The Cleveland Browns defense will have another tough task this Sunday, can they stop the Los Angeles Chargers offense?
When the Cleveland Browns travel to SoFi Stadium, they will be met by another test in the early goings of the 2021 campaign. The Chargers have a loaded offense with playmakers all over.
Cleveland faced a similar offense in Week 4, and gave up 255 yards, with the defensive front dominating the line of scrimmage for the second week in a row.
Normally, this weekly post would highlight three to five players from the opposing team to watch, but this week is slightly tweaked. As aforementioned, the offense is stacked, so this post will be offensive players only.
If the Browns want to come back to Cleveland 1-0 for the week and win their fourth consecutive game getting them to 4-1, they will have to focus on slowing down these four players.
4. RB Austin Ekeler
Austin Ekeler is one of the biggest overachievers in the NFL, and that’s a compliment in every sense of the statement. The fourth-year running back went undrafted back in 2017, but signed with the Chargers as a free agent out of Division II Western Colorado.
When you think of who is in the discussion for best running back in the NFL, Ekeler might not be near the top of your list. While he isn’t quite at the level of guys like Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb, etc. he’s still one of the top backs in the game today.
Ekeler is a dual-threat back, who can get it done on the ground and through the air. If one of those aspects are taken away from the Chargers game plan, they can simply turn to him in the other.
Don’t let his 5-foot-10, 201-pound frame fool you as he is explosive and extremely good at running between the tackles. He is able to use his stature to his advantage and make the best defensive linemen look foolish.
If people were thinking Ekeler wasn’t having a great season, then Week 4 should put that to rest. Ekeler rushed for 117 yards and a score while also catching three passes for 28 yards and another score.
Luckily for the Brows, they only surrendered 66.5 yards per game on the ground.
3. WR Mike Williams
Before Week 4, a lot of people thought that Mike Williams was finally putting together a season that lived up to his potential. Against the Raiders last week, Williams caught just one pass on four targets for 11 yards.
With that said, he still has a big playmaking ability. For the season, Williams has caught 23 passes for 306 yards and four scores. Before Monday’s showdown with Las Vegas, Williams had at least one touchdown reception in each of the team’s first three games.
In years past, Williams was primarily used to convert third downs with his big, 6-foot-4, 218-pound frame. This year, he is being used all over the field and not just as a vertical threat.
Ahead of tonight’s MNF matchup…Mike Williams 🔥 and the most aggressive (only?) heat map reveal in the history of ESPN pic.twitter.com/DRcMzA4J0C
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 4, 2021
Williams has had an up-and-down career during his first four years in the league. He has eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau only once and has only played in 16 games one time.
Don’t write off his lackluster performance on Monday Night Football as he still has what it takes to give the Browns secondary fits. With Denzel Ward likely matched up on Keenan Allen, expect to see Greg Newsome, should he play, matched up on Williams with safety Ronnie Harrison helping a lot in coverage.
Harrison possesses the size to compete with Williams, as he is 6-foot-three and has played some snaps from the linebacker position.
The Browns secondary will have its hands full this Sunday and will have to look for a way to slow Williams down.
2. WR Keenan Allen
For as much of a threat that Mike Williams is, Keenan Allen might be an even bigger threat.
Allen is one of the absolute best receivers in the NFL today and is capable of making any secondary throwing fits.
What makes Allen so good is his route running, nearly sure hands, separation, and footwork. He very well could be the best route runner going.
For the 2021 season, Allen has caught 28-of-44 passes for 294 yards, and a touchdown. He’s well on his way to another 1,000-yard season – he has four thus far in his first eight seasons – and his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.
As mentioned before, Denzel Ward will likely be the man assigned to Allen on Sunday Afternoon. You can expect help from Ronnie Harrison when he isn’t helping with Williams and John Johnson III.
The Browns boast the league’s sixth-best secondary, as they are allowing 208.8 yards per game. They do allow 11-yards per reception, which Allen could factor into this Sunday as he averages 10.5 yards per catch.
Cleveland got a good test in Week 4 against the Vikings, matching up with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. The revamped secondary allowed that dynamic duo to combine for nine receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown to Jefferson in the first quarter.
Allen caught seven passes for 36 yards on Monday night against the Raiders.
If the back half of the defense can hold Allen and Williams to something similar, it could prove to be the difference-maker in this game.
1. QB Justin Herbert
While he is not Brock Lesnar, Justin Herbert is the next big thing in the NFL.
Literally.
At 6-foot-6, 237 pounds, Herbert is a mountain of a man to be playing the quarterback position.
He’s also just in his second season and still getting better.
On Monday Night, Herbert and the Chargers gave the Raiders their first loss of the season and the signal-caller continued to make history. He threw for 222 yards and three scores (all in the first half) and passed Jack Kemp for sixth-most passing yards in franchise history.
He did this in just 19 career games. Unreal.
After his performance on Monday night, he now has 1,178 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 69 percent of his passes.
Herbert has a connection with Browns quarterback, Baker Mayfield. Last season, Herbert broke Mayfield’s NFL record for most touchdown passes for a rookie. Baker had 27 in 2018 and Herbert passed him with 31.
Hebert is surrounded by weapons in Allen, Ekeler, and Williams along with tight end Jared Cook. The 23-year old quarterback can sling the rock and put his playmakers in a position to succeed.
There were many people who were wrong about Herbert coming out of Oregon, thinking he wasn’t going to pan out in the NFL. Well through 19-games in his young career, he’s shutting those people right up.
If the Browns want to go 1-0 for the week and get another tough win on the road, the defensive front will have to continue what it has been doing over the past couple of weeks.
Myles Garrett leads the defense with six sacks, most in the NFL. He also is tied for second in tackles for loss (7), QB hits (13), QB pressures (15), and is tied for fourth in QB knockdowns with six.
The whole defensive front will have to apply constant pressure to Herbert on Sunday. If they can get to Herbert and hit him around, it will throw his game off, which ultimately will help the secondary.
This game will be a true test for the woken-up Browns defense and could solidify the team as potentially the top team in the NFL.