The Arizona Cardinals head to Cleveland on Sunday afternoon, looking to pad their division lead with a win against a reeling Browns team that is trying to avoid its third loss in a row.
Cardinals vs. Browns 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Chris Johnson, who has the second-most rushing yards in the NFL, could be in for a big day against the 32nd-ranked Browns’ run defense.
At 5-2 and atop the NFC West, the Cardinals are proving that their breakout 2014 campaign -- in which they went 11-5 and looked like one of the best teams in the league until Carson Palmer tore his ACL -- was no fluke. Since the start of last season, only the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers have more wins than Arizona, and only those three teams plus the Seattle Seahawks have a better point differential.
Yet the 2015 team has the potential to reach even greater heights than last year’s club, mainly because of an offense that is arguably the most balanced in the league this season. The Cardinals are one of just two teams (along with the Falcons) to rank in the top 10 in both passing yards and rushing yards per game, producing a league-best 6.8 yards per play.
While the Cardinals have consistently boasted a dynamic aerial attack, they’ve made huge strides in the running game this year. Arizona ranked 31st in rushing yards (81.8) and was dead last in yards per rush (3.3) in 2014. Fast-forward to 2015, and the team now ranks third in yards per rush (4.8) while averaging 125 yards per game on the ground (10th in NFL).
Much of that improvement is due to the resurgence of veteran Chris Johnson, who ranks second in the league in rushing and sixth in carries. Signed as a free agent this offseason, he has revitalized the Cardinals' ground attack and has shown that, even at the age of 30, he can still dominate defenses. His ability to break tackles and explode for big plays has injected life into a previously dormant Cardinals run game, giving Arizona its best backfield weapon in years.
Johnson could be in for another monster game on Sunday, facing the 32nd-ranked Browns’ run defense that is allowing 151 yards per game. Four different running backs have already reached the century mark against Cleveland and two others have topped 90 yards in a game. If the Browns can’t stop Johnson on Sunday, it could be a long afternoon for the home team.
While Cleveland's defensive issues are a concern, a bigger problem is that the Browns continually beat themselves with crippling mistakes on both sides of the ball. They have racked up the third-most penalties in the league (60), and only the Detroit Lions have committed more turnovers than the Browns (15). Last Sunday, the St. Louis Rams scored all their points following giveaways or defensive miscues by Cleveland.
Those self-inflicted gaffes are a huge reason why the Browns are currently 2-5 and staring at the real possibility of another double-digit loss season. Even worse, the road only gets tougher from here on out. Per Football Outsiders, the Browns have the league's most difficult remaining schedule. They still have to play the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers twice, and also face a tough trip to Seattle in Week 15. Ouch.
How to watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland
TV: FOX
Announcers: Joe DAvis, Chris Cooley, Danielle Trotta
Online: NFL Game Pass
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