Editor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN 850 WKNR.

Cleveland Browns v. Washington Redskins

Sunday, 1 p.m., in FedEx Field, Landover, MD

Record: 1-2.

Last game: Beat New York Giants, 29-27, Sept. 25, in East Rutherford, NJ.

Coach: Jay Gruden, 14-21, third year.

Series record: Browns lead, 33-11-1.

Last meeting: Redskins won, 38-21, Dec. 16, 2012, in Cleveland.

League rankings: Offense is fifth overall (29th rushing, second passing), defense is 29th overall (29th rushing, 24th passing) and turnover differential is plus-1.

Strengths

1. Passing game: Jay Gruden’s pass offense averages 330 yards a game. And Kirk Cousins hasn’t even strung together two good games yet. Gruden uses tight end Jordan Reed to command attention. If defense’s double him, one of the three primary receivers will have a big day – DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and second-year slot man Jamison Crowder. Rookie Josh Doctson has been a non-factor.

2. Offensive line: Every good offensive line in the NFL is led by a good coach, and Bill Callahan is among the league’s finest. It features No. 1 picks at left tackle (Trent Williams, 2010) and right guard (Brandon Scherff, 2015). One change has injured center Kory Lichtensteinger (calf) being replaced by reserve guard Spencer Long, who will make his NFL starting debut at center.

3. Cornerback depth: When healthy, they are three-deep at both cornerback spots. But that depth will be tested now. Starter Bashaud Breeland (ankle) likely will be replaced by veteran Greg Toler. No. 1 slot corner Dashaun Phillips (hamstring) could be replaced by rookie Kendall Fuller. Veteran safety DeAngelo Hall (knee) is out for the year and will be replaced by Will Blackmon. That means they could be missing three of their top five defensive backs.

Weaknesses

1. Run defense: Coordinator Joe Barry’s 3-4 scheme lacks an imposing front seven, and it shows up against the run. It has yielded 143 yards and 2 TDs to Pittsburgh’s DeAngelo Williams, 83 yards and 1 TD to Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott and a 5.7-yard average to the Giants’ tandem of Shane Vereen and Orleans Darkwa.

2. Pass rush: Edge rushers Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith have generated only 1.5 sacks through three games. Smith is one of those guys with “warning track power” – almost getting there, but not quite finishing.

3. Rush offense: Gruden’s offense has no dynamic ball-carrier. Feature back Matt Jones looks big (6-2, 232 pounds) but doesn’t run with the physical force of those dimensions. Chris Thompson is 5-8 and is more of a receiver than a running threat.

Players to watch

1. Quarterback Kirk Cousins: Nine good games and a playoff appearance earned him the franchise tag and a guaranteed $19.95 million this year. But it wasn’t enough to inspire a long-term contract, and now Cousins is playing for a new deal – if not in Washington then elsewhere – and it may account for some indecisiveness. In the red zone, he is a pedestrian 7 of 22 this year, with 1 TD and 2 interceptions.

2. Cornerback Josh Norman: A big year for the NFC Champion Panthers in 2015 resulted in the franchise tag. When Norman over-priced himself for a long-term deal, Carolina rescinded the tag and Norman found a sucker in the Redskins, who signed him for $75 million over five years. Norman hasn’t played badly – unofficially co-leads cornerbacks with 7 passes defensed -- but he’d have to make double-digit interceptions to justify that deal. So far, he’s without one.

3. Tight end Jordan Reed: His breakout 2015 season saw him set Redskins tight end records with 87 receptions for 952 yards. His 11 touchdowns ranked second in the NFL to Tyler Eifert’s 13, and Reed missed two games. In three games, the Browns have allowed 16 receptions to tight ends.

Small world: Quarterback Colt McCoy and left guard Shawn Lauvao both were third-round draft picks of the Browns in 2010.