Bill Belichick still takes great satisfaction in defeating his former team, even though it's been 27 years since he was fired by former owner Art Modell. (Boston Globe)
Will Bill Belichick put on another coaching clinic in FirstEnergy Stadium?
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Four downs on Browns (2-3) v. New England Patriots(2-3)
First down: The Belichick factor.
Bill Belichick was 38 years old when Art Modell gave him his first NFL head coach job with the Browns in 1991. Even though he was the NFL’s youngest head coach at the time, Belichick already had 15 years assistant coach experience in the league. Belichick is mostly remembered for firing franchise QB icon Bernie Kosar in the middle of the 1993 season, which drove a wedge through the team and fan base that seemed too deep for him to overcome. Belichick not only survived the controversial move, he thrived after it. He produced a playoff season the following year with Vinny Testaverde at quarterback and a veteran-laden defense that set a franchise record for fewest points allowed that still stands. Now 70, Belichick owns six Super Bowl championship rings as Patriots coach and is stalking Don Shula for most NFL coaching wins all time. Belichick notched his milestone 300th win in 2019 against the Browns. A win on Sunday would tie him with George Halas for second with 324 and draw him closer to Shula’s record of 347. Since he become Patriots head coach in 2000, Belichick has defeated the Browns eight times in 10 meetings by an average score of 25.5 to 13.7. The most lopsided Patriots win came last year – against arguably the best Browns team he has faced – by the score of 45-7. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who was drafted by Belichick in the third round in 2016 and won his first NFL start for him before being traded in 2017, summed up the Browns’ challenge better than anyone. “The known fact is that the Patriots don’t beat themselves. We can’t go beat the Browns and beat the Patriots at the same time,” he said.
Second down: More Belichick factor.
Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt explained the challenge of coaching against Belichick. “Notoriously, he does a great job of taking away what you do well,” Van Pelt said. Then he added, “And understanding that going into it when you are game planning gives you a chance there.” Van Pelt seemed to be saying the Browns know that Brissett is going to have to complement backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and Bill Callahan’s multi-faceted running game to have a chance to win. Chubb rushed for 131 yards on 20 attempts in the 2019 game, but his two fumbles resulted in two New England touchdowns and a 17-0 jumpstart. Chubb was out with COVID in the meeting last year. D’Ernest Johnson filled in with 99 yards rushing, but the Patriots still routed past the Browns, 45-7. One thing Van Pelt knows but can’t adequately prepare for is some look defensively that the Patriots haven’t shown in previous games on tape to bedevil Brissett’s passing game. “Oh sure. I wouldn’t put anything past him,” Van Pelt said. “Obviously [he is] an excellent coach. He has done a lot of things. He has jumped into some 6-1 looks against the Rams a couple of years back. That became the fad against that type of offense. We are prepared for everything. We have faced a lot of different fronts against other teams. I am not sure if there is much else that he could show, but I wouldn’t put it past him to come up with something. Yeah, there is a lot of stuff. I have played against him – all of my playing days in Buffalo and coaching in Buffalo, so coached against him. Obviously, I have a ton of respect for that organization, him and their scheme on defense. There is stuff that pops up every year like, ‘That is good. That is really good.’ Definitely, a well-coached unit.”
Third down: Even more Belichick factor.
Exploiting a team’s weakness is also a staple of Belichick’s teams. Thus, it would surprise no one if the Patriots pounded the ball on the ground on offense. In fact, it would be a shock if he doesn’t. The Browns’ recent foibles in run defense are almost legendary – 440 yards rushing allowed in successive losses to the Falcons and Chargers. Almost immediately after watching Austin Ekeler rack up 173 yards on only 16 attempts, Browns GM Andrew Berry traded for Atlanta linebacker Deion Jones. Two days later, Berry signed former Atlanta nose tackle Tyeler Davison. Alas, neither player was able to pass the crash course for Sunday’s game and neither was elevated to the 53 roster. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods was reluctant to make schematic or lineup changes despite the gashing his defense has taken. So the coaches added extra emphasis on tackling in practice and Woods lectured players on proper tackling techniques while viewing a reel of 15 to 20 missed tackles in previous games. Meanwhile, Belichick has 230-pound back Rhamondre Stevenson oiled up and ready after a career-high 161 yards rushing against the Lions. Stevenson riddled the Browns last year for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Belichick’s No. 1 back, Damien Harris, is out with a hamstring injury. Belichick did not elevate either of the two backs he has on his practice squad, so it would figure that fourth-round rookie Pierre Strong will get his first game action to complement Stevenson. As of Saturday, the Patriots did not rule out starting quarterback Mac Jones, who has missed two games with a high ankle sprain. But they did elevate quarterback Garrett Gilbert from the practice squad, a sign that Jones won’t be active and the starting nod will go to rookie Bailey Zappe for the second game in a row. All the more reason for Belichick to hammer Stevenson at the Browns’ underperforming defense all game long.
Fourth down: One last Belichick factor.
Belichick’s teams are always strong on special teams, and that remains the case this year. Belichick always has had a prolific kicker because he does not apologize for kicking field goals. He employed Pro Bowl kickers Adam Vinatieri and Stephen Gostkowski over the years and now Nick Folk, 38, falls in line. The Patriots are Folk’s fourth NFL team. For the Patriots, Folk has made 85 of 94 field goals (90.4 percent), including an incredible 63 in a row from less than 50 yards. Folk hasn’t missed from less than 50 since Sept. 13, 2020. Meanwhile, the Browns are confident that rookie Cade York, 21, will brush off his two misses in the Chargers game. York has missed four kicks total – two field goals and two PATs – and each has come in FirstEnergy Stadium.
The pick: Patriots 24, Browns 20
My record: 2-3.
