The New England Patriots are widely considered the best team in football and face off against a disappointing Cleveland Browns team in Week 8. Cleveland’s offense, while underwhelming, has the tools to be one of the best in the league, while their defense is finally getting a healthy pairing of Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward. Based on the opposing talent, this is probably New England’s toughest opponent to date. Let’s take a look at some Patriots bold predictions heading into their Week 8 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
New England Patriots vs Cleveland Browns Bold Predictions
Odell Beckham Doesn’t Reach 30 Receiving Yards
Is this one really a bold take? Based on how well this defense is playing, it’s easy to imagine Odell Beckham failing to light up the stat sheet. Stephon Gilmore is the best cornerback in football and might be even better in 2019 than he was in 2018. These two actually faced off back in 2015, and Gilmore held Beckham to just five receptions for 38 yards. Gilmore’s gotten even better since then, while Beckham and Baker Mayfield are still trying to develop their chemistry.
Even when Beckham isn’t covered by Gilmore, New England’s cornerback depth is second to none. J.C. Jackson, Jason McCourty, and Jonathan Jones are all capable of slowing Beckham down with a safety regardless of where he lines up.
Bill Belichick is notorious for gameplanning around an opponent’s best weapon, and Gilmore tends to play shadow coverage on the best receiver. Baker Mayfield isn’t good enough to beat New England without Beckham, and Belichick knows it. Look for Gilmore and company to completely take away one of the best receivers in the game.
Chase Winovich Takes the Rookie Lead in Sacks
2019 third-round pick Chase Winovich is having a fantastic rookie season. Winovich has four sacks through seven weeks, tied for the third-best mark among rookies. He’s only one sack behind Josh Allen for the lead, but that won’t be the case after Sunday’s action. Winovich will record at least two sacks and dethrone Josh Allen as sack leader.
The Cleveland Browns offensive line is an absolute mess. Left tackle Greg Robinson hasn’t played well and is going to start the game on the bench. In his place, the Browns are probably sending out Justin McCray. McCray, a guard by trade, spent two years in the Arena Football League before re-joining the NFL in 2017. Objectively speaking, he’s not an NFL-starting talent and Winovich should have no problem winning these one-on-one matchups.
Sacks are just as much a quarterback stat as they are an offensive line stat, and Baker Mayfield invites tons of pressure. The second-year quarterback doesn’t look comfortable in Freddie Kitchens’ scheme and bails out of the pocket at the first sign of pressure. This usually ends up leading to sacks, which is all the better for Winovich.
Sony Michel Reaches 100 Rushing Yards
The 2019 season has not been kind to Sony Michel. One year after a promising rookie season, the former first-round pick has been one of the NFL’s least efficient runners. It’s not all his fault, as Michel’s offensive line hasn’t provided many rushing lanes. However, he lacks elite speed and is one of the least elusive running backs in the game, according to PFF. He typically hits the right hole, but he’s only as good as his blocking and struggles to pick up additional yardage.
Fortunately, the game script and matchup should allow Michel to put up some good numbers in Week 8. Cleveland might be New England’s best opponent to date, but the Patriots should still win this one by a comfortable margin. This means that New England is going to run out the clock late in the game. Rex Burkhead might not play in this one, and the team clearly doesn’t believe Damien Harris is ready for an extended role. Once again, Michel should see the vast majority of the carries.
Additionally, Cleveland’s run defense is one of the worst in the league. According to Football Outsiders, the Browns currently rank 25th in rush defense DVOA. This is worse than every non-Dolphins team the Patriots have faced to date. Don’t look for Michel to average six yards per carry, but the former first-rounder should have his best game of the season against Cleveland. That said, of all the Patriots bold predictions, this is the one I’m least comfortable about.
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