DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2020 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 41 Titans 35 Thats whut they thunk..

Browns (8-3) at Titans (8-3)
1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 50.4 | Spread: TEN -6 (53.5)

What to watch for: This game is a matchup of the league's top two rushing attacks. If it is close into the fourth quarter, it will come down to which team is able to wear the other down. With both defenses committing to stopping the run, don't be surprised if there is an explosive play off of play-action, too. -- Turron Davenport

Bold prediction: Running backs Derrick Henry (Titans), Nick Chubb (Browns) and Kareem Hunt (Browns) will combine to score six touchdowns and rush for more than 400 yards. -- Jake Trotter

Stat to know: Henry and Chubb rank 1-2, respectively, in the NFL in rushing yards per game and 100-yard rushing games since the start of last season. The Browns rank No. 1 in the NFL in rushing percentage at 50%, while the Titans are third at 47%.

Injuries: Browns | Titans

What to know for fantasy: Since 2018, Henry is averaging 37.1% more fantasy points per game over the Titans' final seven games than their first nine of the season. See Week 13 rankings.

Betting nugget: When quarterback Ryan Tannehill starts regular-season games for Tennessee, overs are 18-3, including 9-1 in the Titans' past 10 games. Read more.

Trotter's pick: Titans 38, Browns 30
Davenport's pick: Titans 35, Browns 28
FPI prediction: TEN, 67.0% (by an average of 5.9 points)


Matchup must-reads: Browns looking to prove they're way more than just good at beating bad teams ... Browns' Chubb, Hunt present biggest challenge yet to Titans' defense ... Titans firmly in driver's seat in AFC South race with favorable schedule ahead

It’ll be a tough game to win, mostly because they’re probably a more balanced team offensively .. but, I also didn’t know their TE was out because that’s big.

I expect a game in the high 20s/early 30s

I think this game comes down to coaching. Get um KS. Throw in some reverses and a little trickery with solid running and some Baker deep balls we got this!

Henry is a beast... only chance we have to win is to slow him down...

It's quite a matchup. I think Vrabel is one of the brightest coaches in the NFL.

It'll come down to who's defense holds up best. Our D has to massively overachieve just to keep this close. We shall see. What I care about that I shouldn't care about is the media heads steady forcing the "they haven't beaten anyone" down our throats. It's time to shut them up and take us seriously.

THROW LONG and leadtheway have epic meltdowns in the game thread (what's new)

12 dawgtalkers pass out with 1:12 left in the game

Bad day to get off methamphetamines

42-38 Browns

Epic post!

49-20 browns!!!

I think the Titans sell out to stop the run, but this is the game baker mayfield goes off and has a statement game!!!

Man guys I’ve gone full homer this season. This is simply the best season I can remember in a long time.

Swish I hope your right. I want to see us win in the worst way but it's tough to have confidence. I've seen too much in 53 years with our Browns.

Bro I said I was never gonna predict a victory or winning record until we earned it, but I’m sucked it all the way now.

Just let it happen it man. Go all in!

Stop the bus, I'm NOT going to the bar tomorrow because the game is on local tv here.

I have to switch over to my antenna, because Dish sucks. and cannot figure out how to keep channels people want.

Gross mischaracterization, hardly what I post should be considered a "meltdown".

In other news,

I don't get the thread title? Is the original article from a tenessee paper?

Genius is rarely understood.

I am thinking tomorrow is a Garrett strip-sack and recovery kind of day.

I have a feeling it will come down to a missed opportunity/winning the turnover battle.

28-24 Browns.

For what it's worth, a new page I found which showed, had probabilities for Browns 1st round playoff opponent, (if they make it)
With two teams way out in front for probabilities, the Bills and Titans.

ehh, might as well just post what they say. (Considering Browns); and (I didnt' pay attention but almost all were 99% Browns a road game not a home game)

1st round bye, < 1 percent, (less then 1 percent)

Bills 29%

Titans, 26%

( At this point I find it interesting, later that both the Ravens and Raiders are not up here but grouped in with teams including the Bengals chargers and Texans dows the way as almost non existent)

Chiefs 12%

Colts 6%

Dolphins 5%

Steelers 4%

Patriots 1%

This next group are listed < 1% all less than 1% including
Texans, Raiders, Ravens Broncos, Chargers, Bengals.

Followed by, the Browns missing the playoffs, elimination 17%

I'm not going to mention any more than once a week where I look, because of DTMB rules, so if you'd read my past instances, you already know the site I got this info. ... the Point is,

The Point is, the Titans are one of the biggest probabilities the Browns would play round 1, if they get in.

The Titans embarrassed the heck out of the team last year for the opener and because of that I only went to 2 games. It was the worst imaginable feeling I had in years.

I want to say it's time for pay back, but I'm very concerned about this game. This team has let under achieving run teams run all over them. Henry is getting better every game.

What I would like to see is Chubb and Hunt run and let the Titans have to stop the run. I still don't have much faith in Baker , because the offense does not put up that many points.

Play AFCN football.

Throw Long, dont forget you have to be positive until we lose. We haven't lost yet

I said this in another thread and I will repeat it here the team that tackles the best will win period.

You cannot tackle Henry/Chubb/Hunt high you must go low or they will swat you away like a bothersome fly.

Tackling will be the key.

Bad feeling on this one. We barley pulled out last three vs bad teams. If we need Baker to win this we are in trouble, Run the ball 76 time if need be control clock and gang tackle Henry. We will make Tannihill look like Manning with our secondary

j/c

Sunday morning cup of coffee and a chance to think about the game ahead.

A really big test for Kevin and the team.

Nothing tragic happens if we lose - we'll still be in a strong position for a play-off slot. We will still have a winning record - most any fan would have snatched your arm off if we'd offered 8-4 at the beginning of the season. We would still be showing a positive trend of culture, winning, coaching, penalties, structured play calling and scheming.

If we win - maybe a little magic might happen. 9-3 is pretty rarified air, no matter who you play against. Beating another good football team would reduce the detractors saying we've beaten no-one - as if there are easy games in the NFL, as if other teams with winning records haven't also beaten the same teams we have. . . maybe Baker continues his interception free run and manages the game to a win? Maybe he plays well enough for the nay-sayers to stop the nit-picking? .... Maybe KS cements his rookie coach of the year award?

Whatever happens - the ride to this point has been fun and worth the price of admission. After 20 years of futility - things are looking promising. I'm happy to enjoy the better-than-expected results and ride than start to beat the team/players up along the way. I can enjoy the ride while still opining on where players might need improvement.

I am not confident of a win - but I I do expect:

- we will continue to look prepared and disciplined with limited penalties.
- we'll have a game plan that can/will adjust from 1st half to second half as needed
- Baker will make some big throws and probably have some simple misses and the simple misses will be what some focus exclusively on. It's reality that Baker has to throw an interception again sometime - and with each pass attempt the odds increase... I expect him to throw a pick today.
- Chubb to run for over 100 yards - and Hunt will look like a beast when he's in there subbing for Chubb
- The DL might smother Henry for spells - but any time Henry breaks into the second level we're all going to be on the edge of our set worried he's going to break it for a TD
- That Tannerhill is going to surprise many with how good he is.

Excellent over view ...

Titans don't presser the QB well, this hopefully gives Baker time to relax and work on his pass game. Higgins has to get involved and the Browns need to score early, score first and stay ahead.

If they do, Might be a real fun 4th quarter watching Chubb and Hunt run their magic.

Please Defense... at the end of the game have people saying "Henry Who ? "

Nice take, mgh.

I agree being prepared is key. We did not look prepared for the LV game and that was a game we could have had.

I think this win is important when it comes to confidence. This teams needs to know they can beat good teams. We were fortunate with our schedule so that beating up on the bad teams has us in the race. But at some point we need to beat the good teams, too. Especially if we make it to post season. Other than the NFC East champs, teams who make the playoffs are good.

I tend to oversimplify things, but I think both teams must be selling out to stop the run, and make the QB beat you. Why would you not? I see our run game starting slow, as usual, against an 8-man box. As long as the game stays close and we can keep pounding the rock, our run game will kick it in when their D is tired of tacking Chubb and Hunt. And our rotation helps keep those two from being beat at the end of the game. Henry scares me, as our run D is suspect. And he is really good. So we may sell out to stop the run, the question is if we can.

I think this is a game where Mayfield needs to win it for the team.

Thanks. I agree I think Baker is going to have to do a lot more than 'manage' ... he made some clutch throws vs Jags and was great vs Cinci ... something in between might be enough.

I hope we never again need 23 (or whatever) straight completions to win by 2.