MARQUEE MATCHUP

Broncos WR Brandon Marshall vs. Browns cornerbacks

Second-year corners Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald are looking for redemption after a rough outing versus the Ravens. Finding it against Brandon Marshall, left, won’t be easy.
He’s 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and is fourth in the NFL with 51 catches. His 625 yards rank eighth and he has three touchdowns. His season got off to a fast start with an 18-catch performance in Week 2 after he was suspended for the opener. The catches tied for second most in a game in NFL history.
“They definitely like throwing him the ball,” said McDonald, who played against Marshall in college. “A guy that big that can catch the ball and get yards after catch, they are definitely going to try to get him the ball. He’s got the big body and he knows what to do with it.”
McDonald and Wright are coming off their worst games in weeks. They had been playing well since a rough opener (the pass defense ranks 13th), but both allowed long touchdowns against Baltimore. Both are 5-10 and less than 200 pounds, so they must be technically sound to slow down Marshall.
“I started off real slow and allowed a big pass,” McDonald said of the Ravens game. “In the second half, I competed and was more aggressive.”
Marshall also has something to prove. He was held to two catches in a loss to Miami and called “soft” by Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter.
“When I look at the film, I probably left 100 yards out there,” Marshall said. “I only had two catches, but there were 11 balls thrown to me. Jay’s still looking my way. It’s just me. It’s on me to run better routes and get separation.”
— Scott Petrak

NICKEL COVERAGE: Five points of interest in today’s game

Running on empty

For more than a decade under coach Mike Shanahan, the Broncos had the most consistent running game in the NFL. Since 1995, they’ve had six different 1,000-yard rushers and 13 different backs with 100-yard games. Things have changed this year. Michael Pittman has the only 100-yard game and the team was held to 14 yards on 12 attempts last week. Injuries are the biggest factor. Denver has three active running backs — two on the injury report and a third fresh off the practice squad.

Running in place

Jamal Lewis can’t seem to get rolling this season, but tonight could be the perfect chance. The Broncos rank 26th against the run, allowing 144.6 per game, including a pair of 200-plus-yard efforts. Cornerback Champ Bailey, linebacker D.J. Williams and free safety Marlon McCree are out with injuries. Lewis has a respectable 533 yards at the halfway point, but is still looking for his first 100-yard game and is averaging 3.6 yards a carry.

Take it away

The Broncos are last in the league with a minus-11 turnover ratio, while the Browns are seventh at plus-4. With a defense still finding its way and an offense stuck in neutral, the Browns need to win the turnover battle to be successful.
The Broncos are 1-4 since a 3-0 start, losing eight fumbles and throwing eight interceptions. The opposition has scored 53 points off the gifts.

Young gun

Jay Cutler has an arm like John Elway and the numbers to match. In his third season out of Vanderbilt, Cutler leads the AFC (third in the NFL) with 2,169 yards. He was AFC offensive player of the month for September and is on pace to set franchise records in yards, touchdowns and completions. He has 15 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and an 86.9 rating.

Pressure players

The Broncos have the edge in rushing and protecting the quarterback. They have 20 sacks in eight games, including 14 in the last four. Former Browns lineman Ebenezer Ekuban has a team-high four sacks. On the other side of the ball, the Broncos have allowed just six sacks. Rookie left tackle Ryan Clady has started every game without allowing a sack and has been penalized just twice.

JUST THE FACTS

WHERE: Cleveland Browns Stadium
RECORDS: Browns 3-5; Broncos 4-4
LAST WEEK: Browns lost to Ravens 37-27; Broncos lost to Dolphins 26-17
SERIES: Broncos lead 16-5 in regular season, 3-0 in playoffs
SERIES AT CLEVELAND: Broncos lead 8-2
LAST MEETING: Broncos won 17-7 on Oct. 22, 2006, in Cleveland
COACHES: Romeo Crennel is 23-33 with Browns and overall; Mike Shanahan is 127-73 with Broncos and 135-85 overall
TV/RADIO: NFL Network and Channel 43, with broadcasters Bob Papa and Cris Collinsworth; WMMS 100.7-FM, WTAM 1100-AM
NFL RANKINGS (OUT OF 32 TEAMS): Browns — offense 28th (27th rushing, 26th passing), defense 25th (28th rushing, 13th passing); Broncos — offense 3rd (19th rushing, 4th passing), defense 29th (26th rushing, 27th passing)
BROWNS UPDATE: Have lost seven straight to Denver, including four in a row at home.
• KR Joshua Cribbs had a 92-yard touchdown vs. the Ravens and ranks third in kickoff return average (27.8).
• WR Braylon Edwards has caught a pass in 50 straight games. He has 26 catches for 457 yards and three TDs, and a league-high 13 drops.
• Deposed quarterback Derek Anderson was 13-13 (.500) as a starter, the best record since the team returned in 1999. Tim Couch is second at .373 (22-37).
BRONCOS UPDATE: Defensive coordinator Bob Slowik was the Cleveland defensive coordinator in 1999.
• WR Eddie Royal leads NFL rookies with 46 catches, for 461 yards and three TDs. He is second in the NFL with a 13.8 punt return average.
• K Matt Prater is 5-for-5 on 50-yard field goals. He’s second in the NFL with 15 touchbacks on kickoffs.
• Shanahan is 17th all time with 150 coaching wins.
BROWNS INJURY REPORT: Doubtful: FB Lawrence Vickers (ankle), G Eric Steinbach (ribs); Questionable: NT Shaun Rogers (ribs), DE Corey Williams (shoulder), TE Darnell Dinkins (hamstring); Probable: WR Donte Stallworth (quadriceps).
BRONCOS INJURY REPORT: Out: CB Champ Bailey (groin), S Marlon McCree (ankle), LB D.J. Williams (knee); Questionable: TE Tony Scheffler (groin), RB Selvin Young (groin); Probable: DT Dewayne Robertson (knee), DT Marcus Thomas (calf), RB Ryan Torain (elbow), DT Nate Webster (ribs).
THE PICK: The adoration of the crowd isn’t enough, as Denver’s Jay Cutler outplays Brady Quinn. Broncos 27-20.
— Scott Petrak

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