BREAKING: Bengals Confirms Good Key Factors for to Overcome Browns A Week 7 Game Preview
Following their primetime win against the New York Giants in Week 6, the Bengals are set to face the Cleveland Browns in a critical AFC North showdown. The Browns are looking to bounce back after narrowly losing 20-16 to the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
The Cleveland offense has struggled significantly this season, managing to score only nine touchdowns through the first six games. This statistic ties them with the Chargers for the third-fewest touchdowns in the NFL. Notably, the Browns are the only team in the league that has not surpassed 20 points in any game this year, raising concerns about their scoring efficiency and overall offensive performance .
The Browns are expected to receive a significant boost this week with the return of star running back Nick Chubb, who is set to make his season debut. Chubb has been recovering from a knee injury sustained in Week 2 of the 2023 season. In 2022, when he was last fully healthy, he rushed for over 1,500 yards and earned a spot in the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. Over his career, Chubb boasts an impressive average of 5.3 yards per carry and has scored 52 touchdowns in 77 gamesd greatly impact the Browns’ offense, which has struggled to find consistency this season. Having a player of Chubb’s caliber on the field may help the Browns improve their scoring, especially after being the only team in the NFL to fail to reach 20 points in a game this year .
Nick Chubb’s return is expected to revitalize the Browns’ struggling rushing attack. This season, Cleveland has managed only two rushing touchdowns, tied for the fewest in the league, and has accumulated a total of just 583 rushing yards. Additionally, the team is facing challenges with current starting back Jerome Ford, who is considered week-to-week due to a hamstring injury sustained against the Eagles.
As Chubb works his way back into game shape, backup running backs D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. are anticipated to share the workload. However, the Browns’ offensive line has faced difficulties, currently holding a run-blocking grade of 52.8 from Pro Football Focus, ranking as the third lowest in the NFL the Browns’ offensive situation and Chubb’s impact,
The Cleveland Browns’ offensive line has struggled this season, currently holding a 48.9 pass-blocking grade, which is also the third lowest in the NFL. Quarterback Deshaun Watson has faced significant pressure, being sacked a league-high 31 times. Despite this, Watson has shown his dual-threat capabilities, rushing for 148 yards this season. However, his passing efficiency has been below par, with a PFF passing grade of 61.2, placing him 25th among quarterbacks with at least 25 dropbacks this year.
The Browns prefer to establish the run to create passing opportunities. According to Pro Football Focus, they have run 67 play-action plays, the second most in the league. When utilizing play action, Watson has achieved a 7.3% big-time throw percentage, ranking fourth in the NFL. PFF defines a “big-time throw” as a pass that demonstrates excellent ball placement and timing, often thrown further downfield or into tighter coverage.
Deshaun Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans, showcased improvement in his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles last week, completing 69.6% of his passes—his second-highest completion percentage of the season. He also made strides in pushing the ball downfield, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt, which is more than a yard higher than his previous average. After struggling with interceptions early in the season, including two in the season opener against the Cowboys, Watson has only thrown one in the last five games.
As a team, the Browns have limited their turnovers to just six giveaways this year, which is a positive sign. However, they have also struggled to sustain drives, punting on 51% of their possessions, the highest rate in the NFL, according to ESPN. This combination of efficient passing and drive-stalling struggles will be critical for the Browns as they face the Bengals in Week 7 .
Browns Defense
The Cleveland Browns’ defense remains a standout aspect of the team, currently holding the fourth-highest run defense grade in the NFL at 77.2 and the fifth-highest pass rush grade at 76.3, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). Star edge rusher Myles Garrett is a significant contributor to this success, entering Week 7 with the second-highest pass-rush grade in the league (93.2), only behind Aidan Hutchinson of the Lions, who recently suffered a season-ending injury.
Garrett has recorded four sacks in the first six games and has amassed a total of 26 pressures, placing him among the top 10 in the league. Additionally, he has forced two fumbles, ranking third in the NFL for this category. As a unit, the Browns’ defense has forced four fumbles so far this season, which is the fourth-most in the league .
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has been a key player for the Browns, ranking in the top 20 in the NFL with 47 total tackles. His impressive defensive performance is reflected in his PFF grade of 83.3, which ranks seventh among all linebackers. He also boasts the third-best run defense grade among linebackers at 90.3rd downs, the Browns have faced 80 attempts from opposing offenses, allowing a conversion rate of just 35%. They are effective in limiting their opponents, giving up fewer than 200 passing yards per game and allowing a completion percentage of only 58.6%, the second-lowest in the league, behind the Texans .
In sowns excel as well, holding a PFF special teams grade of 90.8, which is second only to the Patriots. Recently, they showcased this strength by scoring a touchdown off a blocked field goal against the Eagles. Their punting game is also strong, averaging 52.4 yards per punt, ranking third in the NFL. Punter Corey Bojorquez has recorded the longest punt of the season with an 84-yarder in Week 4 .