ESPN Browns Reporter Makes Big Prediction For Week 8 Patriots-Browns Game

The New England Patriots are playing the Cleveland Browns, and ESPN’s Cleveland Browns reporter Jake Trotter says the Browns will be the first team to score 14 or more points against New England. The teams will meet for Week 8, and Trotter says the Browns will come as a big surprise for the Pats.

“Nobody has scored more than 14 points against the Patriots, but Cleveland will become the first behind an inspired effort,” he wrote Friday. “Of course, it still won’t be enough to win with Tom Brady on the other side.”

ESPN’s Mike Reiss goes with the Patriots. “It’ll be an interception party. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 11 interceptions, the most by a Browns player through six games of a season since Paul McDonald in 1984 (12). Meanwhile, the Patriots’ defense has totaled 18 interceptions. In the past 30 years, only the 1996 Packers had more picks through the first seven games of a season (20).”

Gregg Rosenthal shares the same opinion. “The Baker Mayfield-Odell Beckham Jr. connection has underwhelmed through six games. OBJ is averaging 8.1 yards per target, significantly less than that of Jarvis Landry or even Ricky Seals-Jones. That’s a result of poor timing from the duo, poor throws from Mayfield and a surprising amount of catchable passes Beckham hasn’t come down with. I’m fascinated to see how Freddie Kitchens and Mayfield will attempt to fix the issue in Foxborough, especially with Beckham likely to draw Stephon Gilmore plenty. New England’s heavy press-man-coverage approach should be susceptible to big plays, but the Pats haven’t faced an offense explosive enough to take advantage of their aggression. This Browns offense is fully capable of spiking for one week and resetting expectations after a shaky start, but I don’t trust their coaches, players or defense to handle all the situational-football pressure Bill Belichick and Tom Brady apply in a surprising thriller.”

Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield has thrown an NFL-high 11 interceptions. How does this pair with the Patriots’ defense?

New England has the strongest defense in the league for the season. They are more than ready for a show.