The Browns may be lousy but I think the Pats are going to be challenged on Sunday

[sb1]

I might be in the minority... but the way I see it is if I was a Cleveland Brown and I heard people talk all week that Tom Brady is back and he is coming to Cleveland to stomp on us in our house... I would probably play about 9,000 times harder that Sunday than I normally would.

I can't imagine that thought isn't running through the Browns locker room right now.

Plus this is Tom's first meaningful game since January.

I could be wrong but I expect this game to be a lot closer and a lot more uncomfortable than people think it's going to be.

 

[Guts]

I feel it will be close for the first 3 quarters while TB12 knocks some rust off, but then we pull away in the 4th with some defensive turnovers.

 

[archstanton543]

I dunno. Tom's had 4 weeks to scout the Browns at home. I think he already had gameplan set in his head when he walked through the doors Monday morning. I think he'll be rusty in the first half and then destroy them in the second half.

After Sunday's crushing loss and the emotional high of Brady coming back I don't see how the Pats lose this one. Even on the road.

 

[Froob]

Browns have played a lot of teams tight. I think it'll be a ten point game.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I dunno. Tom's had 4 weeks to scout the Browns at home. I think he already had gameplan set in his head when he walked through the doors Monday morning. I think he'll be rusty in the first half and then destroy them in the second half.

After Sunday's crushing loss and the emotional high of Brady coming back I don't see how the Pats lose this one. Even on the road.

Yeah, but is TB's game plan the same as McD's?

 

[Deus Irae]

Browns have played a lot of teams tight. I think it'll be a ten point game.

I'll take the over on that.

 

[oldrover]

I hate 'expected' blowouts.

 

[qbno12]

I think it'll be a very close game but we win. We lost one in Cleveland few yrs ago. They may not have won a game so far but they had a chance to win almost all of their games towards the end this season

 

[FourierSeries]

Even if Brady is rusty, I expect we'll be able to run on them fairly well. They've been pretty bad against the run, and our run blocking + Blount have been a big part of our offense through the first quarter of the season. I don't expect Brady to be rusty for long though.

Cleveland's run game has been even better than ours though. So we'll have to bring our A game to contain it.

 

[archstanton543]

Yeah, but is TB's game plan the same as McD's?

It might differ slightly as it is a collaborative effort and Brady's had more time to see more of their games at home. Just some minor tweaks to get on the same page.

 

[RobertWeathers]

TB12's rust is an average QB's best game of the year.

Pats 37 Brownies 13

 

[BelichickFan]

The Browns have been competitive in all their games but that probably ends this weekend. They have a fairly immobile rookie QB so we won't have the "mobile QB fear" that seems to set in, they have a below average OL which has allowed a more than average number of sacks and a lot of non sack QB hits. And their defense struggles against Tight Ends. You know, Gronk and Bennet's position. I give them credit for outplaying their talent but it's tough to see them hanging in there this week.

 

[PatsFan2]

Poor Bad news Browns I think the Patriots are going to score 50 in very game from Sunday on.

 

[FourierSeries]

The Browns have been competitive in all their games but that probably ends this weekend. They have a fairly immobile rookie QB so we won't have the "mobile QB fear" that seems to set in, they have a below average OL which has allowed a more than average number of sacks and a lot of non sack QB hits. And their defense struggles against Tight Ends. You know, Gronk and Bennet's position. I give them credit for outplaying their talent but it's tough to see them hanging in there this week.

Their passing game isn't a threat at all, but don't discount their run game. It's been very good this season. Their path to making this a close game is to continue running the ball well and controlling the clock.
Although after last week's performance, I expect that Bill will have the team firing on all cylinders, which would likely mean a blowout.

 

[FCB02062]

Let's not forget that game in Cleveland a few years ago.... Pats went in as heavy chalk and got crushed....peyton Hollis had about 150 yards...and they needed a miracle PI call to beat Cleveland at Gillette a few years ago too....

 

[fightingirish595]

Cleveland has been competitive for most of the season. Pats got shut out this week though, Ill take the Pats against the spread. My "lock" of the week. Pats win going away

 

[obgod3]

I believe the Pats will win this game and at no time will be in danger of losing but.....Its the NFL and the Browns players are still professionals and they could give the pats a good game or win it. A lot of things have happened already this year that we didn't expect.

 

[archstanton543]

Let's not forget that game in Cleveland a few years ago.... Pats went in as heavy chalk and got crushed....peyton Hollis had about 150 yards...and they needed a miracle PI call to beat Cleveland at Gillette a few years ago too....

I thought they needed an onside kick to get the ball back to win it...and they did!

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm not sure how they will put up the points unless the defense completely ****s the bed. Defensively, they need to contain Crowell and Pryor. Do that, and Cleveland's offense is dead in the water. The Pats, on offense, will look to pound them with Blount and the running game a bit as Cleveland's run defense has not been good thus far. That should open things up down the seam nicely for Edelman and the TE's to wreak havoc. It might be tight as first as Brady gets acclimated to his first action. Once that happens, the Pats will blow it open.

 

[qbno12]

Schefter just tweeted this