The New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns both are looking to assert themselves as legitimate AFC playoff contenders.
As such, this Sunday’s matchup at FirstEnergy Stadium carries a ton of intrigue. And that’s before you consider some of the other major storylines, like the Patriots’ quarterback situation or Jacoby Brissett starting against New England — the team that drafted him in 2016 — for the first time in his NFL career.
ESPN.com on Friday published a piece looking at each Week 6 game, with insight from the worldwide leader’s NFL Nation reporters. Patriots beat reporter Mike Reiss was tasked with offering a “bold prediction” for the intraconference clash.
Here’s what Reiss wrote:
The Browns, who lead the NFL in rushing yards per game behind Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and a solid offensive line, will be held below their average of 192.4 rushing yards. This is a tall task for a Patriots run defense that hit a rough patch from the second half of their Week 3 loss to the Ravens through their Week 4 loss to the Packers, but there were decisive signs of a bounce-back in a shutout win over the Lions in Week 5.
There’s a good chance both the Patriots and Browns will look to establish the run Sunday. That’s been the bread and butter of both offenses to this point. It’s still unclear who will start at quarterback for the Patriots, as Mac Jones was listed as questionable Friday while working his way back from a high ankle sprain suffered in New England’s Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Rookie Bailey Zappe would draw the start — as he did in Week 5 against the Detroit Lions — if Jones remains sidelined.
Cleveland, meanwhile, will be without two key defenders in edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney and cornerback Denzel Ward. Those absences leave the door open for whoever starts behind center for New England — Jones or Zappe — to have success through the air, but the Patriots’ ability to slow the Browns’ rushing attack ultimately might be the biggest factor in determining which AFC postseason hopeful earns a victory Sunday.
