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3 Things to Watch For: Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Here are three things to watch for when the Cleveland Browns take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida today.
Credit: Ken Blaze
Cleveland Browns rookie defensive back Denzel Ward blocked the Baltimore Ravens' field goal try at the end of the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium.

CLEVELAND -- Road wins have been hard to come by for the Cleveland Browns in recent years, and through the first six weeks of the 2018 regular season, the same has held true, as they have fallen short in New Orleans and Oakland.

However, Browns Coach Hue Jackson is convinced that one win will go a long way into helping the team develop a win-on-the-road mentality, and he is hoping that comes today against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

“We just have to finish the game,” Jackson said. “We had a couple of chances in New Orleans to put that game away. We did not. We had chances in Oakland to put that game away. We did not. The thing that I think is important is that we have had chances. Now, we just have to get over that other hump of doing it and just making sure that we are finishing.”

Here are three things to watch for when the Browns take on the Buccaneers:

Credit: Matt Florjancic, WKYC Digital Sports
Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter makes a pre-snap read in a drill during Tuesday's practice at the team's Berea training facility.

LINE PLAY

High ankle sprains have become a dreaded injury in the National Football League, as it has hampered many a good season for high-caliber players, like Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who missed the first four games of his career last year with one.

But Browns center JC Tretter is determined to play through the high ankle sprain he suffered in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers when Cleveland takes the field against the Buccaneers.

“Very encouraging,” Jackson said of the fact that Tretter was practicing by the end of the week. “I feel good that, just knowing JC, he is going to compete and go play. I feel good about having him out there (Friday). He did some good things out there and practiced.”

Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

WARD VS. THE RECEIVERS

With a three-headed monster at wide receiver in Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson and Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers have averaged 28.2 points per game and have scored at least 27 in four of their five games this season.

Evans leads the way for the Buccaneers with 33 receptions, which he has turned into 484 yards and three touchdowns. Despite not being Tampa Bay’s leading yards getter, Evans averages 14.7 yards per reception.

Then, there are Jackson and Godwin, who have combined to catch 42 passes for 750 yards and seven touchdowns. Godwin has the team lead with four touchdown catches, and Jackson has a Buccaneers-best 501 receiving yards.

With a banged-up secondary, Browns rookie defensive back Denzel Ward will be tested, early and often.

“That is why we drafted him as high as we did. He demonstrated the characteristics that we are looking for in a corner at Ohio State,” Jackson said. “Obviously, the game has not been too big for him. He has handled that part of it well. He prepares well. He practices well.

“Obviously, he has made some plays. I think the key will be for him to stay consistent and keep making these plays, week in and week out. He is going to face even better receivers as we go, starting this Sunday. He just has to continue to work, understand the plan and go execute.”

Credit: Evan Habeeb
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Breshad Perriman (18) catches a touchdown over Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darqueze Dennard (21) in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

PERRIMAN TO PLAY A ROLE

The Browns are expected to debut a new receiver against the Buccaneers in Breshad Perriman.

In three years with the Baltimore Ravens, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Perriman caught 43 passes for 576 yards, an average of 13.4 yards per reception, with three touchdowns, including a 53-yard score during the 2016 season.

A first-round pick of the Ravens in the 2015 NFL Draft, Perriman is in his fourth professional season out of the University of Central Florida.

“He has contributed in practice,” Jackson said. “We have given him a role, and he has handled it pretty well.

“He seems like a real conscientious young man. It seems important to him. He spent extra time with (receivers coach) Adam (Henry) and extra time with the offense, just making sure that he knows everything that he needs to do. I feel comfortable that if we need to put him out there, he will go out and do the job that we are asking him to do.

“He does not know the whole system. That is why I said that we have a role carved out for him so that we give him the best chance to go out and have success and to help the offense.”

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