Three reasons the Cleveland Browns will tame Houston Texans in Week 10.
The Cleveland Browns welcome back old friend Romeo Crennel, who as the interim coach, leads the Houston Texans into First Energy Stadium on Sunday.
The Browns are 3.5-point favorites as Cleveland looks to improve to 6-3 on the season.
Seemingly, every week marks the Browns biggest game of the season, and even though the Texans are 2-6, the stakes are no different.
Why? Could you imagine the reaction if the Browns find a way to lose this one on their home turf? The Texans are the contenders we thought them to be. Deshaun Watson’s a great player, but they’ve got an interim coach virtually no rushing attack outside of their quarterback.
A playoff team, and that’s what we’re all hoping the Browns to be halfway though the season, find a way to win this game. This is the first of there consecutive games against teams under .500 (Eagles, Jaguars).
It’d be nice to be setting at 8-3 heading into a huge test against the Titans in Week 14.
Here’s three reasons the Browns will get it done in Week 10.
1. Best players return
Through Thursday, Nick Chubb hadn’t appeared on on the injured list because he hadn’t technically been activated. That said, he’s practicing and looking strong, according to Tweets from local reporters.
In addition to Chubb, Wyatt Teller is also expected to play.
The presence of these two individuals dramatically changes the Browns offense for the better. While Kareem Hunt has been solid taking on a bulk of the work in Chubb’s absence, things just haven’t been the same without No. 24.
Chris Hubbard’s been fine since taking over, but Teller is playing at another level this season. He grades out with “elite” status in the eyes of Pro Football Focus. To put things into context, the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals do not have a player considered “elite.”
Chubb with Hunt just gives the offense a different dynamic it can’t replicate when one of the backs is out. With Teller clearing the way as the pulling guard, Sunday could be fun for old school, pound-the-ball enthusiasts.
2. The formula will work here
Chubb’s going to have ease back into, things, right? Don’t be so sure. Yeah, J.J. Watt’s still there, but the Texans defense is bad. They’re so bad, defensive coordinator had to switch his defensive scheme from a 3-4 to a 4-3 on early downs in an attempt to stop the run.
Since halfway through the 2019 season, the Texans have allowed 165.0 yards per game. To put a cherry on top, they’re also the worst tackling team in the league.
Mayfield should also get some time in the pocket, assuming the Browns get their play-action scheme going. Besides Watt, the Texans are lacking up front–kind of like the state of the Browns’ defensive line, with Myles Garret and not much else.
If Kevin Stefansk’s plan comes to fruition, this could be the type of game in which the Browns rack up crazy rushing numbers, while Baker Mayfield only attempts 20-25 passes.
3. It’s all on Deshaun
When a quarterback like DeShaun Watson is on the other sideline, nothing’s a lock. But the Texans are a team in peril. They fired their coach. They traded their stud receiver in a bizarre offseason trade. Old friend Duke Johnson will start at running back this week. We all love Duke, but he’s averaging 2.8 yards per carry this season.
This may be exactly the type of game the Browns’ defense needs, as Josh Jacobs added four- and five-yard carries at will before the bye, Cleveland needs to perform better against the run.
As for Watson–he’s going to get his stats, much like Dak Prescott did earlier in the season. The key for the Browns will be to control the ground game, put Mayfield in a position to convert high-percentage throws and score–a lot.
That allows the defense to bend, and hopefully not break.
And while Hopkins is no longer a Texan, Watson still has weapons. Will Fuller (590 yards, six TDs) and Brandin Cooks (510, three) are both on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards.