Courtesy of Sirius Radio
Lines: Patriots -7, O/U: 40.5
Kickoff: The Patriots are back home after a three game road trip. The 2-5 Cleveland Browns come to town. On paper, this is a game the Patriots should win but Cleveland’s defense has been good all season and they can run the football. The Patriots will have to maximize possessions because the Browns can ball control and control the clock.
Here are four keys to the game.
1st Down: Help Campbell on Garrett: Myles Garrett is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell will have his hands full with him. The Patriots are going to have to help Campbell. Whether it is with the way they set their protection, chip Garrett or flat out double team him, the Patriots will be giving Garrett their full attention.
2nd Down: Confuse Gabriel: Disguising coverages will be key today. The rookie quarterback has done a good job of taking care of the football. The Patriots need to pressure him into a mistake but the best way to do it is to move around in the secondary pre and post snap and cloud the picture for him. Containing him when they move the pocket for him is a key as well.
3rd Down: Jump on them! The Patriots need to get off to a good start and force the Browns to play from behind. They are not equipped to come from behind as we have seen this season. An early two score lead would put a lot of pressure on Gabriel and the Browns offense.
4th Down: Run fits: Cleveland rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has been good and is a power runner who breaks tackles and falls forward. The Patriots are going to have to be fundamentally sound when it comes to run fits and get multiple hats on the ball.
Extra Points: The Patriots and Browns will meet for the 28th time overall, including one postseason meeting, when the clubs square off on Sunday.
The Patriots enter the contest with a five-game winning streak against the Browns. The teams last played during the 2022 season when New England traveled to Cleveland and left with a 38-15 victory. The Browns last played at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 4, 2021 when the Patriots won, 45-7.
The Patriots lead the series, 14-13 overall. Cleveland won the only postseason meeting when the Browns claimed a 20-13 victory over the Patriots on New Year’s Day, 1995, in a Wild Card Playoff game at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium.
The Patriots are 8-5 all-time against the Browns in games played in New England, including 5-0 at Gillette Stadium. However, the Patriots are 6-7 all-time in the regular season at Cleveland. The Patriots were 2-5 at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium and 4-2 at Cleveland Brown’s Stadium. (Courtesy of Patriots Communications)
Final Drive: The Patriots have the look of a playoff team. Playoff teams however win games like this. The Patriots need to take care of business today. They need to play clean, fundamental football, take care of the ball and win this game. They are in the hunt in the AFC. They just need to take care of business in games like this.