Browns vs. Rams 2015 picks and predictions: St. Louis a huge favorite at home

Josh McCown has picked apart opposing defenses this season, but he hasn’t faced a defensive line as talented as the one he’ll face Sunday when the Cleveland Browns hit the road to play the St. Louis Rams.

The Rams have one of the best D-lines in the league, and they’ve terrorized opposing quarterbacks yet again this season. St. Louis is third in the NFL with 19 sacks, which means McCown could have an uncomfortable afternoon. The veteran slinger is slow afoot, and may not be afforded the time he needs to find his receivers down the field. Even though Chris Long might not play due to a knee injury he suffered against the Packers, the Rams should still have plenty of firepower to get to McCown.

But that’s not even the most favorable matchup for the Rams Sunday. Rookie running back Todd Gurley has found his groove, rushing for 305 yards on 49 carries over his last two games. The Browns, meanwhile, have the worst run defense in the league. Cleveland has allowed an average of 149.8 rushing yards per contest.

Defense on the whole has been a weak point for the Browns in 2015, as they’ve allowed the third-most yards in the league. That’s very good news for the struggling Rams offense, which has averaged an NFL-worst 297 yards per game this season.

A lot has been made of Sam Bradford’s struggles in Philadelphia, but his replacement in St. Louis, Nick Foles, is playing even worse. Foles has only completed 57.4 percent of his passes this year for 956 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. His 77.6 passer rating is 29th in the league.

But a matchup against the porous Browns defense could be exactly what Foles needs to get right. And even if he does make mistakes, the Browns may not be able to capitalize. Cleveland was unable to pull off the upset over Peyton Manning and the Broncos last week despite Manning throwing three picks –– including one in overtime.

Coming off a bye week, the Rams are an overwhelming favorite at home. All of the experts at both ESPN and CBS Sports think the Rams will win their third game of the season Sunday. Here at SB Nation, only Ryan Van Bibber dares to pick the Browns.