Cleveland Browns: Predicting a bounce-back game vs. the Falcons?

Writer: Mike Lukas

How do the 2-6-1 Cleveland Browns beat a team like the 4-4 Atlanta Falcons?

The same way you beat any NFL team on any given Sunday – by scoring at least a point more than they score by the end of the game.

And that’s a lot easier to do when the opponent is way worse on defense than they are on offense, and the Falcons D is currently ranked 28th in the league while their O is up in the top five.

Atlanta is going to score touchdowns this Sunday, no doubt – quarterback Matt Ryan has thrown the fourth most touchdowns in the league while only getting picked off three times.

Falcons’ wide receiver Calvin Ridley is tied for the second-most touchdowns in the NFL with seven and All-Pro Julio Jones catches for more yards per game (116.6) than any other receiver has this season.

Add to that the fact that Cleveland’s defense is riddled with injuries right now:

Listed as questionable for Week 10: cornerbacks Damarious Randall (groin), Tavierre Thomas (abdomen) and Denzel Ward (hip), as well as linebackers Joe Schobert (hamstring) and Jamie Collins Sr. (ankle).

On injured reserve: cornerback E.J. Gaines (concussion) and linebacker Christian Kirksey (hamstring).

Obviously, the Browns won’t be able to keep the Falcons off the scoreboard with what’s left of their ragtag defense, so it’s going to come down to whether the Browns new offensive coordinator, Freddie Kitchens, has figured out in just a week and a half how to use the Browns offensive weapons to their fullest.

And how to translate that into touchdowns.

Will finally targeting Duke Johnson through the air pay off with multiple scores like it did against the Chiefs?

Will rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield get rid of the ball quick enough to avoid being multi-sacked?

Will rookie Antonio Callaway and receiver Hollywood Higgins start catching more deep balls and will tight end David Njoku push through his sore knees/ribs and give Mayfield another mid-range target to throw at besides Jarvis Landry?

Will rookie running back Nick Chubb and rookie wide receiver Damion Ratley put up non-rookie numbers?

With all of those Browns injuries and rookies in play, scoring a point more than the Falcons won’t be remotely easy, but their defense is ranked 28th for a reason.

Atlanta allows opponents to score 28.2 points and gain 412.8 total yards of offense per game, with 304.2 of those yards being through the air, so scoring against them is entirely possible.

Sure would be nice to go into the Week 11 Bye with a third Browns win under their belts.

All it’s going to take is just one point more than the Falcons.

Predicted score: Browns 24, Falcons 23