By Mike Wilkening
Sept. 4, 2008

An early-season story line to watch in Cleveland, the way we hear it, is the Browns’ play in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The offensive line, widely regarded as one of the NFL’s best, wasn’t at its sharpest in the preseason; its strong play both in the running and passing games keyed the offense’s resurgence a season ago, and a similar effort is expected this season. Any drop-off in play could be disastrous. Another issue to keep an eye on: the Browns’ ability to generate a pass rush, an especially key issue considering the Browns’ young secondary, which needs all the help it can get as Cleveland begins a rugged schedule filled with strong passing clubs. Losing OLB Antwan Peek to a season-ending knee injury forces the Browns to give rookie Alex Hall a bigger role in the defense — and puts all the more pressure on the D-line to do what it can when it comes to getting after the passer.