The 2-3 Cleveland Browns are looking to level up to .500 after Week 6.
The New England Patriots are standing in their way.
The keys to a Browns’ victory tend to be similar week after week.
It is the execution of the keys that somehow goes awry, and the Browns lose.
The Browns do not want to drop three games in a row so here is what they need to do.
1. Run
Nick Chubb is such a quiet player that it is sometimes easy to overlook how great he is.
He is having a career-best year in 2022, and that is saying something because he has been great ever since he arrived in Cleveland in 2018.
Yet he does it without being in anyone’s face and without much fanfare.
For the Browns to win, Chubb needs to keep doing what he is doing.
Most 10+ yard runs this season:
🟠 Nick Chubb – 20
🗽 Saquon Barkley – 13
🧀 Aaron Jones – 13 pic.twitter.com/nfzuOY7RVV— PFF (@PFF) October 14, 2022
He cannot possibly do much more for the Browns this year; he is not the reason they are below .500.
Welcome back to the top, @NickChubb 🙌🤩 pic.twitter.com/5AiOM5tFlW
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 11, 2022
Run Nick Run should be the team’s motto every week of the season.
2. Tackle
Forgive me for being so basic, but the Browns need to get back to the execution of fundamentally sound football, especially on defense.
That means good communication, excellent coverage, and tackling players preferably behind the line of scrimmage.
We do not need to see any huge plays or players having massive weeks against this defense.
#Browns Joe Woods made a tackling reel that he went over and dissected with his defense this morning.
"I went back and I watched every missed tackle we had and I put the tape together, showed the examples, and I wanted to talk to the whole group so they understood it."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) October 13, 2022
This could be more challenging without Jadeveon Clowney and Denzel Ward, but defensive coordinator Joe Woods needs to figure things out and get it done.
Clowney and Ward OUT for Sunday #Browns
— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) October 14, 2022
3. Score
Again, this is basic, and I apologize for that.
However, a team who is among the best in offensive efficiency is leaving points on the field with questionable fourth-down calls and missed field goals.
The Browns must get 7 or at least 3 points in red zone scoring opportunities.
Cade York has got to make the big kicks in game situations and not just in the pregame warmups.
I’m not saying Cade York is bad. But seeing these videos of him attempting 70 yard FGS in pregame and missing 45 yarders in games are equivalent to watching OBJ making 1 handed catches in pregame. 😑
— Mavs Ace (@Mavs_Ace) October 9, 2022
Call Phil Dawson or study Justin Tucker to figure out what is happening because the Browns expended a valuable draft pick for York only to see their former kicker Chase McLaughlin be named the Week 6 AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Colts’ Chase McLaughlin named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week #IndianapolisColts #Colts #ForTheShoe #ColtsFootball #yahoo https://t.co/4EGkigKMbC
— Colts Fans (@ColtsSupporters) October 12, 2022
Conclusion
What makes the Browns’ 2-3 record so frustrating is that the roster is so talented and yet getting beat by teams that are not nearly as deep or as talented.
The #Browns losses have been by a combined 6 points this season. pic.twitter.com/Vkasb3o6zr
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 11, 2022
The Jets stole the game from the Browns, and they knew it.
The Falcons did too.
The Los Angels Chargers are a good team, but the Browns’ poor play on defense made them look better than they actually are.
Austin Ekeler ran at will; the Browns need to shut all of this down and collect a win over Bill Belichick and the Patriots because the only thing worse than 2-3 is 2-4.
NEXT: Can Deion Jones Make A Difference For The Browns?
