and get a chance again.

“That just gives me that much more fire to make sure I change the way I’m viewed and the narrative around my career and move forward in a positive way.”

The Nationals selected Fedde with the No. 18 pick in the 2014 MLB draft. He spent six seasons with the big-league club, going 21-33 with a 5.41 ERA and 352 strikeouts in 102 games (88 starts) from 2017-22.

He went 6-13 with a 5.81 ERA in 27 starts in 2022.

“That last year, the reality was, unfortunately, that year in spring training I had a little hiccup with health, and I just felt like I was behind the 8-ball from the beginning. I never really felt truly healthy,” Fedde said. “It was tough. My velocity was down, things weren’t sharp.

“It felt like rather than really focusing on being my best, it was just trying to get ready to go out there every five days. And that’s not a fun place to be when it’s a long season.”

Fedde knew things had to change and went to work that offseason. He moved to Arizona and attended the workout facility Push Performance.

“They also had some physical therapists in the facility to get me feeling right and get myself a new repertoire and feeling strong,” Fedde said. “Adding a sweeper, and then just got my changeup figured out and that led me to have a four-pitch mix when I went to Korea and led to a lot of the success.”

His standout numbers included a 20-6 record and a 2.00 ERA in 30 starts for the NC Dinos. He had 209 strikeouts and just 35 walks in 180 1/3 innings.

Fedde allowed only nine home runs and had a 0.95 WHIP.

“You never know how things are going to shake out once real hitters get in the box and you have real at-bats in games,” Fedde said. “So after that first month in Korea when I was having all that success and feeling like I was in command on the mound is when I first realized, ‘I think all the hard work paid off and I’m where I want to be.’”

In addition to the MVP honor, Fedde won the Choi Dong-won Award, which recognizes the KBO’s best pitcher.

“Korea was amazing,” he said. “They treated me really well. The atmosphere is unmatched with the chants and just the way the crowd is. It was a great place for me to go, and I wanted a place where I could throw a ton of innings and work on my things I made adjustments on. Korea really offered that for me.

“I felt like I came in there in the best shape, the best pitching repertoire I ever had, and I had a lot of confidence going in there and I think it led to the success.”

He’ll try to carry that momentum back to the big leagues in Chicago.

“It’s a place I felt I could get into the rotation and help the squad be better and part of the rebuilding of that rotation,” Fedde said.

Sox general manager Chris Getz said a combination of Fedde’s numbers and pitch arsenal stood out.

“It was a tremendous runway for him to make these adjustments,” Getz said during the winter meetings last week in Nashville, Tenn., “and then go to a league where it’s a bit of a major-league environment, from a fans and pressure standpoint. And certainly being a foreigner, it’s never easy. So he’s got a lot of confidence. We see a difference in his stuff.”

Fedde is confident his time in the KBO will translate well to his return to the majors.

“The biggest thing is my last year in D.C., I was not feeling as amazing as I do now,” Fedde said. “I feel strong, I feel healthy. My velocity is back. I feel there’s a sharpness to my pitches that I just didn’t have there at the end of my (Nationals) career.

“I’ve been lucky enough to pitch in the big leagues and I know what it takes to get outs, get swings and misses and be successful. I have a lot of confidence thinking that what I have now is a repertoire that can do that.”

()

Dreams are growing in Chicago. Playoff chatter is amplifying. With a recent stretch of quality play and wins over the Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions over the last four games, the Bears are allowing themselves to imagine a storybook ending to their once-dispiriting season. Players and coaches know a microfocus will be needed, specifically toward Sunday’s game against the Browns, to keep such dreams alive. But hey, life has begun to feel more fun again at Halas Hall and around Chicago.

As we head for Week 15, here’s a snapshot look at 12 notable facts and figures.

12

Rank of the Bears defense, which has allowed 314.5 yards per game this season. That’s a major improvement from a year ago, when the Bears ranked 29th in total defense (375.9 ypg). Over the last five games, the Bears have climbed from 23rd to 12th in total defense and 13th to second in interceptions. They also own the No. 2 rushing defense, allowing 83.7 yards per game.

1

NFL rank of the Browns passing defense, which is allowing an average of 159.7 yards per game. The Browns have been particularly stingy at home, allowing 105.1 passing yards and 12.6 points per game. They lead the league in total defense (263 ypg) and third-down efficiency (29.0%). The Browns also rank fourth in interception rate (3.2%)and 10th in sacks (38).

1

Net passing yards by Bears quarterback Justin Fields in his first NFL start, a Week 3 game in 2021 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Fields was battered all afternoon in that contest. The Browns recorded nine sacks for 67 yards and hit the Bears rookie 15 times. Fields completed six of his 20 passes for 68 yards. The Bears squeezed a field goal out of their opening drive in that 26-6 loss. But over their final 10 possessions, they mustered only 23 yards of offense and five first downs.

3

Passing touchdowns from Fields during his last visit to Cleveland. Sure, that was in the 2022 preseason finale. But it was also a chance for Fields to vanquish some of the demons from that first start against the Browns as a rookie. In that preseason Bears victory, Fields completed 14 of 16 passes for 156 yards and threw touchdowns to Ryan Griffin, Dante Pettis and Cole Kmet as the Bears rolled up 198 total yards and 21 points before halftime.

93

Consecutive pass attempts without an interception by Fields, the longest streak of his career. Fields’ last pick came in the second quarter of a Week 6 loss to the Vikings, a pass that was redirected high into the air when Danielle Hunter hit the Bears quarterback after a protection miscommunication. In three starts since returning from a dislocated right thumb, Fields is 62-for-93 passing for 609 yards with two touchdown passes and a 92.1 rating. (For what it’s worth, the Bears record for consecutive passes without an interception is 205, set by Kyle Orton in 2008.)

4

Starting quarterbacks used by the Browns, who are on to 38-year-old veteran Joe Flacco. Flacco signed to the team’s practice squad Nov. 20 and has made two starts, including Sunday’s 31-27 defeat of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Flacco was 26-for-45 for 311 yards and had touchdown tosses of 34 and 30 yards to tight end David Njoku plus a 41-yard scoring strike to David Bell. The Browns were 5-1 in games started by Deshaun Watson this season, went 1-1 with short-time former Bear P.J. Walker starting and 1-2 behind rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The Browns are one of just seven teams in the Super Bowl era to win at least one game with four starting quarterbacks, a fraternity that includes the 2015 Houston Texans, 2007 Panthers, 1998 Saints and the 1987, ‘88 and ‘89 Patriots.

4

Interceptions by cornerback Jaylon Johnson this season, all coming over the last seven games. Not only is that a career high, Johnson had only one interception in the 37 games he played over his first three seasons and was without a pick in the first four games he played this year. With his rookie contract due to expire in March, Johnson could be positioning himself for a top-of-the-market reward with his ball production. He is tied for fourth in the NFL in interceptions behind only DaRon Bland (eight), Geno Stone (six) and Jessie Bates (five). As a team, the Bears have nine interceptions over the last three games.

12

Quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Reference, recorded by Montez Sweat in the five games he has played since joining the Bears. Pressures, as defined by PFR, are plays on which a player records a sack, a hurry or a quarterback knockdown. Sweat has 3 1/2 sacks with the Bears. And since his arrival, the defense’s sack total has ballooned from 10 in the first eight games to 21 after 13 games.

12

Browns players on injured reserve, including six Week 1 starters. Starting right tackle Jack Conklin was lost for the season after Week 1 with a knee injury. Running back Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome season-ending knee injury the following week. Safety Rodney McLeod tore his biceps last month. Quarterback Deshaun Watson had surgery to repair a fracture in his throwing shoulder. Left tackle Jedrick Willis had season-ending knee surgery this week. And safety Grant Delpit was placed on I.R. on Wednesday with a groin injury. Rookie right tackle Dawand Jones, meanwhile, who started nine games this season, also landed on IR this week and will need surgery after injuring his knee last week in practice.

31

Field-goal attempts made this season by Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins, a league high. That includes three game-winning kicks — a 29-yarder in the final two minutes against the 49ers in Week 6, a 40-yarder as time expired to beat the Ravens four weeks later and a 34-yarder with two seconds remaining to down the Steelers in Week 11. Hopkins is 31-for-34 on field-goal attempts and has made all eight of his attempts from 50 yards or longer. Bears kicker Cairo Santos is also perfect (6-for-6) on kicks of at least 50 yards. Santos is 26-for-28 on field-goal attempts this season.

87.5

Career sacks by Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, including a team-high 13 this season. Garrett is the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks and has recorded at least 10 in six consecutive seasons. The four-time Pro Bowler set the Browns’ single-season sack record with 16 in 2021, matched that total last season and is threatening to tie or break the record again this year.

6

NFC teams with a winning record since Week 4, including the Bears, who have overcome an 0-4 start to climb to 5-8. The best team in the NFC since Week 4 is the Dallas Cowboys, who have gone 7-2. Four other squads are 6-3 in that span — the 49ers, Eagles, Lions and Vikings. The Bears are 5-4 and head to Cleveland with their first two-game winning streak since late in the 2021 season. The last time the Bears won three consecutive games was in Weeks 14-16 in 2020, when they beat the Texans, Vikings and Jaguars to revive their playoff chances.

()