Patriots at Browns Week 5: Highlights, score and recap

How do you stop Tom Brady? It’s the question the Cleveland Browns are asking as they welcome the New England Patriots to Ohio in Week 5.

Brady’s back from time served after the Deflategate suspension. Obviously, he’ll be keen to vent some frustrations, supposed or otherwise, on his first victims.

But the Browns may not be the sacrificial lambs many think they are. Head coach Hue Jackson needs his defense to rise to the occasion.

The unit’s top priority has to be making Brady jittery in the pocket. It won’t be easy against a quarterback with a cheetah-fast release. But there’s bound to be some rust on Brady after four weeks steaming. A creative and swarming pass rush could take advantage.

The onus will be on defensive coordinator Ray Horton to craft ways of sending pressure from all angles. He’ll also need the men up front to win one-on-one matchups. Specifically, nose tackle Danny Shelton and end Stephen Paea must dominate the interior.

If they can’t, the Patriots won’t be shy about leaning on their running game. Shelton needs to maintain a strong push and occupy double teams so linebackers can get downhill quickly.

Cleveland’s inside linebackers Demario Davis and Chris Kirksey will be vital to Horton’s plan. They’ll both be relieved if all-world tight end Rob Gronkowski misses out for the Patriots. He’s been struggling getting over a hamstring problem.

It doesn’t help prolific wideout Julian Edelman has also been slowed in practice this week, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe:

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If his receiving corps is thinned, Brady could take time getting on track. After all, the Browns have given him trouble in the past, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss:

Brady has completed 59.4 percent of his passes against the Browns in his career (over six games), his second-worst against any opponent (58.3 vs Ravens). Brady has completed only 53.6 percent of his passes in two career games in Cleveland.

The Patriots will need Brady firing on all cylinders, though. If not, the Browns have the weapons on offense to give the four-time Super Bowl winners a scare. Weapons like wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, along with running backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson.

Highlights

Highlights will be added as and when they happen.

Three Stars

1. Martellus Bennett

Uncertainty surrounding Gronkowski should make Martellus Bennett a feature of the Pats’ offense. It’s easy to forget how good the motor-mouthed and well-travelled Bennett is.

Not many players 6’6″ and 275 pounds can stretch the seams the way Bennett can. He’s an intelligent route runner who can be lined up everywhere to create mismatches.

The Browns don’t really have an obvious coverage equalizer for a player who can boss the middle and dominate in the red zone.

2. Duke Johnson

Bennett’s a receiving matchup the Pats will like, but head coach Bill Belichick should worry about what Duke Johnson can do to his defense. He’s a terrific pass-catcher out of the backfield, one Jackson can shift into various spots to isolate against overwhelmed players in space.

Johnson’s already caught 18 passes, as well as averaged 6.2 yards per carry as a runner. He’s got the quickness, smarts and moves to be a major problem for New England’s heavy linebackers.

It’s a matchup advantage Jackson has to make the focus of his game plan. Things will be easier on rookie quarterback Cody Kessler if Johnson is his regular safety valve.

3. Isaiah Crowell

Size up front makes the Patriots formidable against the run, particularly when they focus on a ground game. Belichick is sure to to do just that against the NFL‘s top-rated rushing attack this week.

Yet stopping Cleveland’s lead workhorse Isaiah Crowell is no easy proposition. The third-year grinder already has 394 yards to his credit.

In fact, he’s establishing excellence in the franchise annals, per Reiss: “Browns running back Isaiah Crowell ranks second in the NFL with 394 rushing yards, the most by a Browns player through four team games since Jim Brown had 476 to start the 1965 season.”

Crowell loves to bounce plays outside and is becoming very astute on zone-based cutback runs. Getting to the edges will test the Pats’ lack of lateral speed along the front seven.

Next Week

The Browns will be on the road against the Tennessee Titans in Week 6, while the Patriots welcome the Cincinnati Bengals to Gillette Stadium.