Cleveland Browns Keys: Stopping Mohamed Sanu
The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals will kick off their rivalry this season when they face off tomorrow night, and we’ll get to see what one of this season’s potential breakout stars at the wide receiver has in store for us. I think it’s safe to say that former Bengals WR and current Cleveland Browns slot wideout Andrew Hawkins has already broken out, and he’s been the focal point of the Browns passing attack this season; he’ll be even more key with Jordan Cameron unlikely to play due to a concussion. Taylor Gabriel also qualifies as a rookie candidate, but the wide receiver I’m talking about is still on the Bengals, and an injury above him allowed him to shine.
Although elite cornerback Vontae Davis held him in check when the Bengals were shutout by the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7, Mohamed Sanu has been pretty darn impressive ever since being thrust into the No. 1 receiver role after A.J. Green aggravated a toe injury. In his first game as the No. 1 guy, Sanu tore up the Carolina Panthers to the tune of 10 receptions on 120 yards, helping to lead the team to 37 points in a tie. He made big plays in the past two weeks, turning just five receptions into 125 yards in a rivalry win over the Baltimore Ravens and putting up 95 yards and a TD on just four receptions against the Jacksonville Jaguars burn-prone secondary.
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If I were the Browns, I would lock up Joe Haden on Green, who is still clearly the Bengals biggest threat on offense. Haden has been on fire lately, and he dominated Vincent Jackson in coverage this week. While Jackson had success when lined up against Buster Skrine, he had zero catches on five targets, per the Pro Football Focus, when covered by Haden, who could have another big game in store against an even better receiver in Green.
The Browns didn’t only put Haden on Jackson, because the Buccaneers No. 1 wideout did make some plays against other corners. That said, Haden spent most of his time on V-Jax and suffocated him. Meanwhile, No. 2 receiver Mike Evans was one of the top players at the position this week, catching two touchdown passes, including one in Skrine’s coverage. The Browns other corners simply had no answer for Evans, and they need to be careful that Sanu doesn’t have an Evans-like day against them on Thursday night.
In the past four weeks, Sanu has been one of our top-five receivers of the week on two separate occasions, and it ‘s possible he could have an opportunity to do the same tomorrow if Skrine and Justin Gilbert aren’t careful. Sanu’s playmaking ability is particularly worrisome for the Browns, because the Bengals rising No. 2 receiver is averaging a little over 16 yards per reception this season, including over 20 in the past two weeks. With Green taking attention away from Sanu by locking up with top corners like Haden, Sanu has room to beat defenses over the top, and the Bengals could have the makings of one of the league’s toughest 1-2 punches at receiver. The Browns survived Jackson and Evans, but Andy Dalton is also a significantly better quarterback than Mike Glennon.
Skrine and Gilbert aren’t going to be alone in coverage, of course, and that’s where the Browns can even up the mis-match Sanu could provide. Since Sanu likes to beat teams deep (at least, that’s what he’s done lately), Donte Whitner and Tashaun Gipson become even more important in coverage. Whitner was excellent against the Buccaneers, but that didn’t stop Evans from breaking off some big plays. One wide receiver can’t beat an entire team (I mean, the Bucs lost, after all, and only scored 17 points), but the Bengals are also more than just one receiver, even if Haden can successfully take Green out of the game. Giovani Bernard might not play tomorrow, but Jeremy Hill is an underrated and impressive rookie running back.
One of the Browns keys to victory will be stopping Mohamed Sanu on TNF, though it’s just one key of several, since football is a nuanced game that comes down to much more than just one matchup or impact player. Sanu is a rising talent in a division filled with impressive wide receivers, including two elite ones in Antonio Brown and A.J. Green. Although he’s nowhere near that precipice, Sanu is a fully legit No. 2 option in the Bengals passing attack.