After being shutout at home, The New England Patriots have a lot to prove against a time that has yet to win a game. At 0 and 4, the Cleveland Browns could make a huge statement at home by ruining Tom Brady’s return game. With Robert Griffin the third sidelined until at least week 10 with an injury and Josh Gordon checked into rehab, the only true bright spot this season has been the emergence of former quarterback turned wide receiver Terrelle Pryor.
The Patriots had no offensive answers to the Buffalo Bills last week and could not tackle on the defensive side of the ball. With Rob Gronkowski still injured, expect Tom Brady to look for tight end Martellus Bennett a lot in the pass game.
Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler, who is the third string quarterback for the Browns, threw for 223 yards in last week’s loss against the Washington Redskins. Isaiah Crowell had an amazing game on the ground, rushing for 1 touchdown and 120 yards on 16 attempts.
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Key Match Up
Terrelle Pryor has become a number one receiver as of late, but if he can be stopped by Malcolm Butler, the Browns won’t have much offense to get in. While Gary Barnidge has been consistent since emerging as a receiving threat last season, the Patriots line backing core is athletic enough to stop him from making big plays. If Pryor is held at bay, all eyes will turn to Crowell and the Browns running game to move the chains.
Difference Makers
Tom Brady. The greatest of all tame, a.k.a, the G.O.A.T. While Jimmy Garoppolo looked like a future starting quarterback, Jacoby Brissett did not. Brisset looked more like a running back who could throw. With Jimmy still injured and Brissett not playing well in the last game, the return of the future hall of famer and four time winning Super Bowl Champion will be a huge for the Patriots as they look to continue holding first place in the AFC East.
For the Browns, it’s cornerback Joe Haden. Haden is an elite defensive back who has 12 tackles and 2 interceptions on the season through 3 games, as he did not play in week 3. Haden can shut down both shifty receivers like Julian Edelman and deep threats like Chris Hogan, which would be a huge boost to what is a very underrated defense.
Almost Game Time
The Patriots travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns. Kickoff is at 1 PM Eastern Standard Time. The game will be available either on your local CBS affiliate or can be streamed through NFL Sunday Ticket.
