The Cleveland Browns will be executing another team effort Sunday against New England on Sunday but will be looking to a few key players for the win
The Cleveland Browns worked together as a team a week ago to demolish the Cincinnati Bengals and get back in the win column and land at 5-4 on the year. Now, they head out to play the New England Patriots up in Foxboro, Massachusetts on Sunday afternoon.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will be trying to work his mind games against the team he once coached back in the mid-1990s. He is also the coach that benched the Browns former superstar quarterback Bernie Kosar, but that’s a story for another day.
For this game, the Browns will be relying again on the whole team but there are a few players that must really step up their games if they want to get another must-needed win as they push toward a playoff run.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield came up big a week ago in the win at the Bengals throwing two touchdowns and managing the game well. Cleveland’s front line helped protect their quarterback and created big holes in the opponent’s defense to spring Browns running back Nick Chubb on two touchdown runs.
This week we learned that Chubb and other rookie running back Demetric Felton tested positive for Covid. They are both vaccinated so they still could play Sunday. That is one question we will still need to wait on.
On the defensive side of the ball, Cleveland was rock solid again in the Cincinnati game, only giving up 16 points. Can they do it again and does Browns best defensive lineman Myles Garrett, who registered 1.5 sacks and now has a league-leading 12 sacks be ready to dominate?
The defense also got three takeaways in the game, the most on their season. Can they get a repeat performance? With that let’s look into a few of the players on either side of the ball that will help answer these questions and impact the game, hopefully in the Browns favor.
Cleveland Browns Key to winning No. 3: Baker Mayfield
After last week’s very productive performance from the Browns quarterback, can Baker Mayfield follow it up with a good showing this week?
When I heard the news that Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton could be sidelined Sunday for Covid reasons that immediately had me jumping to the conclusion that Mayfield would have to have an excellent game for the Browns to win.
Cleveland’s other backup running back D’Ernest Johnson, who had a career night a few weeks ago against the Denver Broncos could carry the load of rushes against New England. He’s very capable however, I get this sense that Mayfield, who has had his up and down moments this season may try and do too much this game, with the absence of Chubb.
Mayfield has managed to stay away from turnovers, for the most part, this season, and he wasn’t sacked too much last game. If he can continue managing the game and then connect with those pinpoint accurate throws to his upcoming star receivers like Donovan People-Jones, then the Browns will be in a good position for the win.
The release of former Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. certainly seems to be the right call again. Mayfield’s field vision along with his quick decision making all made it look like the quarterback really was better off with Beckham off the team. With Beckham now joining the Los Angeles Rams, wouldn’t it be fitting that the Browns and Rams met in the Super Bowl this year?
Cleveland Browns Key to winning No. 2: Myles Garrett
The Browns best defensive player, Myles Garrett, has had a great year so far. Though he gets held by his opponents on nearly every play, he has still managed to collect 12 sacks on the season. His ability to cause headaches for the opposing quarterbacks has been a regular thing and if that pattern continues then his chances of picking up a few more sacks Sunday are very high.
Adding to the intrigue in this game is that rookie Patriot quarterback Mac Jones, the former Alabama product, will be on the other side of the line from Garrett and that’s a big advantage for the Browns. Jones added to his negative and dirty image this week as evidence of him deliberately twisting the ankles of an opposing defensive lineman and causing that player an injury are all over social media platforms.
Considering the poor decision by the rookie Jones, it should give Garrett and the rest of the Browns defensive players plenty of motivation to seek and destroy the quarterback on Sunday.
With Garrett and the rest of the Browns defensive lineman playing well Sunday, it should give Cleveland’s secondary another shot at glory and more important takeaways. We saw how the first pick-six by cornerback Denzel Ward affected the outcome of the game last week. More of that type of aggressive play on defense could a very big plus for the Browns.
Cleveland Browns Key to winning No. 1: The Offensive line
With the great news this week that the Cleveland Browns signed their two lineman Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller to contract extensions, keeping them both in Cleveland for several more seasons, it will be interesting how the renewed confidence will play out on the field Sunday.
You add in the fact that the Browns run game could be limited to D’Ernest Johnson in the backfield, then these two studs and the rest of the offensive line need to provide protection to Baker Mayfield — and also create holes the size of oceans for it’s running backs, whoever that might be.
The line was outstanding in the game in Cincinnati a week ago. There was plenty of impressive blocking going on by the lineman. Teller is seen pancaking his opponent on the nice 70 yard run for a touchdown by Chubb. If those kind of moments can happen every week, then the Browns will be punching their ticket back to the playoffs.
The only allowed Mayfield to be sacked twice in last Sunday’s game at Cincinnati. However, they’ve given up 24 sacks overall and that has to worry some.
Keeping Mayfield upright and healthy should be of utmost importance and will go a long way toward deciding this game.