The Browns are back in Cleveland after spending two weeks on the road as they welcome the Arizona Cardinals to town. Cleveland will have starting quarterback Deshaun Watson back on the field, of course, the question is if he is healthy or will it be a repeat of Indianapolis. The team has said all the right things this week about his return but what happens on the field Sunday is ultimately all that matters.
The Cardinals could be starting a rookie in Clayton Tune at quarterback and it could be a game where the Browns’ pass rush dominates. Coming off a week where they only had one sack the team must be chomping at the bit to set the tone early and often against Arizona.
This is a game where Cleveland is more talented on paper but as you know you can’t just expect to show up and win in the NFL. Here are my bold predictions for the week as the Browns look for their fifth win of the year.
David Njoku will have over 100 receiving yards
The gameplan for David Njoku in Seattle was perfect as he created a ton of yards after the catch and really created a safety blanket for P.J. Walker. With Watson returning this week and the team to likely ease him in I think you could see a similar game from Njoku.
Using him in the screen game as well as short throws to create easy yards after the catch could open things up and help Watson gain confidence. When Njoku is playing well and utilized right he creates so many mismatches against opposing defenses.
Deshaun Watson will protect the ball and not turn it over
Turnovers have been a major issue for the offense all year long and have directly led to multiple losses for Cleveland. Against the Cardinals’ defense Watson doesn’t have to be Superman and try to make up for missed time in just one game. The team needs to be small with the football and take what Arizona gives them and I think they will.
The offensive line has been playing well lately and the running game has improved week after week and they can lean on that as Watson figures things out. Easy quick throws to create cheap yardage and slowly work towards where they want to be moving forward.
Ogbo Okoronkwo will have two sacks
Ogbo Okoronkwo has quietly been having a great season in the Browns’ rotation along the defensive line. Myles Garrett has gotten most of the attention, rightfully so, but Okoronkwo has been great. This game has the feel of a classic time when the opposing offense devotes a ton of attention to Garrett giving others a chance to capitalize on one-on-one situations.
Za’Darius Smith is a little banged up, meaning Okoronkwo could be in line for more snaps and opportunities to capitalize. His ability to convert between speed and power gives opposing offensive lines major issues all day long.
