The Cleveland Browns are facing some challenges this week, to be sure. They've flown across the Atlantic to London. They're starting a rookie QB for the first time, Dillon Gabriel. They're playing a Minnesota Vikings team that won 14 games last season.
But in Week 5, there's genuine reason to believe the Browns can pull off a surprising win.
Fans back home in northeast Ohio will have to tune in at 9:30 a.m. Sunday to watch the game, which kicks off in the afternoon in London.
It might be worth watching. Gabriel's first start is exciting, and the Browns can pull off a win. Here's why:
The Dillon Gabriel effect
Gabriel is an unknown commodity, sure. He was a third-round pick and hasn't started yet.
But he also set NCAA records over a long college career and is a polished player.
Gabriel also opens up new elements of the Cleveland offense that Joe Flacco didn't.
"Expect the Browns to increase their use of rollouts and RPOs to take advantage of Gabriel's mobility and accuracy," writes ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.
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Vikings injuries
The Minnesota Vikings are very banged up.
Starting QB J.J. McCarthy and RB Aaron Jones are out, which means Carson Wentz and Jordan Mason start in their place.
Minnesota is also missing a bunch on the offensive line, which isn't a good situation against Cleveland sets up the third reason.
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Cleveland's defensive line
The Browns have been great against the run, and against a depleted Vikings blocking unit, that could happen again.
"Vikings RB Jordan Mason has had 16 or more touches in consecutive games with Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) out," ESPN's Eric Moody writes. "The good news: He's seeing heavy usage. The bad news: The Vikings' offensive line has been devastated by injuries and faces a Browns defensive front that previously shut down the Ravens' Derrick Henry and the Packers' Josh Jacobs. Cleveland's defense has allowed just 2.9 yards per carry and the second-fewest rushing yards to backs."
If Cleveland can slow Mason and force Wentz to pass, that's a win. And Wentz has taken sacks at an 11.5% rate on dropbacks, which is huge, so the Browns' defensive line could then get after him in a big way, too.
The Vikings just lost in Dublin, and maybe the Browns can hand them a London defeat, too.
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