Miami @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2016 ) Cleveland 24, Miami 30

Lost in the endless distraction that engulfed the Cleveland Browns this past week is the fact that the team has kept its flickering postseason hopes alive with two straight victories. The Browns look to keep trending upward on Sunday when they complete a three-game homestand against the Miami Dolphins.

"We know we have to take care of each game at a time. That singular focus that I have been talking about, it is no different now," said Baker Mayfield, who has answered throwing 12 interceptions in his first seven games by tossing five touchdown passes without a pick in his last three. Jarvis Landry has found the end zone in each of his last three contests heading into a meeting with his former team, with which he recorded 400 receptions in four seasons (2014-17). Miami's modest two-game winning streak came to a screeching halt after Sunday's 37-20 setback to Buffalo, with an overwhelmed offensive line permitting seven sacks while creating little room for a ground attack that mustered just 23 yards. "There were some instances where it was just bad technique, bad fundamentals. We got beat one-on-one in some situations," Dolphins coach Brian Flores said.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Browns -10.5. O/U: 45

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (2-8): While Miami's record leaves plenty to be desired, the play of former first-round pick DeVante Parker has been promising to say the least. Parker had seven catches for a career-high 135 yards against the Bills to boost those totals to 40 and 604, respectively, which puts him 17 receptions and 140 yards shy of his personal bests while his four touchdowns this season match his final tally in 2016. "He's the most consistent guy that we have on our offense and has been all year long. He's a guy that I know I can count on every Sunday," quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. The running game, however, has been struck in neutral as Kalen Ballage had nine rushes for as many yards on Sunday to see his yards per carry dip to 1.9 on the season.

ABOUT THE BROWNS (4-6): Myles Garrett's indefinite suspension was upheld on Thursday, one week after the defensive end ripped off the helmet of quarterback Mason Rudolph and used as it as a weapon to ignite an ugly melee at the conclusion of Cleveland's 21-7 win over Pittsburgh. Garrett's ban will be at least six games, which is the longest in NFL history for a single on-field incident. The loss of Garrett to the Browns is immense, as the former top overall pick is tied for fourth in the NFL with 10 sacks and tied for sixth with 13 tackles for loss. The Browns will also be without defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who received a one-game suspension for shoving Rudolph in the back during the incident.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cleveland RB Nick Chubb's 1,011 rushing yards rank third-best in the league heading into an encounter against Miami's 31st-ranked rush defense (148.3 yards per game).

2. The Dolphins' battered secondary took a significant hit after S Reshad Jones and S Bobby McCain were placed on injured reserve this week.

3. Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. had 166 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his lone career game vs. Miami.

PREDICTION: Browns 28, Dolphins 13