4 Reasons the Cleveland Browns will beat the Raiders in Week 8
By Greg Newland
2. A Group Effort on Offense
With Odell Beckham out for the season, there’s no doubt that the rest of the team will have to step up. And while the injury is brutal to the team, it is one they can overcome and still achieve all their goals. However, it will take a team effort for that to happen.
It must start up front. Pass protection was better against the Bengals, but the running game has been lacking in the last two weeks. Hopefully, Wyatt Teller will return this week at right guard which would be a huge lift, but the Browns are at least another game away from getting Nick Chubb back.
The next piece is all the pass catchers. Donovan Peoples-Jones will likely see more snaps, but also David Njoku must step up after losing his starting spot. Both players are more than capable, but now will be forced into action vs. earning their way.
Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins will also be bigger roles in the offense, but roles they have held before. In 2017 and 2018 Higgins was the “next big thing” in Cleveland, while Landry has quietly been a top receiver in the NFL the last three years for the Browns.
The bottom line, not one person can replace Beckham, but if the team works hard and comes together as a unit they will be just fine. This is another test that if Stefanski passes, he proves that he was the perfect man to be the head coach in Cleveland.