After licking their wounds from a 24-point loss to Detroit, the Browns travel across the pond to London to take on the Vikings. This will be Cleveland’s second game in the NFL’s International Series, with the first coming back in 2017.
This Minnesota team wasn’t going far even before J.J McCarthy injury, but now that he’s out, the Vikings find themselves in a potentially desperate situation.
Even after a blowout victory against Cincinnati, this Minnesota team leaves a lot to be desired. With starter J.J McCarthy out with an ankle sprain, the Vikings are nowhere as formidable. However, even with backup QB Carson Wentz under center, Justin Jefferson still remains a threat in the receiving game. Last week against Pittsburgh, he went off for 126 receiving yards on 10 catches. Jefferson is arguably the best offensive player the NFL has to offer. His sure hands and masterful route running make him one of the most electrifying players in the league. Along with weapons such as Jordan Addinson and T.J. Hockenson, this Minnesota passing attack could pose a serious threat even with a backup QB.
Just like their divisional rivals; the Green Bay Packers, the Vikings tend to pass slightly more than they run the ball. Even with a pass/rush ratio of 42.6/57.3, they’ll mostly be utilizing emerging star RB Jordan Mason. Mason had a pair of scores with 114 rushing yards two weeks ago against Cincinnati. He’s a power back who’s shifty enough to cause problems in the open field. Stopping the Vikings’ rushing attack should be a focal point for this Cleveland defense after Detroit RB Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 91 yards and a touchdown while averaging over six yards a carry last week.
Minnesota’s defense is more of a conundrum than they appear. While the D-line is comprised of quality players such as Johnathan Allen and Javon Hargrove, their run defense has been lackluster. So far this season, the Vikings are ranked in the bottom ten in terms of yards per rush allowed, and rushing yards per game allowed. Their secondary, on the other hand, has looked exceptional so far this season. Led by standout CB Bryon Murphy Jr. and longtime vet Harrison Smith, Minnesota, has allowed the third fewest passing yards per game. They’ve held three out of the four QB’s they faced to 200 or less passing yards, that’s slightly less than the league average of 206.7. That doesn’t bode well for newly named starter rookie Dillon Gabriel. With the Cleveland offense still finding its footing, it’s unlikely any Browns’ WR has a breakout game.
Strengths:
- Good Play From Secondary As Of Late
- Front Seven Generates QB Pressures Fairly Consistently
Weaknesses:
- Most Penalized Team In League
- Below Average Run Defense
- Offense Will Be Limited Due To QB
Key Matchup:
- Minnesota Pass Rush Vs. Cleveland Offensive Tackles
I would advise against taking too much stock in Minnesota’s 38-point beatdown of Cincinnati. While impressive, it came against a beat-up Bengals team without Joe Burrow. I don’t expect them to come to London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and dominate the same way.
For the Browns, the Vikings are a completely beatable team. Their struggles against the run should mean plenty of opportunities for Quinshon Judkins, who just had a season high 115 all-purpose yards last week. The problem lies with the rest of the offense. This Cleveland offense looks to be the worst in the league by a wide margin. From pass protection to receiver separation, the Browns rank toward the bottom in most offensive categories.
I dont expect either team to put together their most polished performance. More than likely, this will be a sloppy game filled with turnovers and penalties. Fortunately for the Browns, the Vikings tend to shoot themselves in the foot even more than Cleveland. Minnesota averages 9.3 penalties a game, 2nd worse in the NFL. Another factor that could affect Cleveland’s on-field performance is jetlag. For the people of London, England, it’ll be 1:00 pm, but for us in the States and the players, it’ll be a 9:30 am kickoff. That drastic of a change could cause anything from disrupted sleeping patterns to difficulty focusing. The Vikings, who have just played the NFL’s first game in Ireland, will have a much shorter trip.
Until Cleveland can put together a half-way decent offensive performance, wins will be few and far between. Starting a rookie QB against a top-10 secondary usually spells disaster for any team’s offense. Sad to say, I don’t think this Cleveland offense is the exception.
Score Prediction:
- CLE- 13
- MIN- 21
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