Joe Flacco will debut for the Browns on Sunday against the Rams. Flacco is walking onto the field to a team that has yet to throw for over 250 yards since week three with Deshaun Watson against the Titans.
It’s hard to guess what to expect from Flacco, but truthfully, it’s unlikely to see the passing game regressing.
Myles Garrett will be playing in LA, which is enormous, with Cleveland needing to rely on their defense to carry the team to victory.
The Rams have similar numbers to the Broncos in the run game, so the Browns must figure out how to slow down the run and put pressure on Stafford.
It feels like another week when the Browns must stop the run game, and head coach Kevin Stefanski needs to dial up the run game to help take the pressure off the struggling Browns offense.
Overall: The Browns are battling injuries and will be without Denzel Ward on Sunday. The injuries hopefully have hit their max as the Browns can not sustain any more impact players.
LA is battling for a playoff spot, and they are a good team maximizing their talent. Aaron Donald is always a handful, and the Browns will be challenged to slow him down on the offensive line.
With the team bonding in LA and coming off a poor performance, I like the Browns to bounce back against the Rams.
Browns win 18-14 take the -4 (love this line).
Dealing with injuries on the offensive front and contending with off-field distractions, the Browns have exceeded expectations this season. Despite a setback against Denver last week, they enter the upcoming game with a 7-4 record, determined to return to the win column. While their road record stands at 2-3, a recent string of successes has instilled confidence across the team. The Browns boast six wins in their last nine games when it comes to covering the spread, and four wins in their last five, potentially marking this match as pivotal for their playoff aspirations.
Despite facing one of the lengthiest injury reports in the NFL, Cleveland has remarkably sustained success. Notably, key offensive players Kareem Hunt (groin) and Amari Cooper (ribs) carry injury designations into the weekend. The quarterback situation is also a concern with Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion) listed as questionable. On the defensive front, the status of Myles Garrett (shoulder) is another aspect to monitor, as he is listed as questionable.
The Browns’ strength lies in their top-ranked defense, leading the NFL in total yardage. The secondary, in particular, shines, topping various defensive passing categories. However, the offense poses challenges, ranking in the bottom third of the league across several categories. Despite this, the ground game, led by the formidable duo of Jerome Ford and Hunt, has been elite. For the Browns to elevate their overall performance, improvement in the passing game is crucial, especially when facing opponents like the Rams who might focus on containing the ground attack.
The Rams have secured consecutive victories, repositioning themselves favorably in the NFC playoff race. Their focus is on maintaining this winning streak at home. Despite a somewhat lackluster 2-3 home record, the team is optimistic that confidence and momentum will continue in a positive direction. With winnable games in the upcoming schedule, a victory here could significantly enhance the team’s chances of success by season’s end. Despite statistical odds suggesting otherwise, the team’s wealth of experience positions them to make impactful plays. If they harness emerging talent and maintain their current trajectory, the possibilities for success seem boundless.
In terms of injuries, the Rams’ roster is notably shorter than that of their opponents. The correlation between improved health and recent success is evident. Key offensive player Cooper Kupp, listed as probable with an ankle injury, holds particular significance for the team. The team’s depth, seen as an advantage, could prove crucial in the upcoming game.
The Rams’ offense has grown in confidence over the past few weeks, and they look forward to facing an inexperienced quarterback without some key weapons in this matchup. However, they also face challenges against the NFL’s top-ranked defense. While Matt Stafford continues to lead, the running game is poised to be the deciding factor. Kyren Williams, coming off one of his best performances as a Ram, holds the key to success. If he can dominate and control the clock, it bodes well for Los Angeles.
While last week was brutal to watch as a fan, we went 2-0 on our picks again, thanks to a productive day from David Njoku and two field goals from Dustin Hopkins. That marks nine out of the last 10 picks that have hit, with the only miss being Jerome Ford not getting 14 carries after seeing eight on the first drive. Joe Flacco will be the fourth Browns quarterback to start this season and just has to keep the team ahead of schedule and make a few timely plays to win the game. Here are the two best picks for the Browns versus Rams in Week 13.
Elijah Moore has covered this line in 64% of games this year, including three straight. He’s averaging 6.6 targets per game this year and has seen at least seven targets in each of the last three games. The only two games this year where Moore had fewer than five targets came in blowouts against the Cardinals and Ravens. He caught just three of nine targets a week ago but still finished with 44 yards.
With Flacco at quarterback, there’s some familiarity between him and Moore. During their time on the Jets, Moore covered this six of seven times with at least five targets in all but one game. He saw seven or more targets in four of the seven games and even exploded once for eight catches and 141 yards with the veteran quarterback. The Browns are likely going to be forced into plenty of passing situations, and the short routes from Moore could be there all day for the veteran Flacco to take.
Dustin Hopkins has covered this line in 10 of 11 games this year, with his lone miss coming in the game where Dorian Thompson-Robinson started versus the Ravens on short notice. He’s 90% on field goals this year and attempts 2.8 per game on average. In the only other game in a dome this year, Hopkins hit all four of his attempts, including three from 50 yards or longer.
The Browns’ offense isn’t going to be lighting up the scoreboard with Flacco, and they will need to take their points often. They should find a few drives where they can move the ball enough to get into range, and the dome increases the likelihood of the Browns trying long-field goals. With the way the defense is playing, three points on drives can go a long way to winning games.
We’ll have to see the graphic of the Browns’ quarterback jersey yet again, with Flacco making his season debut in Week 13. The formula will remain the same without Deshaun Watson: run the ball, stop the run, and win the turnover margin. This isn’t a team built to play from behind, and they have to get out to a better start to avoid being in passing situations early. The biggest key on offense will be staying ahead of schedule and finding more third-and-short situations that are reasonable to convert. A Browns’ win would have them sitting nicely for a playoff spot, but it will take a total team effort to get this one on the road.
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