CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns head to Minnesota Sunday where head coach Kevin Stefanski got his start and spent 14 years before moving to Cleveland.
Stefanski is 14-7, including the playoffs, since taking over the Browns in 2020 and 5-0 against NFC teams.
Defensive coordinator Joe Woods and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer are among seven assistants on Stefanski’s staff who previously worked with him with the Vikings.
The game pits the Vikings third-ranked offense against the Browns third-ranked defense.
The Browns have scored at least 26 points in the first three games for the first time since their 1964 championship season.
What to watch for – The Browns defense is coming off a record setting performance that saw them rack up 9 sacks and allow 1 net yard passing and 47 net yards of offense, but against one of the worst offenses in the NFL – the Bears. Myles Garrett had a team single-game record 4 ½ sacks against Chicago and is up to 5 ½ sacks on the season. Garrett’s 48 career sacks are the most by any NFL player in his first 54 games.
Greedy Williams, who returned from missing the 2020 season due to nerve damage in his shoulder as a result of a training camp injury, makes his first start since the 2019 season in place of rookie Greg Newsome II, out with a calf injury. Williams, a 2019 second round pick, lost the starting corner job to Newsome in camp.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is off to a sensational start completing 73.9% of his passes with 8 touchdowns and no interceptions. Cousins has 200 straight attempts without an interception, one short of his team record set in 2019 and his 26 wins with the Vikings are the most in team history in a QB’s first 50 starts. He’s been sacked just five times through three games.
Six of Cousins’ eight touchdowns have gone to either Adam Thielen or Justin Jefferson, who have also combined for 41 catches and 435 yards to date for the Vikings. Receiver K.J. Osborn and tight end Tyler Conklin have the other two touchdown receptions and have hauled in a combined 27 passes for 319 yards meaning the Browns secondary will be tested.
Nick Chubb got bottled up last week by the Bears opening the door for Kareem Hunt to take over and pile up 155 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Chubb finished with a team-high 84 rushing yards but was held below 4 yards per carry. Chubb is third in the NFL behind Derrick Henry and Joe Mixon with 262 rushing yards.
Odell Beckham Jr. led the Browns with nine targets last week and had five catches for 77 yards in his first game back from ACL surgery last November but said after the game he was exhausted, and he couldn’t get his legs under him. With Jarvis Landry on IR, Beckham will once again be counted on to help carry the load along with Rashard Higgins and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Last Week – Browns beat the Bears 26-6, Vikings beat the Seahawks 30-17
The last time – October 29, 2017: Vikings 33, Browns 16
Series history – Vikings lead 11-4
Rankings – Points per game: Browns T-9 (28.7), Vikings 8 (29.0)
Total yards per game: Browns 7 (410.0), Vikings 3 (425.0)
Rushing yards per game: Browns 2 (174.7), Vikings 6 (128.0)
Passing yards per game: Browns 19 (235.3), Vikings 7 (297.0)
Points allowed per game: Browns T-11 (20.0), Vikings 20 (26.0)
Total defensive yards allowed per game: Browns 3 (248.7), Vikings 28 (409.7)
Rushing yards allowed per game: Browns 5 (67.0), Vikings T-20 (119.3)
Passing yards allowed per game: Browns T-5 (181.7), Vikings 27 (290.3)
Turnover ratio: Browns T-24 (-2), Vikings T-10 (+1)
Projected starters for Browns – Offense: WR Odell Beckham Jr., LT Jedrick Wills Jr., LG Joel Bitonio, C JC Tretter, RG Wyatt Teller, RT Jack Conklin, TE Austin Hooper, WR Anthony Schwartz, QB Baker Mayfield, RB Nick Chubb, FB Andy Janovich
Defense: DE Myles Garrett, DT Malik Jackson, DT Malik McDowell, DE Jadeveon Clowney, WILL Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, MIKE Malcolm Smith, CB Denzel Ward, CB Greedy Williams, SS Ronnie Harrison Jr., FS John Johnson III, DB Grant Delpit
Injury report – OUT: CB Greg Newsome II (calf), OT Chris Hubbard (triceps): QUESTIONABLE: C J.C. Tretter (knee), LT Jedrick Wills (ankle), LB Sione Takitaki (hamstring); EXPECTED TO PLAY: RT Jack Conklin (knee), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), DE Jadeveon Clowney (neck)
Uniforms – White jersey, brown pants.
Broadcast – Radio: 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX and the University Hospitals Cleveland Browns radio network. TV: WOIO TV-19 (CBS)
Kickoff – 1:05 p.m., U.S. Bank Stadium; Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Our prediction – Browns 37, Vikings 34
Our prediction record – 3-0