The Cleveland Browns return home on Sunday after a disastrous monthlong road trip that saw the team drop all three games.
If the series of frustrating losses was not enough, Browns fans have also watched
as one of the team’s former starting quarterbacks lit up the Pittsburgh Steelers in a nationally televised game, while another is in the running to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
The mob is going to be in a foul mood come Sunday, but a ray of hope comes in the form of the Miami Dolphins.
Like the Browns, the Dolphins enter the game with just one win on the season. Unlike the Browns, who can point to their win against the Green Bay Packers, one of the playoff favorites in the NFC, Miami’s sole victory came against the hapless New York Jets, who may have already been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
Nothing is ever easy for the Browns, of course, and the Dolphins will present a challenge, especially on offense with running back De’Von Achane, who has a combined six rushing and receiving touchdowns, tight end Darren Waller, who has four touchdown receptions in three games, and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who is averaging 13.4 yards per reception and has three touchdown catches.
Waddle has been particularly effective since the Dolphins lost wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, and his matchup with Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward is one to watch, according to Pro Football Focus:
With Tyreek Hill injured and out for the year, Jaylen Waddle is going to draw the toughest matchups every week. Although Browns corner Denzel Ward (50.9 grade; 90th) is struggling in 2025, he’ll prove to be a tough test for the Dolphins’ receiver. Waddle’s 80.3 grade is 12th among wideouts, and he’s caught 12 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown since Hill has been absent.
It will be interesting to see how the Browns approach covering Waddle on Sunday. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz does not like to put Ward on one specific player, which was problematic last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers when Schwartz had cornerback Tyson Campbell covering DK Metcalf on Metcalf’s 25-yard touchdown reception.
This could be a good week to shake things up and have Ward on Waddle as much as possible.
One way to disrupt Miami’s passing game is for the defensive line to get after quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has thrown seven interceptions and taken 13 sacks on the season.
That leads to a second matchup to watch, which is defensive end Myles Garrett against left tackle Patrick Paul, Miami’s second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Garrett hasn’t recorded a sack since the game against the Packers, but he can still be disruptive, especially with the offense focusing so much of its attention on him. That is part of the reason why he is still ranked No. 3 on PFF’s list of defensive ends and is at No. 5 in pass rush win rate, according to ESPN.
Paul, who is in his first season as a starter, comes into the game at No. 16 in pass block win rate (92 percent) and has only allowed two sacks, according to ESPN. If Paul can neutralize Garrett without any help, it will be a long day for the defense. But if Garrett can force the Dolphins to give Paul extra help, the rest of Cleveland’s defensive line can make life miserable for Tagovailoa.
