5 Keys to the game: Cleveland Browns vs. Dallas Cowboys

5. Gameplanning for the AT&T dome turf vs outdoors on grass

This is the Cleveland Browns first game of the year in a dome on a synthetic surface, which is going to obviously favor the Cowboys and in particular it favors a faster game than the Browns have played in the past three weeks. The Cowboys are going to show the Browns more team speed than they have seen from Washington or Bengals.

Just as the Browns are built for playoff football in January on icy natural turf (has not happened for a while, of course), often with a helpful snowstorm blowing in from Lake Erie, the Cowboys are built for speed on a fast field under ideal conditions. Dallas loves multiple wide receiver sets and bombs thrown from any down.

In fact, one of the (stupid) reasons for not signing Dak Prescott for a long-term deal is that they are afraid that an elephant gun is not high enough caliber. They think they might really rather have a quarterback with a Howitzer. On defense, they like extra cornerbacks rather than safeties, and they might substitute a safety in place of a linebacker at times. The Browns will see lighter, faster formations than they are used to, and everyone ups their footspeed by a tick or two.

By the same token, the Browns might make similar moves, but their depth is not necessarily in the right places to be a great dome team. Hence, they might not want to rely on fullback Andy Janovich as much as they do elsewhere. Come to think of it, however, Cowboys fullback Moose Johnston did rather well for the Cowboys a generation earlier.

The Browns can add speed to the wide receivers with KhaDarel Hodge, who is a borderline 4.3 guy, but Rashard Higgins is more of a possession receiver. Donovan People-Jones might be a good addition if he is ready to go.

Defensively, the Browns are short on defensive backs, especially cornerbacks, due to injuries.  A.J. Green was added to the regular roster last week as a zone corner, but he is not a speed demon among corners.