Rams at Browns
THE STORY: Two of the three worst rushing defenses in the NFL will be on display when the Cleveland Browns host the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. The Rams, though, appear to be the only team which can exploit the other. St. Louis running back Steven Jackson ran for 130 yards last week for his second consecutive 100-yard game, while Cleveland will likely be without its top two rushers – Peyton Hillis (hamstring) and Montario Hardesty (calf) – for the second straight game. The Rams need to have a short memory after last week’s tough beat at Arizona, when Patrick Peterson returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown in overtime. The Browns have lost three of their last four, including last week’s 30-12 setback at Houston. The Rams and Browns have combined to score only 27.4 points per game, less than the top five scoring teams in the NFL.
TV: CBS, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Browns -2.5, O/U 37.
ABOUT THE BROWNS (3-5): The record shows Cleveland has the NFL’s No. 6 defense, but a closer look reveals the Browns are 30th against the run at 144 yards per game after allowing 262 to Houston. Their No. 1 standing versus the pass certainly appears to be a result of opponents not needing to put the ball in the air to beat them. Without a running game to speak of, quarterback Colt McCoy will be forced to throw more. He has completed only 57.5 percent of his passes, though, with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.
ABOUT THE RAMS (1-7): Quarterback Sam Bradford, who called last week’s 19-13 defeat “probably the toughest loss I’ve had since entering the league,” returned after missing two games with a high ankle sprain. He said after the game the ankle was “pretty sore,” but coach Steve Spagnuolo said he expects Bradford to play Sunday. Bradford has struggled this season with a 54.7 completion percentage, three touchdowns and three interceptions. St. Louis is last against the run at 156.3 yards allowed per game.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Bradford won the 2008 Heisman Trophy while McCoy finished second in the voting.
2. St. Louis defensive end Chris Long has four sacks in his last two games.
3. Browns coach Pat Shurmur was the Rams offensive coordinator from 2009-10.