Mike Vrabel is set to square off against a familiar foe for a second week in a row.
The Patriots coach spent last season consulting for Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland following his firing in Tennessee. After beating the Titans last week, now Vrabel will welcome the Browns to Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Though the Patriots have been rolling lately — the 7-point favorites are on a four-game winning streak — the Browns will present a new challenge. Vrabel identified them as the best defense Drake Maye has seen this season.
Cleveland ranks first in total defense, third in EPA/play, and they’ve been Top 5 against both the run and the pass.
“They’re playing at a high level, they’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Vrabel said. “It’s a lot of speed, a lot of disruption. They don’t give you a whole lot of time to make decisions. And then there’s enough change ups in there that you just have to be good. You have to be sound, can’t hold on to the ball. Coverage is sticky and the linebackers are fast.”
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The Browns defense will be a real test for Maye, who has been playing All-Pro caliber football in his second season, as well as whoever is tasked with blocking All-World defensive end Myles Garrett.
On the other side of the ball however, Cleveland boasts the NFL’s 30th ranked scoring offense. Moving the ball has been a tractor pull. Knocking off the hapless Dolphins last week was a step in the right direction as Dillon Gabriel notched his first win, but beating the Patriots in Foxborough is a different story.
New England is due for a letdown game at some point, but the bet here is that it won’t be this week. The Browns simply don’t have the offensive firepower to beat Maye and Vrabel at Gillette.
Final score prediction: Patriots 20, Browns 13.
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