This week marks the second Deshaun Watson revenge game of the series. Of course, one could be excused if they aren’t quite sure who wants the revenge more. More importantly, both the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns are in the playoff hunt in the AFC. Naturally, the Browns are in slightly better shape, but neither can afford a loss at this point. We caught up with Chris Pokorny of Dawgs by Nature to see what we could figure out about the Browns before Sunday’s game.
Battle Red Blog: The Browns
have been better this season under their new coaching staff. What have they been doing differently than the old Stefanski regime? Is this something that is sustainable throughout the season?
Chris Pokorny: Although it hasn’t worked as blissfully the past couple weeks, I always harp on the fact that this new coaching staff seems willing to make a lot more adjustments than the old coaching staff. I thought Kevin Stefasnki was really effective when he had an offensive line that could dominate games with a zone-blocking running scheme, and that was complemented by an aggressive Jim Schwartz defense. But over time, when the linemen were injured and past their prime, there were no adjustments to re-invent the offense; and on defense, Schwartz stuck with the same approach, even if a team ‘figured out’ out to combat it. Under Todd Monken, at least on defense, you get the feeling that there is a different gameplan and ability to make adjustments each week. On offense, Monken has been more willing to fully embrace all of his young players with boatloads of playing time. It’s been fun to see the Browns be competitive, but it’s also concerning that they haven’t had at least one game — despite an ‘easy’ schedule — in which they’ve been able to control the game with a decisive victory.
BRB: The Browns appear poised to go back to Deshaun Watson after trying Shadeur Sanders. How do the two quarterbacks differ and do you think Watson gives the Browns a better chance to win?
CP: When you look at his stats in last week’s game against the Saints, it looked like Shedeur Sanders did great. But if you look at things from a strategic gameplan perspective, needing to make reads, being faced with that key third- or fourth-down situation earlier in a game, Sanders still appears way to slow to process things at the NFL level. Where he succeeded was later in the game, when it was do-or-die, and the ‘gameplan’ almost goes out the window because he’s chucking it deep as he takes big hits. It worked, and honestly, that has been his strength throughout his NFL starts. It’s exciting, and I think it shows he can make the big throws at this level, but it’s also not something that is sustainable. He needs to mix that in with a much higher degree of competency on the scripted plays throughout a game, and he’s not there yet. Deshaun Watson was poor at that since signing with the Browns too, looking very skittish, but this year he’s been tremendously better at that.
3) The Browns have been a team in transition the last few seasons. Who are some new faces this year that will have a dramatic impact on the game on Sunday?
They are no secret, but rookie receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion lead their class in receiving yards. I can only imagine how good these guys can be when they have an upper-tier quarterback throwing their way, they are an exciting duo for fans to look forward to for years to come. On defense, I wish I could call out Jared Verse’s name as the replacement to Myles Garrett, but Verse has been a huge disappointment, ranking near the bottom of the league in metrics. I’d say that linebacker Quincy Williams, who came over from the Jets, has had a nice impact on the defense, with a few games where he borders on looking like an elite-level player (but that’s not a week-in, week-out thing).
BRB: The AFC North is usually one of the more competitive divisions in the NFL. Who do you see winning the division this season? Which team in the division do Browns fans enjoy beating the most?
CP: A few weeks ago, I would have thought the Browns had a solid shot since they were 2-0 in the division, had a 5-2 record, and the Ravens were beat up at quarterback. But the Steelers have shown a greater degree of consistency that I didn’t anticipate, and even though I think the Bengals’ defense has been overrated, Joe Burrow is playing at a high level, so there’s no reason to think those teams will fade. I think the Steelers’ running game being so good will allow them to win the division, along with their defense picking up the intensity. The Browns and Bengals should be contending for a wildcard spot along with the Patriots (and maybe the Texans if they gain steam). Regarding which team Browns fans enjoy beating the most in the division, I’d say it’s still the Steelers. We were so looking forward to ending our 22-game road losing streak in Cleveland a few weeks ago, but Pittsburgh blew us out there again.
BRB: The Texans are favored by 4.5 points according to Fanduel. How do you see the game going? Are there any prop bets you feel comfortable recommending?
CP: Especially with the Browns finally in contention at midseason for once, I’m really trying to stay optimistic with my picks each week, so keep that in mind here. The Browns have played a lot of close games, and are 3-0 at home, so this four-game home stretch that they are beginning is vital for them to stay in the playoff race. The Browns’ pass defense has remained a strong suit, but offensively, they still have some consistency issues, with too many dry stretches of scoring. Of all the games the Browns have played this season, this is the one where I feel like I have no idea what to expect. C.J. Stroud seems to be playing at an unexpectedly high level, but the Browns’ pass defense has been solid. Will Houston commit to the run, which Cleveland hasn’t been able to stop for weeks? And while Houston’s defense has struggled compared to my expectations, the talent seems to still be there, so do they get back on track against their former quarterback who takes a lot of sacks? I’ll take the Browns to win 24-21. As for prop bets, I’ll say RB Dylan Sampson over 21.5 yards receiving is a good one. He’s hit that mark in all three weeks that he’s been back from injury.
We want to thank Chris for taking the time to answer our questions about the Browns. They are certainly one of the more interesting teams in the NFL so far on the season. We want to wish Chris and the Browns the best of luck for the remainder of the season. As per usual, we hope that luck begins on Monday morning.
