The Los Angeles Chargers take on the Cleveland Browns this Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT.
Here are a few players on the Browns that the Bolts must hone in on to come out victorious.
EDGE Myles Garrett & Jadeveon Clowney
The Browns boast a fearsome front that has terrorized opposing backfields every week. But there has not been a player that has done as much damage as Garrett this season. Garrett has seven sacks and 25 quarterback pressures through four games, which rank first and second in the NFL. Rookie Rashawn Slater has quickly established himself not only as a top rookie but one of the better tackles in this league, allowing pressure on just 3.4% of his pass-blocking snaps in 2021 (8th at left tackle). This will be arguably his most challenging matchup yet. Clowney, on the other hand, should pose a threat to right tackle Storm Norton. The veteran pass rusher has totaled 21 pressures, 13 hurries and three sacks.
DT Malik Jackson and Malik McDowell
One of the main reasons Cleveland ranks first in the league in run defense is because of the two men in the middle of the defensive line. Along with doing the dirty work in the trenches to allow their teammates to roam freely to attack ball carriers, Jackson and McDowell have been a nuisance for opposing interior defensive linemen, often seen pushing them five yards into the backfield to collapse the pocket. Between the two, they have combined for 22 pressures and 16 hurries. The Chargers’ interior has been rock-solid for the most part in the first four weeks. However, Matt Feiler has experienced some struggles in pass protection, most notably against the Raiders.
RBs Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt
After being gashed on the ground the first three weeks of the season, the Chargers only surrendered 48 rushing yards against the Raiders last Monday. While there’s some hope for improvement after the fine-tuned performance, it won’t be an easy task against a Browns backfield that ranks No. 1, averaging 177 yards per game. Chubb ranks second in the league in rushing yards with 362 yards, while Hunt averages 5.4 yards per carry. It all starts with winning the matchups up front to avoid holes from being created, rallying to the football and technically sound tackling.
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
It doesn’t come around often that rookies make these lists, but the Browns’ second-round pick has been playing out of his mind since stepping on the field. With the combination of his size, speed, instincts and physicality, Owusu-Koramoah has impacted the passing game just as much as he has against the run. He’s already racked up eight run stops on 36 snaps in run defense for the NFL’s highest run-stop percentage at the position, per Pro Football Focus. On top of that, the first-year player leads the team in passes defended (4).