3 matchups the Cleveland Browns must dominate in order to get to 8-3

This is the biggest game of the Cleveland Browns 2023 season — because it's the next one. If you have heard that before it's because head coach Kevin Stefanski’s messaging is bleeding down throughout the locker room. Winners of three straight games, and five out of the last six, the 2023 Browns are fleshing out their identity right before our eyes.

The Browns are Rocky Balboa. They'll go toe to toe with whoever you put in front of them. It's often not pretty. But it doesn't matter how many times they get punched in the face, they stay in the pocket and throw punches back. And when it matters the most, they rally and do their best work right at the final bell.

This week the Browns travel to Empower Stadium at Mile High to take on the surging Denver Broncos. Winners of four-straight, the Broncos have clawed their way back into playoff contention. It won't be easy; Denver’s fans will be juiced up and make it a raucous environment. Here are three matchups Cleveland must win if they want to escape the Mile High City with their fourth straight win.

3 matchups the Browns must dominate in order to make it to 8-3

Matchup No. 3: Martin Emerson Jr. vs Courtland Sutton

Courtland Sutton is quietly putting together a good season out in Denver. Through 10 games, Sutton has 45 catches for 499 yards and eight touchdowns. Those eight receiving touchdowns mark a career-best for him and account for 42% of the Broncos receiving touchdowns on the season. The next closest Denver receiver has three touchdowns on the season.

Even though Russell Wilson isn't lighting up the stat book, he has been really efficient in 2023. Wilson is completing 69% of his passes and has a 19 to four touchdown to interception ratio. Sutton plays a large part in that touchdown to interception efficiency for Wilson. When the Broncos get into the red zone, Wilson dials in on Sutton because it gives him an option where it is either his receiver gets it or no one gets it.

Enter Martin Emerson Jr. In Emerson, the Browns have a cornerback with the length and physicality to deal with bigger-framed receivers like Sutton. If the Broncos are able to get inside the Browns 20-yard line, Emerson is going to have to lock up Sutton.

There's no doubt that Emerson will be up for the challenge of keeping Sutton out of the endzone. Through 10 games Emerson has been targeted 43 times and has only given up 19 receptions and zero touchdowns. That 44% completion percentage allowed to quarterbacks is a clear signal to Wilson that there are no free meals when targeting No. 23.

Matchup No. 2: Dorian Thompson-Robinson vs Justin Simmons

The Broncos defense has caused 19 turnovers this season, which puts them in a tie for second place in the league. But it's not just the volume of their turnovers, it's when and where those turnovers have occurred that stand out. Out of those 19 turnovers, 10 are interceptions, and of those 10 interceptions six have occurred in the red zone. That's the most red zone interceptions by any defense in the league this season.

This is an opportunistic, bend but don't break, defensive unit in Denver. That charge is led by Justin Simmons. On the season, Simmons leads the Broncos in interceptions with three. While that may not seem like a daunting number of picks, over the course of his career, Simmons has proved to be an absolute ball hawk with 30 interceptions in his eight seasons in the league.

For rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson keeping tabs on Simmons is a must this week. Simmons has the range to change the post snap picture for DTR. Asking a rookie in his third start to not only go through his progressions but also manipulate Simmons with his eyes is a lofty objective.

In his second career start, DTR was hesitant to push the ball down the field and test the Steelers' defense vertically. The game plan this week should be somewhat similar, but the rookie has to trust his eyes and take shots if they are there in his progression. However, there is a fine line between taking what is there and being baited, a lesson all young quarterbacks must learn to have sustained success in the league. Can DTR walk that tightrope against Simmons and this Broncos' defense?

Matchup No. 1: Myles Garrett vs Garett Bolles

There's no rest for the weary. One week after going up against three-time Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter, Garett Bolles will now draw the assignment of attempting to slow down Myles Garrett. Hunter saw some early success last week against Bolles notching one sack and keeping himself in the race for the league lead in sacks with 12, one behind Myles Garrett’s league-leading 13 sacks.

Bolles is a tough day out for any edge rusher. A former first -round draft pick who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, he's a complete left tackle. ESPN has Bolles as the 11th best offensive tackle in terms of pass blocking win rate, winning 208 of his 228 pass protection reps (92%), as well as 10th in run blocking win rate. It's not hard to think all the way back to just one month ago when Bolles was the apple of every Browns fan's eye as Jedrick Wills was going through his struggles to start off the season.

While Bolles is a formidable left tackle, this is Myles Garrett we are talking about. Garrett leads the NFL with 13 sacks and is the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year through 11 weeks. But there are edge rushers nipping at his heels, so if Garrett wants to put some distance between himself and the field, he will need to keep putting up dominant outings.

Russell Wilson is the fourth most-sacked quarterback in the league with 32 on the season. That's just over three sacks allowed to defenses per contest. Garrett should be able to get home multiple times in this game as long as it is an even game script. For those scoring at home, Garrett needs to average a sack and a half over the final seven games to break the NFL’s all-time single-season sack record.