A moveable object meets a stoppable force.
The Cleveland Browns (1-5) host the Miami Dolphins (1-5) in a Week 7 matchup between two teams at the bottom of the standings so far in 2025.
The worst offense in the NFL vs one of the worst defenses.
Both head coaches have come under fire for their teams performances this year. They both face a growing amount of pressure heading into this game. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the loser of this game is fired shortly afterwards.
With the weather set to be wet and windy, the first ever matchup between two left handed Hawaiian quarterbacks could become a slugfest between two struggling teams.
In this article I will identify the biggest keys to victory towards the Browns securing their second win of the season.
Run the darn ball
The Browns are going up against the worst run defense in the NFL. The Dolphins gave up over 120 yards rushing to Kimani Vidal – the Chargers third choice running back – on their Week 6 loss to the Chargers.
The Dolphins have allowed over 100 rushing yards in every game. In total, they have given up a total of 1011 rushing yards in just six games this season.
After becoming the first player in Browns history to record over 70 yards of scrimmage in each of his first 4 games with the team, Quinshon Judkins is coming off a quiet game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6.
Judkins had just 36 rushing yards against the Steelers, with the team only managing 65 total rushing yards.
A big part of this was due to the Browns moving away from the run. This was shown with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel dropping back 58 times.
He was sacked 6 times on those 58 drop backs. A number that the Browns will look to drastically decrease against the Dolphins.
The Browns lead the league in passing attempts yet rank just 29th in rushing attempts.
With bad weather forecast, the Browns need to dominate the run game against the Dolphins if they are going to win this game.
Score points (duh)
Despite a 1-5 record, the Dolphins have scored over 20 points in 5 of their 6 games this season. They average 22.3 points per game which ranks 18th in the NFL.
On the flipside, the Browns are only averaging 13.7 points per game which ranks dead last amongst all 32 teams.
Cleveland has failed to score over 17 points in a league leading 11 consecutive games.
Whilst points may be hard to come by with bad weather forecast, the Browns have to shrug off their point scoring woes to have a chance of winning this game.
Scoring over 20 points for the first time this season would go a long way towards helping the Browns secure their 2nd win of the season.
Redzone defense
Whilst the Browns defense is giving up the 5th fewest red zone attempts, they still lead the NFL with redzone scoring percentage on defense.
The Browns defense is giving up a touchdown on 80% of opponents redzone attempts. A disappointing number for one of the leagues better defenses.
The concern? The Dolphins are 2nd in offensive redzone scoring percentage. Scoring touchdowns on 75% of their redzone visits.
The saving grace? They only rank 25th on redzone scoring attempts with 2.7 a game.
The Browns defense need to keep the Dolphins out of their redzone as much as they can and improve their redzone defense when they do make it inside the 20 yard line.
Points are a premium in a bad weather game between two bad teams. Keeping the Dolphins out of the redzone and holding their offense to field goals instead of touchdowns will be crucial for the Browns chances of winning this game.
Bounce back game?
With all the negativity surrounding the team entering this game, the Browns will be hoping to get back on track against a Dolphins team in a similar position.
Dominating the run game, improved redzone defense and the ability to actually score over 17 points will be the biggest keys for the Browns to win this game.
However, in bad weather games, especially in Cleveland, anything is on the table.
Will the Browns find a way to beat Miami or will they fall to 1-6 and watch their season go up in flames?
We will find out on Sunday.
