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5 Cleveland Browns Who Will Decide Week 1 vs. Bengals and Why
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- 5 Cleveland Browns Who Will Decide Week 1 vs. Bengals and Why
Myles Garrett has sacked Joe Burrow nine times, more than any other quarterback in his career. That personal history is the backdrop for Sunday's opener in Cleveland , where the Cleveland Browns will try to extend Cincinnati 's Week 1 misery.
The Bengals are just 1-4 in openers with Burrow under center, and average only 20 points per game. For the Browns to upset the Bengals, several key players must tilt critical matchups in their favor.
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Here are five Browns who will decide Sunday's outcome and why.
Myles Garrett
The Browns received welcome news on Friday when Myles Garrett returned to practice and carried no injury designation into the opener. Garrett had sat out Thursday with hip soreness, but after going through drills and walking without a limp, he is set to play. That means Cleveland will have its most important weapon on the field against Burrow — and history shows just how much he matters.
Garrett has sacked Burrow nine times, more than any other quarterback in his career. He has 13 total sacks in 12 games against Cincinnati, with two forced fumbles. Burrow knows that Garrett is the defender he must account for before every snap. Garrett's production illustrates the problem for the Bengals . Burrow has been sacked nearly 40 times in three of his four full seasons. Zac Taylor's scheme prefers to release four or five receivers, which only increases the chances that Garrett will find one-on-one matchups. When he wins those, the Bengals' timing-based passing game unravels.
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Garrett enters 2025 as the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the centerpiece of a defensive line that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz believes could be his best group yet. The addition of No. 5 pick Mason Graham inside, along with continued development from Isaiah McGuire and Alex Wright , gives Garrett even more freedom to attack. The Bengals have seen this movie before, and if Garrett plays to his history, he has the ability to tilt the game in Cleveland's direction.
Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Joe Flacco
The Browns' offense finished 32nd in points per game last year at just 13.6, but Flacco gives them a veteran quarterback capable of stabilizing the group. He is not expected to replicate his late 2023 playoff run with the Browns, but his presence allows Kevin Stefanski to use the full playbook.
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The matchup is favorable. Cincinnati's defense ranked 31st in yards per play allowed last season (6.0) and gave up the second-most passing yards per attempt (7.7). Outside of Hendrickson, the Bengals failed to generate consistent pressure, finishing 27th in sacks. Flacco's ability to manage protections, avoid turnovers, and exploit Cincinnati's thin secondary could swing possession battles.
If Flacco completes passes in the intermediate range, where the Bengals allowed a 108.5 passer rating in 2024, Cleveland can extend drives and control the pace of the game.
Mason Graham
The rookie defensive tackle was drafted to provide the Browns with the interior disruption they have lacked in recent years. The unit already finished third in the league in team pass-rush win-rate last season. Known for an explosive first step mixed with raw power, Graham has an opportunity to make an instant impact.
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Interior collapse is the key to disrupting Burrow, as he is adept at sliding away from edge rushers. Cincinnati's guards allowed a combined 10 sacks and 65 pressures in 2024, and Graham's ability to generate push could eliminate Burrow's escape lanes.
If Garrett forces Burrow to step up and Graham is waiting in the middle, Cleveland's defense will be in business.
Dawand Jones
Jones is under the microscope in Year 3, and his first test is All-Pro Trey Hendrickson . The Bengals' star edge defender has recorded 35 sacks since 2022, more than anyone in the league. He wins with effort, hand counters, and a relentless motor that punishes any lapse in technique.
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Jones has the frame to compete, but he will need to prove he can anchor against Hendrickson's power and stay balanced against inside moves. The Browns cannot afford to give constant double-team help, so Jones must hold up in isolation.
The Bengals finished 10th in pressure rate last year despite middling sack totals, thanks largely to Hendrickson. If Jones can keep him in check, Flacco will have the time he needs to exploit Cincinnati's secondary. If not, drives will stall quickly.
Denzel Ward
Ward's track record against superstar receiver Ja'Marr Chase is one of the more underrated storylines of this rivalry. In five career matchups, Chase has just eight catches for 91 yards and one touchdown when targeted against Ward. Burrow has often looked elsewhere, and when he hasn't, Ward has made him pay, most memorably with a 99-yard interception return in 2021.
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Ward allowed just a 78.9 passer rating in coverage last year, good for top-15 among corners with at least 400 snaps. With Martin Emerson sidelined, the Browns will need Ward to erase explosive plays from Chase and Tee Higgins . Cincinnati thrives on chunk gains, ranking fifth in explosive pass plays (20-plus yards) in 2024. Limiting those opportunities is critical.
If Ward forces Burrow to test less reliable matchups and potentially capitalizes with a turnover, Cleveland's defense will get the field position it needs to keep the game close.
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