The Cleveland Browns are not out of the playoff running just yet and in Week 10 they face a tough Miami Dolphins team. Here are the three big storylines.
Just when we all thought the season was completely over, the Cleveland Browns sucked us all right back into playoff talk after an impressive 32-13 victory over the reigning, defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football to get to 3-5.
In Week 10, the Browns travel to Miami for a showdown with the 6-3 Dolphins, who are led by the three-headed monster of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle. Not only can Clevland get one game closer to .500, but they will also be one game closer to having Deshaun Watson under center. If this team can somehow go 2-1 or 3-0 over the next three weeks, anything can happen after that and maybe the AFC North would be within reach as well.
Regardless, the goal is to go 1-0 this week against a tough AFC opponent. Here are the three big storylines to watch when the Browns play the Dolphins in Week 10.
3 big storylines to watch when the Browns play the Dolphins
3: How many carries will Nick Chubb get?
This has been a major talking point throughout the 2022 season and it really comes down to nuance and tendency. Nick Chubb is arguably the best running back in football, but that doesn’t always equate to 20-plus carries per game.
Some will point to the fact that the Browns are 3-0 when Chubb touches the ball at least 20 times per game, but it’s not as simple as that. Situational football is key in the NFL and if that stat even began to tell the full story, then Cleveland would simply hand it to him on the first 20 offensive plays of the game.
Chubb’s touches will be determined by two key factors against the Dolphins; whether or not the Miami offense can be held in check and if the Browns have a lead late in the game. If these two things come to fruition, then Chubb will likely be toting the rock more than 20 times.
If Jacoby Brissett can play as he did against the Bengals and others this season, the passing game will open up the running game. Should Brissett struggle and Miami hones in on the running game, the touches will not be what most fans want to see. Chubb does not need to rush 40 times per game in order for the Browns to win.
No. 2: Can the defense slow down the high-octane offense of the Dolphins?
As aforementioned, the Dolphins are led offensively by the three-headed monster of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
The high-octane trio has helped the Dolphins to 380.4 yards per game (6th in the NFL), including 293.6 pass yards per game. Tua is coming off back-to-back games of 300-plus passing yards, three-plus touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Hill leads the league in receptions (76) and receiving yards (1,104) and is on pace to set the NFL single-season receiving record, held by Calvin Johnson. When Hill isn’t getting the ball, Tua usually finds Waddle, who has 47 catches for 812 yards and six touchdowns.
Martin Emerson, Greedy Williams, and the rest of the Cleveland secondary will have their hands full but could get some help as Denzel Ward could potentially return to the lineup, after missing the past three games with a concussion, as he returned to practice on Monday. All secondary hands will have to be on deck for this game.
Myles Garrett terrorized Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in Week 8 and will need to be disruptive to Tua in Week 10. The Browns got sacks from Garrett, Sione Takitaki, Deion Jones, Isaiah Thomas, and Taven Bryan in the game against Cincy, and if they can do that again on Sunday, this team will be in good shape.
With that said, the secondary has to complement the pass rush and cannot let Hill and Waddle get behind them. Communication will be key and if the last two games are any indication, the defense now knows what it will take to be productive.
No. 1: Can the Browns build momentum after a big win?
When the Browns took down their state rivals in the Bengals, it was the most complete game the team has played from start to finish all season long. Why it took eight games to pull this off is anybody’s guess, but it was much needed and now the team has to build off of it.
Chubb led the way offensively with 101 yards on 23 carries and two scores. He was able to rush that many times for the two reasons mentioned earlier; the Browns never trailed in the game and Brissett balled out.
Against Cincy, Brissett finished 17-of-22 for 278 yards, one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown. His passing score came in the third quarter when he dropped a dime beautifully in the bucket to Amari Cooper in the back of the endzone. Cooper finished with five catches for 131 yards and the score.
Donovan Peoples-Jones continued to improve as he caught four passes for 81 yards. Brissett completed passes to six different targets. The Dolphins’ secondary has struggled this season, allowing 245.9 yards per game, so this could be a game where Brissett has another impressive stat line.
The defense will need to complement the offense just as it did against the Bengals and mostly against the Ravens a week prior. If this team can play a full, 60-minute complete game, a win isn’t out of the question. This game could become a shootout much like Miami played in a 35-32 Week 9 victory over the Chicago Bears.
We know the offense can keep up with anyone in the league — so please quit with the playcalling discussions — so the defense will need to continue to complement the offense, especially against this offense.
The goal was always to win at least five games with Watson out and after a huge divisional win, that now seems a little less daunting. Everything the Browns want is right in front of them and now it is up to them to go and take it.