A week after throwing two interceptions in the Browns' 24-6 loss to the Bengals, QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is looking to make improvements in his second start of the 2024 season.

Thompson-Robinson and the Browns will host the Dolphins in Week 17 in the Browns' final home game of the 2024 season. As he looks to adjust, the Dolphins defense will present a challenge to the young quarterback.

Miami's defense often disguises its coverage to keep opposing quarterbacks guessing – which can limit opportunities downfield and lead to costly turnovers.

"They're going to switch the coverage on you every down and really try to make the quarterback think," Thompson-Robinson said. "Again, that falls on me not putting the ball in harm's way and keeping us moving on first and second down, so we're not stuck in third downs."

CB Jalen Ramsey, a captain on the Dolphins defense, is tied with CB Kader Kohou for the most interceptions among the Dolphins defense with two interceptions. Ramsey also has nine passes defensed this season and will present a challenge to a Browns offense looking to create explosive plays.

This season, Ramsey and the Dolphins secondary have allowed the fourth-fewest explosive passing plays with 38. An explosive passing play is defined as a completion for 20 or more yards. According to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Ramsey serves as an anchor for the stingy Dolphins secondary.

"They've got an elite corner with Ramsey out there," Dorsey said. "He's big, physical, they move him around and he does a lot of different things. And then they've got a ton of just really good players out there that play hard, play at an extremely high level and play well together."

Ramsey and the Dolphins secondary will be facing a Browns offense that could be missing two of its top playmakers in Week 17. TE David Njoku, who has the second-most receiving yards on the team with 505, did not practice on Thursday with a knee injury. He was also listed as an estimated DNP on Wednesday, although the Browns did not conduct a practice that day. WR Cedric Tillman, who has 339 receiving yards and three touchdowns this season, was listed as a limited participant on both Wednesday and Thursday with a concussion.

If either or both players miss Week 17, other pass catchers on the Browns roster will have to step up in their place against the Dolphins. WR Jerry Jeudy, who leads the Browns with 1,072 receiving yards this season, said he has confidence in the receivers and tight ends Thompson-Robinson will have at his disposal.

"(Njoku) and (Tillman) are two great players, but we have a lot of great guys," Jeudy said. "If you want to double team me, you have (WR Elijah Moore) getting open, you have our tight ends getting open, you have the rest of the receivers getting open. So, if (the Dolphins) try to double team me, other guys are going to eat so that's the good thing about having other great receivers around you."

In order for Thompson-Robinson to get the ball to his pass catchers, he will have to evade a Dolphins pass rush that has benefitted from the complex defensive scheme utilized by Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

The Dolphins' quarterback pressure rate of 33.9 percent ranks 17^th in the NFL this season, and the variety of pass rush moves – or games – players exhibit across the defensive line makes it a challenge for opposing offenses.

"They work so well with games," LG Joel Bitonio said. "They're not necessarily winning one-on-one all the time, but they run these pick games and they're twisting their linebackers. They have all types of these games that we've been trying to work on these last few days in practice."

The Dolphins' interior defensive line has shown its ability to get to the quarterback this season. DT Zach Sieler leads the Dolphins in sacks with 8.5 and DT Calais Campbell has the third-most sacks on the team with four sacks.

Thompson-Robinson was sacked five times in Week 16 against the Bengals, three of which came from interior defensive linemen. As Thompson-Robinson prepares to make his second start of the season, Bitonio and the Browns interior offensive line will look to create more time for him to go through his reads and make plays downfield. Bitonio said if Thompson-Robinson steps up in the pocket, the interior line has to be firm int their protection to give him that chance.

As Thompson-Robinson prepares for the Dolphins defense, Dorsey believes the Browns' Week 17 matchup will serve as both an opportunity for Thompson-Robinson to grow as a young player against a talented Miami defense as well as a chance for the Browns to secure their fourth win of the season.

"When you look at Dorian, this is his second year, but still not a ton of starts under his belt," Dorsey said. "So, I think there's definitely a learning curve and we'll continue to develop that. You want to give him opportunities to be successful in the pass game, so he feels confident. So, I think that's where a balance of what you're doing to make sure you're giving him some premier looks to throw the ball on first and second down while at the same time being able to run the ball in those situations, too. We got to continually work for that balance so that he can see good looks and we can skip some third downs on offense and move the ball."