5 reasons the Cleveland Browns will hand the Washington Football Team a loss in Week 3.
The Cleveland Browns have the chance to further distance themselves from their Week 1 stinker with a win over the Washington Football Team.
Depending on where you look, the Browns are a seven-point favorites. That makes sense, considering the wave Cleveland is riding coming off a 35-30 win against Cincinnati on Thursday night football.
Washington surprisingly dominated the Eagles in Week 1, but then looked like they didn’t belong on the same field as the Cardinals in Week 2. With veteran coach Ron Rivera now calling the shots on the sidelines, Washington could conceivably construct a gameplan to win this one, if it weren’t for the Browns being on the rise.
The Browns really, really need a victory here. A loss, at home no less, will send everyone from planning their Zoom playoff parties to diving off the deep end.
If this game does end in defeat, you could hardly blame them…the Browns are a better team and need to take care of their business on Sunday. A win puts them at 2-1, and with an expanded playoff field of now seven teams, things will start looking really good for those beloved orange helmets.
Here’s five reasons the Browns will get it done Sunday in front of a limited audience at FirstEnergy Stadium.
1. Stefanski figured it out
The big reason the Cleveland Browns are favorites in this game are because of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Almost forgotten in the Ravens’ stinker, Chubb and Hunt were a big part of Kevin Stefanski’s game plan against Cincinnati.
Their ability to gain yards on the ground helped open things enough for Baker Mayfield, who thrived in play-action scenarios.
Washington is credited with having a stout defensive front four littered with first-round picks (Ohio State’s Chase Young the most recent).
A good way to neutralize that quartet would be to keep them on toes by feeding Chubb and Hunt, much like Stefanski did against the Bengals.
Remember, the Browns and Baker Mayfield are their best when Baker’s throwing the ball 20-25 times. That only happens if Chubb and Hunt are rolling like they were in Week 2.
2. Haskins isn’t great
Dwayne Haskins will always be a favorite among Buckeye fans who double as Browns fans, but there should be no internal conflict on Sunday, as the second-year quarterback is really struggling to find his footing.
In year two, Haskins is already on his second coach, trying to prove himself to the established Ron Rivera. His selection as the 15th pick in 2018 draft stoked rumors that he was an owner’s pick, while the coaching staff, then led by Jay Gruden, wanted to go in a different direction.
Gruden lasted five games before owner Daniel Snyder canned him.
So now, Haskins is learning his second system in as many years, and inaccuracy remains a theme. He’s completed just 56.3 percent of his passes through two games in 2020. He currently owns a 27.7 QBR, which is the worst among the NFL’s 33 qualified starters.
Plus, remember how Haskins air-mailed dozens of passes in the arms of receivers during his breakout year in 2018? Well, that just doesn’t happen in Washington, as the team’s vertical passing game is non existent.
3. The O-Line becoming a strength
Washington’s front four were previously mentioned as a team strength, and while it’s true, the 11 sacks the team’s recorded are, at the very least, a little misleading.
Eight of the 11 quarterback takedowns came against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, and that line might as well have been constructed with guys off the street.
Their front four will get a big test against the Browns, who finally have their offensive line on track under Kevin Stefanski’s zone blocking scheme.
Right tackle Jack Conklin is set to return this week, which will be a huge addition for Cleveland. The big free-agent signing missed the Cincinnati game with an ankle problem.
At guard, Wyatt Teller is taking ahold of the job as if he never wants to let it go.
Plus, Jedrick Wills isn’t getting the run of Mekhi Becton, but he’s quietly been playing very well. It’s important to remember that he’s learning a new position, but he hasn’t had any major problems.
4. Washington rush attack not impactful
If there’s an area of the Browns defense to worry about, it may be stopping the run. Fortunately, Cleveland’s getting a Washington team that doesn’t do a lot on the ground.
Rivera’s offensive line is a work in project, and that’s being kind. The unit is bad, and particularly weak on the left side.
Washington’s primary back, Antonio Gibson, isn’t able to do much. He has 91 yards on 22 carries through the first games of 2020. Twenty-two carries through two weeks? Not optimal.
Cleveland had great success limiting Cincinnati back Joe Mixon in Week 2. It’s a big deal because Mixon is no stranger to imposing his will on a usually hapless Browns’ defense.
They should be able to do better against Gibson, behind defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi. It’s a surprise, but Ogunjobi is the highest graded run defender in the NFL through the first two weeks (92.6), according to PFF.
5. Defense coming on
You just read about Ogunjobi, but the Browns are getting stellar performances at several spots on the unit.
Fellow defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson is tied for seventh in quarterback pressures among all defensive linemen, according to PFF. Myles Garrett knows something about pressure, too, as the former No. 1 pick had nine pressures against Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
It’s unclear if Olivier Vernon will return to action in Week 3, but if he doesn’t, USC product Porte Gustin is becoming an intriguing player to watch.
In the secondary, the Browns will get back Greedy Williams, who suffered a shoulder injury early in Training Camp. In his place, Terrance Mitchell played very well. Per PFF, he’s a top-10 corner in passer rating allowed (46.7) and coverage snaps per reception (19.6).
The big question marks come at safety and linebacker. The Browns have to figure out how to cover tight ends. B.J. Goodson and Andrew Sendejo aren’t the answers.
Hopefully, the Browns get great play at the other spots and are able to mask their weaknesses. Against Washington, a team that lacks a scary running attack and a vertical passing attack, it’s possible.