Watch live on Sky Sports Action from 5pm on Sunday; kick-off is at 6pm and also on Sky Sports Main Event
Sunday 8 September 2019 07:26, UK
Our first NFL Sunday of the season begins with the Cleveland Browns hosting the Tennessee Titans, exclusively live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event. Here is what to expect...
The Browns (7-8-1 last season) have been the talk of the league this offseason. Yes, they had their best season since 2007 last year, but they still didn't make the playoffs, and they haven't made it since 2002. Their 16-year drought is the longest in the league, and they haven't won a postseason matchup for 21 seasons!
That said, they are no joke heading into 2019. Equipped with two recent No 1 overall NFL Draft picks on offense and defense (Baker Mayfield and Myles Garrett) and now stocked with attacking talent, Cleveland could finally make some noise in December and January.
Tennesee (9-7), meanwhile, have been the model of mediocrity in the past three seasons, having achieved a 9-7 record in each. They managed a shock Wild Card win in 2017 after sneaking into the playoffs, but missed out in 2016 and last year.
They don't have big names on offense, or a 'celebrity' quarterback like Mayfield, but they are a tough, competitive all-around team under head coach Mike Vrabel. How far they go depends on what they can get from QB Marcus Mariota, who threw as many touchdowns in his last two seasons (26) as he did in the one before. Can he step up and move this team forward?
We all want to finally see Odell Beckham Jr on the field after his blockbuster trade from the New York Giants earlier this summer. Through his first five seasons, Beckham has averaged 92.8 yards per game - which is second all-time behind Julio Jones (96.7) - and managed 44 touchdowns in 56 starts. Assuming he is fully healthy, he is the player to watch this Sunday.
As mentioned above, Tennesee don't have many players who steal the spotlight, but much is expected of running back Derrick Henry. He cracked 1,000 rushing yards last season, but 238 of them came in one game and 99 in just one run! His contribution will be huge for the Titans this year, especially as Mariota needs help.
Also, keep a close eye on pass-rusher Harold Landry. The 2018 second-round draft pick managed 4.5 sacks last season in limited action, but will be the focal point of the team's pressure this year.
Earlier this week, Mayfield told Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer: "I have full confidence in all our playmakers, our skill position guys that if they have one-on-ones, they should be licking their chops and they should all take that as disrespect because that's the type of team we have and we need to take advantage of.
"It's going to look like a lot of matchups that we can take advantage of, a numbers game."
The fighting talk is certainly not a surprise coming from the trash-talking QB - the Browns' outside weapons versus the Titans' secondary will be a huge factor in the game - but it's certainly not going to be a cakewalk for Beckham, Jarvis Landry, tight end David Njoku and third wide receiver Rashard Higgins.
Tennessee boast the 2017 interception leader Kevin Byard, the man who made the most memorable interception in Super Bowl history (Malcolm Butler), and another two-time Super Bowl champ in Logan Ryan.
Although it will be tough for anyone to account for all of Cleveland's offensive assets this season, it may not be easy for Mayfield and company.
