AARON'S MOST INTRIGUING MATCHUP

Indianapolis Colts @ Cleveland Browns

This is a true showdown of strength against strength: Colts run defense vs. Browns rushing offense. Coming into the Week 5, the Colts are a top 3 team in both rushing and passing defense and are the league’s best in points per game allowed. The Browns enter as the league’s most efficient and productive running attack ,leading in total rushing yards, yards per attempt and TDs. Both teams share the identity of being run heavy and trying to win by holding onto the ball longer than their opponents. The Colts are 2nd and the Browns are 13th in total time of possession. I think that these strategies are what makes both of these teams interesting to watch. They are not trying to have a run and gun offense where they’re passing 40-plus times a game and just hoping that their defenses can bend but not break. These are well balanced teams that share an old school mentality that suits the way the teams were constructed. Baker Mayfield has been putting together his best Kirk Cousins impersonation and doing what the team needs from him to best succeed. Philip Rivers, on the other hand, has seemed to accept the role that fits him best, a game manager. No longer are we seeing the gunslinger and risk taker forcing the ball downfield into multiple defenders. He appears to trust not only the coaching staff but the game plan that sees him as a secondary piece to the team’s success. While this may not be a high scoring matchup, I believe it will be one of the better games this week to keep an eye on.