Vikings-Browns: Turnovers, Special Teams Key to Cleveland's Week One Chances

Week One of the NFL season for the Cleveland Browns features a home game against the Minnesota Vikings, a team many feel will challenge for a divisional title in the rugged NFC North.

This is a bad matchup for the Browns to start the season with. The Vikings can run the football and stop the run, two areas of concern for the Browns heading into the season.

A lot has been made about the recent addition of twice-retired (or more, I lose count) quarterback Brett Favre, but Minnesota’s real magic starts with running back Adrian Peterson.

Peterson rushed for 1,760 yards on a 4.8 yards per carry average in 2008. The scary part is that the Vikings intend to put the ball in his hands more often, both as a runner and as a pass-catcher. He has a variety of ways he can kill you, whether it’s with power, speed, or jaw-dropping moves.

The offensive line starts two youngsters in center John Sullivan and massive right tackle Phil Loadholt. Left guard Steve Hutchinson is one of the best at his position, and Anthony Herrera is an underrated road-grader on the right side. 6'8", 335-pound Bryant McKinnie mans the left tackle spot.

Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers should take advantage of Sullivan, but the rest of the defensive line is going to have to do their part to keep the Vikings from constantly double- and triple-teaming Rogers.

McKinnie is solid in the run game, but quick ends can give him trouble in pass protection. The Browns linebackers are going to have to contain Peterson and force third and long situations so that they can take advantage of that weakness.

The Viking receivers are average at best, giving the option of leaving the cornerbacks in one-on-one coverage while blitzing linebackers and defensive backs. That will only work if the Browns can somehow manage to put the Vikings into must-pass situations.

With all that said, the Vikings added another playmaker in minuscule rookie Percy Harvin. Harvin is not necessarily a deep threat, but they will try to get him the ball in open field, where his elusiveness can be utilized. Expect the Vikings to move him around the field much like Cleveland does with Joshua Cribbs.

Solving the Vikings' defense may pose an even bigger problem for the Browns.

Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are as good a defensive tackle combo as there is in the league. They can stuff the run and collapse the pocket on pass plays. Browns rookie center Alex Mack will have a baptism under fire while attempting to control these two massive forces.

Developing end Ray Edwards (five sacks in limited time in 2008) and veteran pass-rusher Jared Allen (14.5 sacks in 2008) provide bookend pass rushers who can create havoc. Add outside linebacker Chad Greenway (5.5 sacks, 115 tackles) and finally-healthy middle linebacker E.J. Henderson to the mix, and you have a front seven equally adept at stopping the run and pressuring the passer.

Even the Vikings' defensive backs can pack a punch. At 6’0”, 203 pounds, Cedric Griffin is a hard-hitting cornerback who finished last season with 91 tackles. Antoine Winfield, who is only 5’9”, is still one of the better cover-two cornerbacks in the league. He had 95 tackles last year. Those are extremely high tackle numbers from cornerbacks for a team that shuts down the run as well as the Vikings.

Perhaps the only weakness the Vikings have is at safety, where they lost perennial All-Pro Darren Sharper. Madieu Williams can make plays but has difficulty staying healthy. Tyrell Johnson is in his first season as a starter at strong safety.

This is not a team whom the Browns will be able to line up and ram the running game down their throat. In order to be successful, they are going to have to use a steady diet of screens and draws. The Vikings' ends do have a tendency to over-pursue, so some misdirection may work as well.

As far as the passing game is concerned, the Vikings bring a lot of heat. Whoever is taking snaps for the Browns is going to have to make quick reads and find seams behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. Those plays should be there against the Vikings’ cover-two defensive scheme.

The Vikings, like the Browns, have a reliable field goal kicker in Ryan Longwell. Longwell led the league in field goals over 50 yards, but he accomplished most of that in the confines of the Metrodome. He kicked most of his career in Green Bay, though, so he will not be fazed by kicking on the natural surface in Cleveland.

Field position is also going to be one of the keys to this game. It is imperative that the return game and coverage units show up big in this game. The aforementioned Harvin will likely get the nod to return kicks. He’s electric, so it’s somewhat fortunate that this game will be played on grass.

It would also help if the Browns could force some turnovers. As good as Peterson is, he has a tendency to put the ball on the ground (he led the NFL with nine fumbles last year). Getting pressure on Favre can also lead to some of those ill-advised throws he has been famous for over his career.

If the Browns win the special teams and turnover battles, they have a shot to keep it close and perhaps pull out a victory. If they do not, they will start the season 0-1.

Final prediction: Minnesota Vikings 24, Cleveland Browns 10.