Cleveland Browns: 3 key matchups for Week 7

3 Cleveland Browns matchups to watch in Week 7

The Cleveland Browns take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the 95th installment of The Battle of Ohio. Cleveland trails Cincinnati by eight games in the intrastate rivalry. However, if the Browns are able to get the victory in Cincinnati, it will be the 10th time they have swept the season series.

The Browns are in desperate need of a get-right game after the mauling that took place at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6. The time to lick their wounds is over, and now, in the immortal words of former Browns head coach, Bill Belichick, they are on to Cincinnati.

This will be the Browns coaching staff’s first crack at seeing an opponent for the second time in a season. When the two teams met back in Week 2, the Browns got out to a 12-point lead and had to fend off the Bengals as they threw their way back into the game. Even in a loss, it was proved to be a coming-out game for Joe Burrow.

Now, with much more tape on Burrow, it will be interesting to see how defensive coordinator Joe Woods attacks the rookie’s tendencies. The Browns did not blitz Burrow much in their first meeting and were still able to get to him often. One knock on Burrow has been his inability to protect himself, and until he proves he can, defenses will be looking to exploit that weakness.

Offensively, the Browns had their way with the Bengals defense on the ground back in Week 2. Even with Nick Chubb on the IR, it is hard to imagine the Browns not wanting to re-spark their running game at the Bengals expense. The Browns need to re-establish their identity, and the Bengals could prove to the perfect opponent to do it against.

Here are three key matchups that could prove to be pivotal in this installment of The Battle of Ohio.