DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2022 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 20 Falcons 23 Browns vs Falcons Matchup

Browns line was -3 yesterday. Now, it's -1.5 most likely due to the Garrett news.

I'm going in assuming both Clowney and Garrett will be out.

For some reason, I'm a bit more concerned about JOK. I'm guessing the groin injury will be a nagging issue for some time. We could really use him vs. Mariota, as I think the safeties are going to have their hands full helping out with Patterson.

I expect little push with the front 4.

Biggest challenge for the Browns this year. I think it will tell us a lot about how we might fare in the tough stretch of games vs Ravens, Bengals, Dolphins, Bills and Bucks (not to mention a nicked up Chargers week 5).

Atlanta is giving up 4.8 yards a carry vs the run - that's clearly the key to victory. Success running the ball, controlling the time of possession and limiting the Falcons opportunities. So very much a litmus test of Stefanski as a play caller and time manager.

On defense we need to get the secondary in shape and on the same page or it's going to get gashed for big chunks. Clowney, MG and JOK all potentially out or limited is a huge blow. But gives us a peak at what the depth looks like. Injuries happen to every team even if this seems extreme for week 4.... Joe Woods - we're all looking at you pal ! I think being an away game hurts even more with the injuries.

Hoping Mariota doesn't kill us with his legs if we manage to control the passing game. Hoping Chubb gets another 100+ yards and a couple of TD. Hoping Brissett maintains his play. Hoping there are no more injuries. . . . and predicting a W.

If Brissset throws the ball 18 times I will be shocked
Don't be surprised if Jermaine Ford gets a few touches
But if Atlanta gets a early lead it could be a uphill climb
For the Browns
Kyle Pitts is a cause for concern. He simply is a unicorn

j/c:

As the season unwinds, it becomes easier to understand team's strengths and weaknesses and the numbers become more relevant.

Some Numbers:

Offense

Yards per game: ATL at 354.3 [14th overall] Browns 378.7 [5th]

Points per game: ATL w/26.7 [9th]. Browns 28.3 [6th]

Defense:

Yds per game: ATL 380.7 [23rd overall] Browns 323.7 [14th]

Pts per game: ATL at 27.0 [26th] Browns at 25.7 [23rd]

Turnovers:

Atlanta is minus 2 [Tied for 24th]. Browns plus 2 [Tied for 6th overall]

Key Matchups:

--The Browns OL vs Atlanta's pass rush. The Falcons have the same number of sacks as the Browns at 7. They are also in the top 10 in QB pressures. The OL must protect Jacoby when we pass. Conversely, Atlanta would benefit a lot by creating hurried throws and getting sacks which puts the Browns behind the chains and negates the Browns running game.


--Turnover battle. Mariotta has 3 picks this year and has 39 career fumbles. He has put the ball on the ground 5 times this year and lost 3 of those fumbles. Hopefully, Clowney returns and we can get some pressure on him. Might want to incorporate some timely blitzes.

--Atlanta's playmakers vs Browns defense. Pitts, Patterson [one of the league's most overlooked players] and London. Our D has looked shaky at times, especially against the pass.

--Browns running game vs Atalanta's defense. The Falcons are 16th against the run, giving up 109.3 yds per game. They are giving up 4.8 yds per attempt, which is tied for 20th in the league and as we all well know, the Browns have a very good OL and RBs.

High scoring game ahead. I don’t see us stopping them .. and hopefully vice versa.

Our defense is not good. Take away myles and that’s a scary proposition.

I expect a heavy dose of points and yards for them.

2-2 upcoming in my opinion

One other key might be the tight ends in this game.

Since 2021 and through the first 3 games of 2022, Atlanta has given up 121 receptions to TEs, which is the 4th worst in the NFL. The Browns are not far behind at 113, which is 6th worst.

Atlanta has allowed 1,518 receiving yards to TEs in that time period which is 3rd worst in the league. The Browns have given up 1,244 yards, which is 8th worst in the NFL.

One thing that has been not mentioned too much are the quarterbacks. It's only 3 games, but Jacoby has a clear statistical advantage in almost every category. QBR, Completion 5, TD/Int ratio, fumbles, Yds per game, and Sacks taken.

He’s definitely played very well. I no longer feel uneasy with him in control.

I do worry about Mariota beating us with his legs. That’s an element we haven’t had to worry about yet this year much

No edge rushers, no interior defensive lineman, no linebackers and a crappy secondary does not bode well for us.

Brissett will need to score quickly and often.

Wow you guys act like they are the second coming of the 1972 Dolphins and we are that 1-31 team from a few years ago .... SHEEEEEESH

I don't feel that way. I put several key matchups in my first post and then added the TE aspect. Not even one comment. Just doom and gloom.

I read your post Vers and it was a very good layout of both team's strengths and weaknesses, the Browns are clearly the better team but we are better than the Jets too, nevertheless I see us winning by double digits ... GO BROWNS.!

Patterson is gonna be a huge problem for this defense, IMO.

Get well Myles, as i expect him to be out for this game (as he SHOULD). dunno if Clowney will be back, or at 100%, and i dont really trust the D line holding up against the run. I think mariota is gonna dink and dunk us to death because he's gonna have plenty of opportunities to scramble for easy yards and keep playing alive with the lack of pass rush. the Falcon's O is middle of the pack, but they ARE 5th in rushing. and with a dysfunctional secondary, i can see us in a situation where we need jacoby to throw more than usual.

i think we still win this game because while our defense is dysfunctional, the falcons defense is trash. they are giving up 110 yards a game on the ground, and 271 through the air. our offensive playmakers are gonna eat, so we just need to limit the drops. The key matchup is again dealing with the defensive side of the ball, as it's gonna come down to how long our offense can keep our defense on the sidelines, and how quickly the defense can get off the field, limiting the amount of opportunities Patterson touches the football.

this will be the first game of the season where we can see a mini shootout throughout the game, and we might not get away with controlling the clock as long as we're use to because we have to score quick due to the defense getting destroyed.

I think I'm taking the over 50 points.

This isn’t a pushover game. Mariota has been playing well, and they have Cordarelle Patterson and Kyle Pitts. Gotta hope that Stefanski and co. put together a winning game plan- and coach a complete game. It would be indicative of completely inept coaching for this team to be 2-2 after playing 4 of the worst teams in the nfl. 3-1 I could stomach.

This should be a pushover game if the defense plays to their abilities.

What defense??????????????????????

In 1966 we topped that total... in the 14 meetings since, we've tied it -- once.

We seem to do well against Atlanta. Botch Davis was our coach in our 1992 playoff year, when we won the finale (my only Browns game); Romeo and Pettine, plus Gregg Williams iirc, also coached us to wins over the Falcons. Just some off the top of my head trivia.

Perfect! Just doubled down on it.

It is one of the higher o/u in the NFL this week so I agree … over 50 seems good

The only odds I care about are the odds I will be watching the game from my recliner in front of the big screen, in my own home. They are a lock.

I don't get to do that very often for a day game. For those occasional night games I usually say I am going to "just rest my eyes" for a moment or two at the half.

I think everybody knows how that story goes...lol

I'm sure it will feel good to be home. You had a crazy week. Glad you were able to fit in a Guards game as well!

Marcus Marriotta is a bottom 10 if not bottom 5 QB in this league. This is a game marked as a W on the sheet.

Losing to this team would be worse than losing to the Jets. Simply cannot happen going into Pats, Bengals, Bills. Just can't go 2-2 into that because without Watson, from 2-2 we are likely into losing record territory.

3-1 maybe 4-1 into 4-3 in much more manageable for the playoffs. If this team wants to make the playoffs they have to beat this bad, lightweight tanking team.

Let's do the Time Warp, again!

It was 2002, not 1992

This is a game we need to win if we consider us a playoff caliber team, it's also a game we should win if you look at the talent level of each team. The only way I can see us losing is if we pull another Jets game where we give them chance after chance to beat us and we screw up allowing that to happen.

The Atlanta defense is ranked 15th in rushing yards allowed per game but that is deceiving because they are giving up yards at an average of 4.8 yards per carry, so Offensively we need to run the ball and run the ball some more to keep it out of Atlanta's hands and to wear their defense down for the 4th quarter. Defensively our greatest concerns have to be Patterson and Mariota running the ball and Pitts in the passing game, with that said I would stack the line, let JOK spy on Mariota and double team Pitts. Make Atlanta throw the ball to their WRs and hope that our corners can play up to their abilities.

Thanks for the correction. I wasn’t even in the right century

Bro, you weren't even in the right millennium.

Since like 2005, we've beat the Falcons at home. I know because I've been to each game, and will be at this one too.

Not worried about the offense, its our defense.

Woods is gonna have to scheme up pressure, as Myles and Clowney will probably be out.
Really gonna need our defensive depth to play a full 60 - the LB's and D-Line worry me. Secondary, not so much. Our CB and S room is DEEP.

I actually think the only time we lost to them since our return was in 2010. '02 was the "Run William Run!" game. 2006, we beat Vick in the dome. I think that was his last season playing for them. 2010 we had Hillis going wild, but lost. 2014 was, I believe, our last victory of the season, when Josh Gordon fooled us all into thinking he would be back permanently. 2018 was the "Chubbawubbahubb!" game, or the "Hasta La Vista, Baby!" game, depending on which broadcast you listened to.

Don't ask me how I remember all this. I remember weird things.

Lol! I couldn’t think of that damn word when I posted that.

I think we should try the run game this week. We should be able to get a couple first downs. Chubb/Hunt. Rewind it and play again.

We seem to have problems with tight ends, and Pitts is as good as it gets in that department. If we don't contain him, it might make for a long day. We might be best served to play more man or he will zone gap us to death.

This sets up as a classic "trap" game. We need to be aware.

In case you missed it, please consider what I posted earlier about how each team defends TEs.