5 most dangerous Browns players to be fearful of in Week 1
- Can the Bengals young secondary cope with an experienced receiver?
- The interior of the Browns defensive line has been upgraded
- How heavily will the Browns lean on the running game?
- The Bengals will have to deal with a top-10 quarterback
- Pass protection will be tested to the max by our numer 1 pick
2. Nick Chubb
Establishing the run will be high on the to-do list for the Browns on Sunday. It will allow Watson more one-on-one opportunities and heavier boxes, with a safety having to drop down. In Nick Chubb, they have one of the best backs in the league to get the ground game running.
In last year's encounters, Chubb ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns early in the year before the Bengals held him to 34 rushing yards at an average of 2.4 yards per carry the second time around. A big part of that was the availability of DJ Reader.
Reader was missing in the first meeting but healthy in the December fixture, recording a run defense grade of 90.2. He will be key to slowing down the rushing attack and forcing the game back into the hands of Watson.
If the Bengals can't stop Chubb, the Browns will have the ability to control the clock and limit the number of touches Burrow has.