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Bucs vs. Browns: Top matchups to watch in Week 12

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back out on the road after back-to-back wins and a much-needed bye week, heading north for a Week 12 showdown with the Cleveland Browns.

Here are the top matchups to watch in Sunday’s game:

Bucs WR Mike Evans vs. Browns CB Denzel Ward

(AP Photo/Alex Menendez)

Evans is obviously one of the best in the game at his position, but so is Ward. Both have lived up to the hype and expectation that comes with being a top-10 draft pick, which should make it must-see TV every time they line up across from one another Sunday.

Evans has played through multiple injuries so far this season, but the bye week should have allowed him some time to get healthier. At 5-11, Ward may give up plenty in the size department to Evans (6-5), but he’s still one of the best cover men in the league.

Browns' RBs vs. Bucs' front seven

(Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Tampa Bay’s rushing defense was struggling for a long stretch earlier in the season, but they bounced back with impressive performances against the Rams and Seahawks, playing a huge role in both victories.

Nick Chubb spearheads one of the league’s best ground attacks, and Kareem Hunt is one of the better backup runners in the league, which should challenge the Bucs’ stout defensive front. Tampa Bay has the personnel to slow them down, but it’ll be much easier said than done.

Browns WR Amari Cooper vs. Bucs CBs Carlton Davis III & Jamel Dean

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

He may not be getting the attention he was earlier in his career, but Cooper has quietly put together an impressive 2022 season in Cleveland, reminding opponents that he’s still one of the best route-runners and big-play threats in the league.

Tampa Bay has one of the league’s better corner tandems in Davis and Dean, both of whom have the length and physicality to win at the line of scrimmage, and in contested-catch situations. Don’t be surprised if the Bucs roll their safeties to Cooper’s side, and try to force a different receiver to beat them through the air.

Story originally appeared on Buccaneers Wire