The Cleveland Browns have started four quarterbacks and lost four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb to a season-ending injury in 2023. But at 7-5, the Browns remain in the AFC playoff picture.

To stay there, Cleveland needs to rebound from consecutive losses and rediscover its offense while playing one of the four teams ahead of it in the current AFC postseason seedings, the Jacksonville Jaguars, on Sunday.

“I think we just kind of go back to that same resilient mindset that we’ve had in the past dealing with injuries and losses,” Browns running back Jerome Ford said, “and we come together and we work to get the job done. …

“Being at home in front of our people, our fans. I feel like it’ll be great. It’ll be great for us, and it’ll be great for them.”

Since No. 1 quarterback Deshaun Watson went down for the second time this season, Cleveland has scored four touchdowns in three games, with Ford reaching the end zone twice.

As a rookie last season, Ford served as the Browns’ kickoff returner and totaled 12 yards on eight rushing attempts. When Chubb went out in the second game of the season, Ford became a regular. He’s started eight games, and working with Kareem Hunt at running back, Ford leads Cleveland with 647 yards and three touchdowns on 154 carries, even though he missed one game with an ankle injury that was expected to keep him out longer. Ford also has 30 receptions for 196 yards and three touchdowns.

Ford caught a 24-yard touchdown pass in the Browns’ 36-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. But he managed only 19 yards on nine rushing attempts. Cleveland ranks seventh in the NFL with an average of 135.1 rushing yards per game, but the Browns had just 87 against the Rams.

Jacksonville’s run defense is tied for the fifth in the league, yielding an average of 93.1 yards per game. But the Jaguars gave up a season-worst 156 rushing yards in Monday night’s 34-31 overtime victory against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Just took a little bit too long for us to get our feet under us,” Ford said. “We think we’ll be able to get it cranking up again. … Hopefully, we are able to go out there and accomplish what the Bengals accomplished against them.”

The weather forecast for Sunday’s game calls for a high of 43 degrees with a chance of rain and the wind blowing into Cleveland Browns Stadium at 10 to 20 mph off Lake Erie.

“It just means it’s going to be a physical and tough game,” Ford said, “and with their run defense and the way we run the ball, we’re just going to have to get the job done.”

Ford, whose 24th birthday is Saturday, joined the Browns in the 2022 NFL Draft as a fifth-round draft choice from Cincinnati. Before playing for the Browns and the Bearcats, Ford spent two seasons at Alabama. He ran for 151 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries and caught two passes for 11 yards while playing behind future NFL running backs Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs, Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr.

Which Browns quarterback will be working with Ford in the Browns backfield on Sunday hasn’t been divulged by Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski. On Saturday, the Browns waived quarterback P.J. Walker, who started the fifth and seventh games this season, and elevated quarterback Joe Flacco from the practice squad, making him eligible to play against Jacksonville.

Flacco started against the Rams two weeks after joining Cleveland and completed 23-of-44 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the first action of his 16th NFL season.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson had started the previous two games at quarterback for the Browns, but he missed the Los Angeles contest because of a concussion. The rookie QB returned to practice this week and is available to play against Jacksonville.

Stefanski wouldn’t say on Friday which quarterback would start on Sunday.

“Both guys practiced this week,” Stefanski said. “Both guys practiced well. I got faith in both guys.”

The Browns and Jaguars kick off at noon CST Sunday. Cleveland has a 5-1 record at home this season.

“They got a good record, and we got a decent record, and we’re both looking to win,” Ford said.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.