For the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns, visiting London on this unique business trip doesn't require any personal travel insurance. They're overseas this week on behalf of the NFL, after all, and its persistent pursuit of growing into a truly global game.

Their quarterbacks are sure going to need some kind of protection plan, though.

Two of the league's least effective and most turnover-prone offenses through the first four weeks of this season will take the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, with a daunting defense eagerly waiting on the other side to take advantage of any and all weaknesses.

Injuries on the offensive line have clearly contributed to the struggles for both the Vikings and the Browns, but the issues are deeper than that. Naturally, without their optimal front five, keeping other problems from growing bigger thus becomes even more of a challenge. Neither team has played with the same offensive line combination in any of the first four games.

“Never, ever question their effort,” said Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz, who will make his third start in relief of the injured J.J. McCarthy. “That’s one thing I think has been constant no matter who is in there.”

Wentz will be missing three starters in front of him, with right tackle Brian O'Neill sidelined by a knee injury and center Ryan Kelly out indefinitely with a concussion. Left guard Donovan Jackson will miss his second straight game after wrist surgery. Kelly's backup, Michael Jurgens, did not practice Wednesday or Thursday because of a hamstring injury. Wentz and the Vikings must contend with a dominant defensive line led by four-time All-Pro Myles Garrett, after taking six sacks in the 24-21 loss to Pittsburgh in Dublin last week to fall to 2-2.

“You’re asking guys to step in there. You’re asking guys to play against some premier players for sure and try to use the game plan as much as we can, at least as a starting point,” Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said.

The Browns, off to their second straight 1/3 start, are averaging just 14 points per game and have turned the ball over eight times. Coach Kevin Stefanski benched veteran Joe Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel, who will be the 41st different starting quarterback for the Browns since they came back to the NFL in 1999, including the 12th in Stefanski’s six seasons.

The Browns are also starting their ninth quarterback since 2022 and fifth in nine games, with Gabriel following Joe Flacco, who started the first four games. The Browns have continued to pay a steep price for moving on from Baker Mayfield after the 2021 season and trading for Deshaun Watson.

The Browns, who recently acquired veteran Cam Robinson in a trade with Houston for a potential fill-in, lost left tackle Dawand Jones to a season-ending leg injury. Right tackle Jack Conklin has missed the past three games with an elbow injury and remains uncertain to play this week.

Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores ought to be at his play-calling best, generating pressure on a rookie passer flanked by backup tackles.

“It's a very, very good scheme, with very good players from front to back,” Stefanski said. “They do a lot. I think what they’re doing is simple to them, and they want it to look hard to the offense, and they have a lot of versatility along their front, a lot of versatility in the back end where they can line people up in different spots.”

Settling in

The Vikings were in England all week after playing the Steelers in Ireland, an NFL first. The Vikings are 4-0 all time in London, where they'll play for a third time in four years.

"I’m excited for these types of games. I’m excited to play in front of new fans and a new atmosphere,” wide receiver Justin Jefferson said. “I always enjoy these types of trips, and at the end of the day, we’ve got to come here and get a win. Especially coming from that loss last week. We can’t come on this trip and be 0-2.”

Gabriel’s turn

Dillon showed during the preseason a quick release and an effective mobility in the pocket, a trait the Browns have desperately needed given their offensive line troubles.

“Being able to ad lib, confidence as using your legs as a weapon is real in this day and age. But I think it’s a great combination of a lot of things,” Gabriel said. “You want to use it when you need to, not when you just feel like doing it. So I think moving when necessary is important and have confidence in that, but also throwing and make sure we’re running the offense the right way.”

Help him out

Stefanski could alleviate some pressure, literally and figuratively, on Gabriel by keeping the ball on the ground more. Cleveland's 34.3% run-play rate is the fourth lowest in the league despite rookie Quinshon Judkins averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. The Browns could also use more from their pass catchers. They've collectively dropped nine passes, the second most in the league. Jerry Jeudy leads the NFL with 17 dropped passes since the start of last season.

“I’m the biggest fan of Jerry,” Gabriel said. “I would be surprised to find anyone who thinks more highly of him than me, just the way he works, the way he attacks his day to day, but how much he loves the game as well. He shows his passion, and he’s a guy that we’re going to rely on.”

Run stoppers

Cleveland’s defense leads the league with an average of only 222.5 yards allowed per game. The per-game average of 70.3 rushing yards allowed is also tops. According to the NFL's Next Gen Stats, the Browns have allowed a net of minus-14 rushing yards before contact and have hit the ballcarrier before the line of scrimmage on 62.5% of opponent rush attempts. That's the highest rate through four games by any team since 2017.

So it’s not just the pass protection that will be a challenge for the patchwork offensive line the Vikings will send out on Sunday. Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger has 14 run stops, tied for fifth in the league. Garrett’s seven run stuffs — defined as tackles for no gain or negative yards — are the most among NFL edge rushers.

“No one can sit here and lie to you and say that we're not worrying about him,” Jefferson said. “We've always got to know where ‘95’ is and making sure that we're putting hands on him and slowing him down as much as possible. If you allow him to be into the game and get the sacks, get the tackles for loss, that kind of gets everybody else's momentum up and they feed off that energy.”

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AP Sports Writers Ken Maguire in London and Joe Reedy in Cleveland contributed.

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