Browns vs. Bills 5 bold predictions: Ground game goes wild in Week 11

4. Jadeveon Clowney will have a breakout game

If someone were to simply “stat-scout” it would likely lead to a belief that Jadeveon Clowney was better in 2021 than he has been in 2022. That would be due to looking at the numbers alone as he had nine sacks in his first season with the Browns and this year, he has just 1.5 in six games played.

However, Pro Football Focus doesn’t see it this way. In fact, they have Clowney graded nearly six points higher this season than they did a year ago — 72.3 compared to 66.5. His ranking has also increased as he was the 55th highest-rated defensive end according to PFF when he had nine sacks and is 37th now despite the lower numbers.

Of course, Clowney really stands out due to his ability to stop the run. He continually grades high in this area and his work oftentimes goes unnoticed. Where Clowney shines is his ability to set the edge and force the running back to stay inside the tackles.

That should lead to fewer big runs but since the Browns have invested next to nothing in stopping the run, the backs then find huge openings where defensive tackles and linebackers are supposed to be. Even with that being the case, Clowney is doing his job — and he’s doing it very well.

Still, we all want to see pass rushers take out the passer. In that regard, this prediction is that Clowney has his best game getting after the signal-caller as he sacks Josh Allen twice. Buffalo has one of the best rosters in the NFL but one of the few exceptions is right tackle, where Spencer Brown hasn’t been great. That’s where Clowney will find his opening as he plays his best game of the year.