Miami @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2011 ) Miami 16, Cleveland 17

The Cleveland Browns have not posted a winning record since 2007, while the Miami Dolphins are riding a streak of four straight losing seasons. Both teams have higher expectations in 2013 and those early hopes – and a pair of second-year quarterbacks – will be put to the test in Cleveland on Sunday in the season opener for both teams. The game also will mark the debut of Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski, who spent the last two years as the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator.

Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the eighth overall pick in the 2012 draft, threw 12 touchdown passes as a rookie, though only three of those scoring aerials were to wide receivers. There will be no excuses for that this season, as the Dolphins signed former Steelers wideout Mike Wallace to a five-year, $60-million contract to generate big plays in the passing game. The Browns also will look for improvement out of Brandon Weeden, the 22nd pick in the 2012 draft, though he will be missing one of his top targets on Sunday.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Even. O/U: 41.

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (2012: 7-9, second AFC East): Last season, only three players in the NFL had more sacks than Miami defensive end Cameron Wake, who set a career high with 15. In addition, only 10 players notched more tackles than Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby (134), although Miami surprisingly released Dansby in March and replaced him with former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. The Dolphins’ defense will need to dominate its opponents this season unless the offense, which averaged just 18 points per game last year, can improve in coach Joe Philbin’s second season.

ABOUT THE BROWNS (2012: 5-11, fourth AFC North): Cleveland’s first-year players endured their ups and downs in 2012, but Weeden did set a team rookie record with 3,385 passing yards and Trent Richardson also broke the franchise rookie mark with 950 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Chudzinski and new offensive coordinator Norv Turner could rely heavily on Richardson on Sunday with top wide receiver Josh Gordon (50 catches, 805 yards) suspended for violating the league’s drug policy. On defense, the Browns are excited to debut their big free-agent signing in linebacker Paul Kruger, who had a career-high nine sacks for the Super Bowl champion Ravens last season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Second-year pro Lamar Miller takes over at running back for the Dolphins, though third-year RB Daniel Thomas should see plenty of action.

2. Browns K Billy Cundiff, who kicked for the team for part of the 2009 season, was signed this week after Cleveland surprisingly cut both of its kickers at the conclusion of the preseason.

3. Miami only kept four wide receivers on its roster, and there isn’t much depth at tight end either after starting TE Dustin Keller suffered a season-ending knee injury last month.

PREDICTION: Dolphins 19, Browns 16 (OT)