NFL Week 15: Trends which will decide each game

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 14: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns rushes the ball during the third quarter in the game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 14, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Browns (9-4) at New York Giants (5-8), 8:20 pm

Browns: It was quite the nine-day stretch for Kevin Stefanski’s club. The Browns put 41 points on the board in a six-point victory at Tennessee but followed that up six touchdowns and 42 points in a thrilling five-point home setback to the rivals Ravens. In their four losses this season, Cleveland has surrendered a total of 139 points.

The team is a perfect 3-0 vs. the NFC East in 2020 and that’s quite a departure for a team that was 0-4 in interconference games the previous season. The NFL’s third-ranked running attack features the tandem of Nick Chubb (881) and Kareem Hunt (772), who have teamed for 1,653 yards rushing and have totaled 19 of the team’s 40 offensive touchdowns.

Giants: It will be interesting to see if this much-improved team can keep pace with an offensive unit that has come up with 40 touchdowns in 13 games. Last Sunday, Joe Judge’s club scored a season-low seven points vs. the visiting Cardinals and quarterbacks Daniel Jones (6) and Colt McCoy (2) were sacked a combined eight times.

New York’s offensive unit has reached the end zone just 21 times in 13 outings and the Giants have scored fewer than 20 points in three straight games and seven contests. And can Big Blue’s offensive line keep their quarterback out of harm’s way from Myles Garrett (10.5) and Olivier Vernon (7), who have just over half of Cleveland’s 34 sacks?

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