Although the Bears’ season may not have unfolded as they imagined, the Browns can’t afford to underestimate them. Chicago is riding a two-game winning streak, with a huge win over Detroit last week. Cleveland is dealing with numerous injuries and will be missing several key players, particularly on defense. The Browns are favored to win this matchup, but need another solid team effort to collect a crucial victory. Winning this game would play a huge role in advancing closer to the playoffs.
1. Offensive Tackle Play
With Dawand Jones moving to injured reserve, the Browns will start Geron Christian and James Hudson once again. The Bears’ defense has significantly improved since acquiring Montez Sweat at the trade deadline. They have recorded 11 sacks in five games with Sweat, compared to just 10 in the eight games without him. While Flacco demonstrated some ability to evade pressure against Jacksonville, relying on his mobility at his age is not ideal. Christian particularly struggled in one-on-one situations last week, so expect the Browns to utilize double teams or chips on his side during pocket passing situations. Yet, James Hudson isn’t a lockdown tackle either, requiring Stefanski to likely get creative with his play calling. Given the effectiveness of play action passes against the Jaguars, it’s reasonable to expect them to tap into that once again.
2. Stopping the Dynamic Duo of Chicago
Entering the season, Justin Fields might have been the NFL’s most over-hyped player. However, these last few weeks he made some very impressive deep throws which, paired with his athletic abilities, make him a dangerous offensive weapon. Cleveland, likes to play man coverage on third downs, and thus will likely need to assign a spy to Fields. JOK has often played this role against players like Lamar Jackson, utilizing his speed to catch the high-speed quarterbacks in the NFL. Fields’ passing effectiveness heavily relies on DJ Moore, whose game status is questionable. Although Moore fully participated in Friday’s practice, suggesting he’ll likely play on Sunday, he might not be able to play at full strength. Keeping Fields contained and limit Moore after the catch will be top priorities to get another step closer to the playoffs.
3. The Turnover Battle
Over the past three weeks, the Bears have showcased one of the NFL’s most impressive turnover differentials. They forced 11 turnovers while only coughing the ball up three times themselves, achieving a remarkable differential of +8. In contrast, Cleveland turned the ball over seven times during the same period and only managed to force five turnovers, four of which were against the Jaguars last weekend. The Browns also surrendered 14 points directly from offensive turnovers against Jacksonville, which nearly cost them the game. Therefore, avoiding turnovers will be crucial to make the Bears’ offense life as hard as possible. On the other side, Myles Garrett might be set for a rebound in sack production. In his last encounter with Chicago, he set the Browns’ single-game sack record with 4.5. If he can play anywhere close to that again and the defensive backs rise to the occasion as they did last week, this turnover dynamic could shift very quickly.
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