The New England Patriots will attempt to defend their winning streak against the Cleveland Browns in Week 8. New England has won 12 games in a row dating back to last year and they aren't showing any signs of slowing down.
Bill Belichick's team is obliterating teams with ease this season; outscoring their opponents 223-48. Yes, the Patriots haven't faced stiff competition but that still doesn't undermine what they've done up to his point.
Most recently, the Patriots defeated the New York Jets on Monday Night Football 33-0. It was the second shutout for the Patriots and the sixth game that they had scored 30 or more points.
Many have questioned the offense of the Patriots, but they are the No. 1 scoring team in the NFL and they have the 10th ranked offense in terms of yards. Along with that, they still have a guy named Tom Brady manning the quarterback position.
While Brady and Belichick remain together, New England will always be in contention for a Super Bowl and 2019 isn't an exception. As for the Browns, they've underperformed despite the expectations given to them.
When the team acquired Odell Beckham Jr., the media crowned Cleveland as a Super Bowl contender. Instead, the Browns own a 2-4 record and are desperate to get back into the win column. In light of that, here are four reasons why the Patriots will defeat the Browns in Week 8.
4. The addition of Mohamed Sanu
With the injury to Josh Gordon, the Patriots were in dire need of some help at the wide receiver position. Less than 12 hours after taking down the Jets in Week 7, New England made their move to bring in Mohamed Sanu from the Atlanta Falcons.
The Patriots paid a steep price of a second-round pick to acquire the veteran wideout. Would they have surrendered a second-round pick had they not had plans for Sanu to be a big part of their offense? The answer is no.
Sanu is a perfect fit for Josh McDaniel's offense with his ability to move around at different spots on the field. When the Patriots signed Antonio Brown earlier in the season, they immediately made a concerted effort to get him involved in the offense.
The 30-year-old wide receiver may not be as talented as Brown, but he still can make a difference on Sunday. Aside from Julian Edelman, Philip Dorsett, and the running backs, the Browns will also have to defend Sanu.
3. The Patriots can control the clock
One of the endless reasons why the Patriots have been successful this season is their ability to control the time of possession. With Sony Michel, James White, and the others, New England is able to keep the ball in Brady's hands for as long as possible.
For example, the Patriots began their game against the Jets this past Monday with an eight-minute and 47-second drive that ended in Michel barreling in for a touchdown. Furthermore, New England has had the ball for an average of 34 minutes and 30 seconds (third-most in the NFL) in each of their games in 2019.
When you're able to keep possession of the football for so long, you're able to wear down the defense. Additionally, it will keep Baker Mayfield and Cleveland's offense on the sideline for an extended period of time.
2. Home-Field Advantage
Ever since Brady became the starting quarterback in 2001, the Patriots have been nearly unbeatable in Foxborough. As a matter of fact, New England has lost just 19 games at home over that span. In comparison, the Patriots hold a 96-43 record as the road team since 2001.
Nevertheless, this Sunday's game will be featured at Gillette Stadium in front of thousands of passionate Patriots fans. For a second-year quarterback like Mayfield, playing in a hostile environment like New England can be tough.
This season alone, New England has outscored their counterparts 98-31 at home. Never doubt the Patriots when they're at home against a young signal-caller while Belichick is calling the shots.
1. The Patriots defense will overwhelm Mayfield
Kyle Van Noy came up with the nickname “The Boogymen” to describe the group of linebackers in New England. But that nickname perfectly resembles the entire defense of the Patriots this season.
On Monday night against the Jets, Sam Darnold muttered that he was ‘seeing ghosts' while facing New England's menacing defense. With Belichick as the de facto defensive coordinator in 2019, the defense has been historically great.
Through the first seven weeks, the Patriots have the No. 1 ranked defense and have allowed just 6.8 points per game (best in the NFL). In addition, they also are second in the NFL in sacks (26) and are first in the NFL in takeaways (22).
The Patriots have been able to overwhelm offenses by playing a Cover-0 blitz scheme that has been tough for quarterbacks to deal with. Unfortunately, Mayfield leads the NFL in turnovers and the offensive line of the Browns has struggled to protect him.
With that being said, this is shaping up to be another game where New England's defense takes control of the game early and often. Don't be surprised if the Patriots pull out another lopsided victory in Week 8.
Follow Us
Subscribe