Subscribe
Follow Us
After suffering a bitter loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns are looking to bounce back against another divisional rival in the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. The recently-concluded rift between Cleveland and former WR Odell Beckham Jr. will surely cause the team to have a different dynamic which makes the Browns-Bengals matchup more interesting to watch for everyone.
On the other hand, Zac Taylor's squad is looking to get back on the win column as well as they absorbed a surprising 34-31 defeat against the New York Jets in Week 8. The contest between two AFC North divisional rivals that are hungry to get the dub will surely be a game that you wouldn't want to miss for Week 9 proceedings.
With that, here are four bold predictions for the Browns' upcoming matchup against the Bengals.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Cleveland Browns Week 9 Predictions
4. Donovan Peoples-Jones will lead the receiving unit against the Bengals.
The recent departure of a talent like Odell Beckham Jr. will surely change the dynamic within the Browns' receiving room. A player who will most likely benefit from the situation is sophomore pass-catcher Donovan Peoples-Jones who has emerged as a vital piece of the team's offensive attack thus far.
Unfortunately, he was sidelined for the Steelers game last week due to a groin injury but has already returned to practice since then. He will get a timely boost as his expected return against the Bengals on Sunday has coincided with Beckham Jr.'s departure which will give him more opportunities and allow him to gain more touches on the field.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Michigan product has accumulated a 158.3 passer rating among the league's wide receivers when targeted with a minimum of 15 passes. Certainly enough, Peoples-Jones will have to be more involved in the offense in order to unleash his full potential.
However, the 22-year-old has already shown his capabilities and it is expected that he will step up and lead the receiving unit for the Browns on Sunday.
3. Myles Garrett will tally a sack against Joe Burrow.
As expected, star pass-rusher Myles Garrett has been doing an impressive job of leading the team's defense and terrorizing opposing QBs this season. Last week, the Texas A&M product got his way around a more improved Steelers offensive line and recorded a sack against Ben Roethlisberger.
Article Continues Below
Through eight games, Garrett has already produced a total of 10.5 sacks which leads the entire league thus far. In Week 9, he is set to go up against a subpar Bengals offensive line that continues to fail in providing pass protection for their QB in Joe Burrow.
The upcoming matchup will give Garrett another opportunity to increase his sack tally as he aims to prevent the Bengals from getting their rhythm and executing their offensive schemes on the field.
2. Cleveland will be more focused on running the ball this time around.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski didn't get to maximize the team's ground game in last week's matchup against the Steelers due to the capabilities of the opposing defense. Additionally, it was also not the best thing to do since RB1 Nick Chubb just made his way back after nursing a calf injury over the past few weeks.
In Week 8, the two-time Pro Bowler was only limited to 61 yards on 16 catches for the Browns. Heading to Week 9, it is safe to say that the Bengals have a less talented defensive rotation as compared to the Steelers and the Browns can get back to utilizing the running game once again. With their upcoming matchup, the Browns are expected to lean on Chubb's production as well as D'Ernest Johnson's contributions as they try to keep up with a gritty Bengals squad in Week 9.
1. The Browns will succumb to a narrow loss against the Bengals and drop to a 4-5 record.
As of the moment, the Browns are handicapped due to the injuries to starting RT Jack Conklin and RB Kareem Hunt who have been serving as major contributors for the team this season. Also, no one has an idea how Cleveland will respond in the aftermath of the Odell Beckham Jr. saga that transpired just a couple of days ago.
The matchup between the Browns and the Bengals this season will be different as compared to previous years as Zac Taylor's men have already proven that they are a much-improved team this time around. Though Cleveland's chances aren't completely out of the window, their game against the Bengals surely won't be a walk in the park and getting a W in Cincinnati will be a tough challenge for them in Week 9 action.
