The Lions proved yesterday that their offensive explosion last week was a mirage.  The Browns hope that last week wasn’t a mirage offensively and that Brady Quinn can build off his outstanding effort.  The Bengals represent a bigger challenge for the Browns’ offense as they have a ballhawking secondary as CBs Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall have 12 interceptions between them.  With that being said the Browns had their second best offensive game of the year against the Bengals in the first matchup between these teams earlier this year.  The Browns should fight fire with fire and let Quinn continue to throw the ball downfield in this game.  The Bengals don’t have a great pass rush so Quinn should have time to throw the ball so they should let er rip.  Mohamed Massaquoi can not afford to drop anything that hits his hands if the Browns are going to have any hope of an upset this weekend because he is the teams’ lone deep threat.  Chansi Stuckey had his best game of the year last week and the Browns need him to keep up the good work against the Bengals on Sunday.  Joshua Cribbs will be the X-factor for the Browns in this game as he is averaging 6.2 yards per carry running the Wildcat Formation for the Browns and he also is a severe threat out of the backfield in the passing game for the Browns.  The Bengals had also better be careful and not kick the ball to often to Cribbs who can make them pay dearly for that decision.  Jamal Lewis will likely still get the bulk of the work in the running game for the Browns this week.  But, Chris Jennings is starting to catch the eye of the Browns coaching staff as of late.  Still, the Bengals will likely be glad if they don’t see much of Jerome Harrison who torched them in the first meeting between these two teams earlier this season who is currently in Eric Mangini’s Dog House.

The Bengals can’t afford to just run the ball this week as they did against the Raiders last week and why would they?  Carson Palmer loves playing the Browns as he has 22 career TD passes against them in only 9 games.  The Browns are allowing 247.1 yards passing per game this season and QBs have a 93.7 Rating against them so look for Palmer to attack them through the air  early and often in this game.  Chad Ocho Cinco could be in line for a huge game against the Brownies this week.  Cedric Benson is iffy for this game with a hip problem.  If he can’t go look for rookie Bernard Scott to pick up the slack against a Browns’ D that is allowing 154.9 yards rushing and 4.6 yards per carry this year.  Brian Leonard and Larry Johnson could also get in on the fun.  Still, this is the Battle of Ohio and the Browns will probably bring their best effort into the Jungle.

PREDICTION:  BENGALS 30, BROWNS 20

This is a game for diehards only as it will be blacked out in Detroit.  Something will have to give in this game as the Browns are allowing 394.1 yards per game while the Lions are not much better giving up 386.2 yards per game.  Could this be the game that the Browns actually allow Brady Quinn to throw the ball downfield?  Opposing QBs have a 107.8 QB Rating against the Lions’ D so it appears that the Browns might be throwing more than usual despite not having a lot of weapons on offense.  Ex-Lion Mike Furrey is leading the Browns in receptions this season with 21 but he is only averaging 7.2 yards per catch.  Still, look for him to be somewhat inspired playing against his old team.  This could also be the game that the Browns really turn rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi loose and he has speed to burn.  Joshua Cribbs is going to play on Sunday and I imagine that the Browns will use the Wildcat Formation a lot against the Lions to get the ball into their best player’s hands which could be bad news for the Lions who are allowing 114.6 yards rushing and 4.7 yards per carry this year.  Jamal Lewis will also likely get his share of carries on Sunday for the Browns.

The Lions will probably try to be more balanced than usual due to the Browns’ lack of a run defense.  For the Lions to be effective running the ball they must be able to handle ex-Lion Shaun Rogers of the Browns and that won’t be easy.  Kevin Smith has probably been antsy for a matchup like this one as the Browns allow 166.4 yards rushing and 4.7 yards per carry.  He should have a solid game for the Lions on Sunday.  The Browns don’t blitz a lot so rookie QB Matt Stafford will have time to throw the ball.  He will be looking a lot for Calvin Johnson this week as they need to start getting on the same page.  Dennis Northcutt will also be plenty motivated against his old team.  Rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew could also have a big game as the Browns are having issues dealing with the TE in the passing game.

PREDICTION:  LIONS 27, BROWNS 17

The Ravens pounded the Browns 34-3 week #3 of the NFL season but they have been 1-4 since then.  The Ravens have a tough schedule the rest of the season so this game is a “must win” situation for them if they want to make a playoff run.  The good news here for the Ravens’ offense is that they should be able to do whatever they want against the Browns.  The Browns are allowing 170.5 yards rushing per game and 4.9 yards per carry.  Ray Rice will likely have a huge game against the Browns who have lost their top two inside linebackers to injury.  Willis McGahee will also likely get in on the fun late in this game for the Ravens.  Joe Flacco has slumped as of late but he will likely rebound against a Browns’ pass D that is allowing 238.6 yards per game through the air.

The Browns are turning back to Brady Quinn at QB in this game and that is a good thing.  If the Browns were smart they would come out throwing the ball on Monday Night against a Ravens’ D that is allowing 225.8 yards passing per game.  For that to work though the Browns’ receivers have to catch the football which they have not been doing to well this season to date.  Mohamed Massaquoi and Jerome Harrison will likely be the main weapons in the passing game for the Browns on Monday Night.  Also look for Josh Cribbs to run the Wildcat Formation a lot in this game for the Browns.  Jamal Lewis will be starting the last game of his career against his old team so he should be motivated to get into some high impact collisions with his old pal Ray Lewis of the Ravens.

PREDICTION:  RAVENS 35, BROWNS 13

The matchups in this game certainly don’t favor the Cleveland Browns but the Bears showed some cracks in the defense last week.  But the Browns are only averaging 225.4 yards per game on offense and 10.3 points per game so they likely don’t have the weapons to exploit the weaknesses that the Bears do have.  I have a feeling that the Browns are going to unleash the Wildcat Formation a lot this week against the Bears.  Josh Cribbs will be working from the shotgun ala Walter Payton when all three of the QBs of the Bears were hurt.  Just like Payton, look for Cribbs to take off running the ball a lot in this game as he and Jamal Lewis will likely be the focal point of the offense against a Bears’ D that is allowing 109.5 yards rushing per game and 4.0 yards per carry. 

The Chicago Bears would likely be smart to come out throwing the ball against the Browns to attempt to get the Browns out of their gameplan on offense.  If the Bears get a early led through the passing game then they can grind this game out on the ground with Matt Forte.  The Browns are allowing 170.6 yards rushing per game and 4.9 yards per carry so Forte should have by far his best game of the year just like Ryan Grant of the Packers did last week.  The Bears will also likely kick the ball away from Josh Cribbs who is the best player on the Browns.

PREDICTION:  BEARS 30, BROWNS 13

The Green Bay Packers (3-2) travel to Cleveland to play the Browns (1-5) on Sunday.  The Packers really need this game so they won’t be looking past the Browns.  This is the game that the Packers will likely try to get Ryan Grant going on the ground against a Browns’ D that is allowing 165.3 yards rushing and 4.9 yards per carry.  That doesn’t mean that the Packers won’t come after  the Browns with Aaron Rodgers and his fantastic receivers.  After all, the Browns are also allowing 242.0 yards passing per game this season.  The Browns will likely be blitzing often in this game with Kamerion Wimbley (4 sacks) being the most likely player to meet up with Aaron Rodgers in the backfield.

The Packers also have a underrated defense which is only allowing 298.0 yards per game of total offense.  The best chance for the Browns to make a game of it on Sunday is to give the ball to Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison a combined 40 times.  That won’t be easy though as the Packers are allowing 105.4 yards rushing per game but only 3.6 yards per carry.  Derek Anderson will likely be under some fire from the Packers’ pass rush in this game and he better beware of OLB Clay Matthews (3 sacks) who is playing where his dad did as a star for the Browns.  The Packers have two outstanding corners and the Browns would be wise not to attack them much down the field. 

PREDICTION:  PACKERS 31, BROWNS 13