Coming off a dominant victory over the Miami Dolphins, the Browns face the leaders in the AFC East clubhouse, the 5-2 New England Patriots. Here are three key matchups to watch in order for the Browns to pull off their first winning streak since Week 17 of the 2023 season.
Maliek Collins and Mason Graham Vs. Jared Wilson and Mike Onwenu
The play of Maliek Collins has been crucial to the Browns defensive success this year, but over the past two games, he's not been nearly as effective, totaling one pressure across 43 rushes and only a 4.8% win rate. Fortunately, that has coincided with a massive two-week improvement from rookie Mason Graham, who had the best game of his career this past Sunday and is showing significant development, especially as a pass-rusher, even if it isn't translating to wins or pressures yet.
The Patriots feature one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Drake Maye, how is dealing with pressure very well this season. Still, pressure will be vitally important in this game, and it's crucial that the duo of Collins and Graham delivers. The Patriots have two very different guards, with rookie Jared Wilson on the left side and veteran Mike Onwenu on the right. Wilson is one of the most athletic linemen prospects in NFL history, and was a fantastic center at Georgia. The Patriots moved him to guard as they brought in Garrett Bradbury from the Minnesota Vikings, who is attempting to revamp his image as a massive former first-round bust.
Wilson has had a rough start to the year, allowing 15 pressures and earning a subpar 50.3 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Onwenu on the other hand, is one of the most consistent OL in the league and extremely versatile, with quality play at every position except center throughout his career. He's also 6-foot-3, but a massive 350 pounds. He may not get the recognition he deserves, but he's one of the best OL in the league, and a great chance for Graham to sharpen himself against a premier opponent.