The New England Patriots (2-3) visit the Cleveland Browns (2-3) on Sunday (1pm).

Battle of the 2-3 teams! Both the Patriots and the Browns are on the wrong side of .500. 

But New England is all smiles right now after their beat-up squad pulled off a big 29-0 shutout of the Detroit Lions last week. 

There is a certain liberty in lowered expectations and maybe the Browns are feeling it too? The big offseason move in Cleveland was bringing in serial sexual assault maestro QB Deshaun Watson from Houston, where he had been sitting on the bench while the franchise decided what to do with their human poison pill. Watson is suspended for a chunk of the season, and the Browns expect royal returns when he’s back in the line-up. But right now, every win is gravy and every loss is a shoulder shrug.

What we learned

A 29-0 shutout over the Detroit Lions? The New England Patriots demonstrated they have a contingency plan at the quarterback position. Season starter QB Mac Jones is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain and backup QB Brian Hoyer exited two weeks ago with a concussion in his first few quarters of replacement action. That left third-string QB Bailey Zappe as the last healthy thrower standing. And Zappe…looks pretty good!

Sure, it’s the coaching, defense, and running game that get credit for the masterful win versus the Lions. But Bailey Zappe was charged with the task of not fucking it up. And Zappe…didn’t fuck it up! He moved the ball down the field enough to allow K Nick Folk to go 5/5 on the day.

Credit the coaching for putting a beat-up team in position to not only win, but dominate, a game against an opponent that boasted one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league.

Credit the running game for controlling the ball and running down the clock on Detroit’s offensive opportunities. Extra shout out to Rhamondre Stevenson, who went for 161 yards on 25 carries in a game where Damien Harris exited with injury in the second quarter and the opposing defense locked in on stopping the run.

Credit the defense for the shutout and producing valuable points. The defense scored as many points as QB Bailey Zappe.

And credit Zappe for a solid game, followed by a pitch perfect Patriots PR comment, via the Boston Globe: “We played team football today,” he said. “The defense pitched a shutout. The O-line played really well. The receivers played well. It was a team effort today.” 

What we’re wondering

Who’s the starting QB? Forget a quarterback controversy. When QB Mac Jones is healthy, he will start. Will he be healthy on Sunday?

How long is RB Damien Harris out? The smash-n-dash runner is the presumptive starter when healthy, but there’s no “definitive” timeline at present for recovery from his hamstring issue. The Patriots backfield operates best by committee; it’s enjoyed great success with Harris taking the lead, teeing up opposing defenses, freeing up the explosive RB Rhamondre Stevenson for chunk plays in alternating series. Stevenson showed he can be a one-man band in the Lions game, but the season long solution is RBBC. Get well soon, Harris!

Are the O-line issues fixed? OT Isaiah Wynn has been in Belichick’s doghouse, pulled from the Packers game that saw backup QB Brian Hoyer go down. After a 29-0 shutout with a relatively unscathed QB Bailey Zappe and a monster running performance, did coaches and players find the right fixes? The verdict is still out.

What we’re watching

Let’s keep the RB Rhamondre Stevenson train rolling. The Cleveland Browns rank among the last in the league in run defense, allowing chunk gain after chunk gain. Whether or not RB Damien Harris is back in action, the Patriots defense needs to win the ground game.

Why? Because New England is still living dangerously at the quarterback position. Even if you’re drinking the Kool-Aid at Zappe Hour, you recognize the necessity of limiting what’s being asked of the third-string rookie QB. Should QB Mac Jones be healthy enough to start, he will also be limited.

The Cleveland Browns have a powerful run attack with RB Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. It hasn’t helped them avoid embarrassing losses to the moribund Jets and the Falcons, but it keeps them competitive in every game. The Patriots will not be shutting out the Browns. Watch for HC Bill Belichick to scheme up something to water down the Browns’ rushing attack while the pass defense targets Browns (and former Patriots) QB Jacoby Brisset’s downfield decision-making.

For Boston Fans

WATCH: Boston, Mass. WBZ-TV Ch. 4

LISTEN: 98.5 The Sports Hub

#humpFL #foreverNE #Browns