Atlanta Falcons vs Cleveland Browns Capsule

November 8, 2018

Rick Nyman,

ATLANTA (4-4) at CLEVEAND (2-6-1)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox

OPENING LINE – Falcons by 3

RECORD VS. SPREAD – Atlanta 3-5, Cleveland 4-4

SERIES RECORD – Browns lead 11-3

LAST MEETING – Browns beat Falcons 26-24, Nov. 23, 2014

LAST WEEK – Falcons beat Redskins 38-14; Browns lost 37-21 to Chiefs

AP PRO32 RANKING – Falcons No. 14, Browns No. 27

FALCONS OFFENSE – OVERALL (5), RUSH (28), PASS (2).

FALCONS DEFENSE – OVERALL (28), RUSH (17), PASS (29).

BROWNS OFFENSE – OVERALL (23), RUSH (9), PASS (23).

BROWNS DEFENSE – OVERALL (30), RUSH (29), PASS (27).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES __ Falcons have overcome numerous injures to win three straight and crawl back to contention. Atlanta has placed six players on injured reserve. … QB Matt Ryan completed 26 of 38 passes for 350 yards and four TDs last week. Ryan completing 71 percent of passes, has 19 TDs, three INTs. … WR Julio Jones had seven catches for 121 yards and one TD – his first in 12 games. With 13 yards Sunday, Jones will reach 10,000 in career and become fastest player to reach milestone, in 104 games. … Rookie WR Calvin Ridley had six catches for 71 yards and TD last week. … Falcons have converted league-high 53.3 percent on third downs. Only one other team (Indianapolis, 52.2) over 50 percent. … Falcons rushed for 154 yards at Washington. … Atlanta bolstered lackluster pass rush this week, signing free agent Bruce Irvin. Falcons have only 17 sacks. … Falcons limited Redskins to 79 yards rushing last week. … K Matt Bryant has missed past two games with hamstring injury. Giorgio Tavecchio is 11 for 11 on field goals and extra points. … Browns have dropped four straight, and are 0-1 under interim coach Gregg Williams. … Browns’ .786 winning percentage against Falcons is team’s highest against any opponent. … Browns lost two defensive starters this week, placing LB Christian Kirksey and DB E.J. Gaines on injured reserve. … Rookie QB Baker Mayfield completed season-high 29 passes last week and had two TDs for third straight game. … Mayfield leads rookie QBs in average yards, completions, attempts, completion percentage. … Browns RB Duke Johnson had best game of season last week with nine receptions for 78 yards and two TDs. … Johnson may have expanded role under new coordinator Freddie Kitchens, his position coach. … Browns still lead league with 23 takeaways – 10 more than last season. … Browns DE Myles Garrett has team-leading nine sacks and 16 in first 20 NFL games. … Fantasy tip: Browns may double-team Jones, which could free Ridley to have big day against banged-up Browns secondary.

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