Fansided

5 most interesting NFL matchups to watch Week 3

By Rucker Haringey

HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns in action against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 17, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

4. Browns offensive line vs. Washington’s defensive front

Cleveland comes into this game at 1-1 after their win over the Bengals on Thursday night. The win over Cincinnati doesn’t suddenly mean everything is right with the Browns. They still need to prove they can handle tougher teams if they want to be legitimate playoff contenders.

On the whole, Washington doesn’t meet that criteria. Their offense, led by Dwayne Haskins at quarterback, really struggles to move the football with any consistency. The defense played great football in Week 1 before getting torched by Kyler Murray last week.

The strength of Rivera’s defense is unquestionably their defensive line. Chase Young is the headliner, but there’s real depth behind him. Washington’s game plan will be to hit Mayfield early and often on Sunday.

That means Cleveland’s offensive line needs to play their best football of the season. New tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills will face the most scrutiny. If they fail to stand up to Washington’s edge pressure, this game could turn into a nightmare for Mayfield and his offense.

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