The Browns will wrap up their three-game home stand in Week 9 with the Chargers, as well as look to claim back-to-back home wins this season.
"They're playing very sound on all three sides of the ball," head coach Kevin Stefanski said of the Chargers. "The defensive stats are really impressive. They're not giving up points, they're not giving up red zone drives, just not a lot of plays in the red zone. So, they're doing a great job, they're taking care of the ball on the other side, they're running it effectively. It's a huge challenge."
Here are three keys to Sunday's game against the Chargers.
Pressure QB Justin Herbert
While the Chargers rank 28th in passing yards this season, the Browns defense still has to prepare for the threat of QB Justin Herbert in the pass game and apply pressure to Hebert.
Herbert has thrown for 1,443 passing yards this season, ranking 22nd in passing attempts. However, his 8:1 touchdown-interception ratio is third-best in the NFL, sitting just behind QB Josh Allen and QB Lamar Jackson.
"He's an excellent decision maker, as good an arm as there is in football, I think," Stefanski said. "Has a good understanding of their offense. He's getting the ball to different players. He's very, very good."
However, when opposing defenses pressure Herbert, his passer rating drops from 98.2 to 62.5, according to Next Gen Stats. He completes 44.4 percent of passes and has thrown just two touchdowns to one interception and been sacked 15 times this season. The Chargers have allowed pressures on 36.8 percent of passing plays this season, which ranks as the ninth-highest rate in the league.
"I think he's one of the only guys that can throw a dot off his back leg," CB Greg Newsome II said. "A lot of teams that we play, it's like make them throw the ball like that; he's a guy that can make every single throw. I definitely think he's probably got the best arm talent we've gone against so far this year. That's definitely a guy where you got to be true at all times. And we just got to find a way to plaster our guys and be great in phase three."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Los Angeles Chargers at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Limit RB J.K. Dobbins and the run game
The Chargers use the run game to their advantage, as they average 117.1 rushing yards per game.
Their rushing attack is led by RB J.K. Dobbins, who has 535 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns this season, including the 12th most-runs of 10 or more yards at 14. Dobbins also broke free for a 61-yard run in Week 1 against the Raiders.
"He's an animal," Newsome said. "I think early in his career he dealt with a lot of injuries that's why we weren't talking about him as much when he was in Baltimore. But I think he's a very elite running back. I've been going against him since my college days, and he looks just as great. So, he's definitely an elite running back and we'll definitely have our hands full tackling him."
The Browns run defense has struggled at times to limit opposing team's rushing attacks, as they have given up 1,007 rushing yards this season. Teams are averaging 4.5 yards per carry against the Browns. They've also given up 11 runs of 20 or more yards and two of 40 or more yards this season.
Find the end zone
While the goal each game is to find the end zone and score points, the Browns offense has a tough challenge when they face the Chargers, as Los Angeles has allowed only 13 points per game this season, the fewest in the NFL.
The Chargers have also only given up over 20 points just once this season in Week 3 against the Steelers.
They keep opposing offenses out of the end zone as they have one of the best red zone defenses in the league this season, allowing touchdowns on just 41.7 percent of opponents' red zone trips, the fourth-best rate in the NFL.
Meanwhile, the Browns scored over 20 points for the first time in Week 8 against the Ravens with 29 points. QB Jameis Winston threw for 334 passing yards and three touchdowns, and the Browns ended the day with 401 total yet yards.
"You want to attack a defense how you see fit to score points," offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said. "I think at the end of the day you got to give your guys what they feel comfortable with executing and you feel like you can go out and score points, and that's the biggest factor. What's going to help you operate on a consistent basis with execution and go out and score points?"