Cleveland will open the game against Arizona Sunday as double-digit favorites. The line is currently at -11.5 in favor of the Browns further emphasizing the disparity between these two groups. As this week has progressed, this game has felt to feel more and more like a must-win for the Cleveland Browns. If they do stub their toe on Sunday, their season isn’t over, but every team in the AFC North keeps winning so Sunday has become a must-win. 1. PROTECT AGAINST A TRAP GAME This is your typical trap game alert. The Browns have a huge matchup next week in Baltimore that could absolutely lead them to look past Arizona. The positive is that there has not been any sense of that from inside the Browns building. Both sides of the football need to show improvement on Sunday.
The Defense has gotten into a bad rhythm of feast or famine. They either make spectacular plays or they give up spectacular plays and there really has been no in-between. The offense has been clunky all year long. They get quarterback Deshaun Watson back who has been dealing with injury for the last month and a half and hope to start developing some chemistry on that side of the ball. 2. WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE Amazingly enough, the Browns have been able to put together a 4-3 record all while being 1-6 in the turnover battle. They lead the league in turnovers with 17 and have turned the opponent over only 10 times. Not turning it over and getting a couple of takeaways are a must for Sunday afternoon. 3. PROTECT DESHAUN WATSON Head coach and play caller Kevin Stefanski needs to put together a game plan that protects the Browns quarterback both from potential injury and from mistakes.
I hope to see the Browns manufacture some easy completions and keep Watson out of harm’s way on Sunday.
If the Browns emphasize and execute those three things, they will be in good shape to get a big win and take a step in the right direction as a team.