The Cleveland Browns are in for a tough challenge in Week 8.
They will travel to square off with Mike Vrabel and the new-look New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots’ run defense is elite, and that spells trouble for Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
His offense has only been able to get going when it has kept rookie running back Quinshon Judkins heavily involved, but he might not get much room to operate.
So, once again, Cleveland will have to lean on its elite defense to stay in the game.
With that in mind, analyst Lance Reisland urged the Browns to exploit a specific weakness of the Patriots’ offense.
“In passing situations, the Browns must attack the interior of the Patriots’ offensive line. Their guards and center are tough road graders in the run game, but they struggle with lateral movement and quickness in pass protection,” Reisland wrote on X.
In passing situations, the #Browns must attack the interior of the Patriots’ offensive line. Their guards and center are tough road graders in the run game, but they struggle with lateral movement and quickness in pass protection. pic.twitter.com/4r8mJnAAEh
— Lance Reisland (Coach Riz) (@LanceReisland) October 23, 2025
The Browns are elite at putting pressure on the quarterback, and the Patriots’ guards might not be able to contain defensive tackle Mason Graham.
Cleveland defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is great at game planning and making in-game adjustments, and a bull rush should be able to generate pressure.
Then again, the Browns also need to be careful not to be overly aggressive.
New England quarterback Drake Maye has taken a leap in his second season, and he’s shown an impressive ability to extend plays with his legs and complete deep throws.
The Browns are underdogs, which makes sense, all things considered.
But a strong defense like theirs should always have the team in a position to compete, and it’ll be up to the offense to do its job.
NEXT: Browns Coach Has Surprising Comparison For Drake Maye
