[ad_1]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. raised some eyebrows this week and captured the eye of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes when he tweeted “don’t be shocked when [the Browns] win.”
Mahomes “preferred” the tweet earlier than “unliking” it shortly thereafter, however Beckham is likely to be onto one thing: The Browns have a great opportunity of upsetting the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Chiefs for a minimum of a dozen causes, a lot of which Vegas missed when it put in the Browns as 10-point underdogs for this divisional spherical matchup Sunday afternoon.
The Browns, coming off their convincing 48-37 wild card rout of the Steelers, imagine they’ll storm into Arrowhead and knock off the 14-2 Chiefs on their strategy to the AFC Championship Sport, and nobody can shake their religion.
Whereas it’d seem to be a David and Goliath proposition, there are myriad explanation why it may possibly occur. Listed here are a few of them:
1. Mahomes faltered down the stretch
Arguably one of the best quarterback within the NFL, Mahomes performed his worst soccer of the season in his last 4 video games and should both revert to the man he was earlier than that, or the Browns will seize the second and rip the Superman cape off of his again.
In his last 4 video games, he didn’t have a ranking over 100.0 after six straight earlier than that. His last sport of the season, a slim 17-14 victory over the lowly Falcons, he had a 79.5 ranking — his lowest of the season. Not precisely the way in which you need to go bounding into the playoffs.
His completion proportion in his last two video games was a depressing 55.32% and 54.55%. In his last three video games, he threw 4 of his six interceptions, together with three in a victory over the Dolphins. He’s additionally fumbled 4 instances in his final 5 video games — dropping two — after fumbling solely as soon as within the earlier 10 video games.
He’s additionally been sacked 10 instances in his final 5 video games, after solely 12 within the earlier 10.
Granted, Browns defensive finish Myles Garrett is in an analogous stoop coming off COVID-19 with solely 2.5 sacks in his six video games again, however predicts an enormous sport in Ok.C.
If the Browns can hit Mahomes and rattle him, they’ll make the reigning Tremendous Bowl MVP appear mortal.
2. Baker Mayfield is scorching
Mayfield has been hotter than Mahomes down the stretch, throwing 14 touchdowns and just one interception in his final 10 video games. The truth is, profootballfocus.com has Mayfield graded increased than Mahomes since Week 9.
Mayfield has hit his stride on this play-action, wide-zone offense and has been dynamite. Within the purple zone, he’s deadly, producing touchdowns on virtually 75% of his journeys. As Browns backup quarterback Case Keenum advised cleveland.com final week, Mayfield is constructed for the purple zone along with his robust arm, mobility and accuracy.
With arguably one of the best offensive line within the NFL, one of the best operating again tandem within the league and a few superb receivers and tight finish, Mayfield has turn into unstoppable within the purple zone, and might harm the Chiefs if he will get there.
He should, nevertheless, not throw picks. The Chiefs are tied for the second-most interceptions within the NFL with 16, together with six by Tyrann Mathieu for No. 3 within the league. Profitable the turnover battle is crucial.
3. The Chiefs are final within the NFL in purple zone protection
The Browns’ purple zone success matches up effectively with the truth that the Chiefs’ protection is horrible contained in the 20. They’ve allowed 36 touchdowns in 47 journeys for 76.6% — which is final within the NFL. Of their final three video games, they’re permitting touchdowns on 81.82% of their opponent’s purple zone journeys.
The Chiefs can virtually rating at will. However the Browns can hold tempo or exceed them, particularly in the event that they penetrate the 20.
4. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt ought to have large days
I disagree with the notion the Browns should run the ball to play keepaway from Mahomes. I feel they’ll want to attain early and infrequently, and that they’ll throw it as a lot as they’ll run it, if no more.
However Chubb and Hunt can have probabilities for explosive performs towards a run protection that’s twenty first general and thirty first in Soccer Outsiders DVOA. The 2 backs hold one another recent to allow them to harm a workforce within the fourth quarter, and they’ll.
“It’s like a double-headed monster,” Chiefs security Tyrann Mathieu stated this week. “When one checks out of the sport, one other one is available in. Each of these guys are elite, I feel, in their very own approach.”
What’s extra, Hunt heads again to Kansas Metropolis with additional emotion for the workforce that reduce him in 2018 after video surfaced of his altercation with a lady at his downtown Cleveland house constructing.
Hunt nonetheless has loads of buddies on the Chiefs, and an ally in coach Andy Reid, however he’ll dig deep on this sport for the indignant runs that shall be a load for the Chiefs to deal with.
“I robotically play with anger so I’m going to seek out it,’’ Hunt stated. “You don’t have to fret about the place I’m going to seek out it.’’
5. Denzel Ward, Ronnie Harrison and Kevin Johnson are all again
Mahomes can harm a protection along with his legs, his loopy arm angles and his devastating no-look passes. He’s gentle years higher than Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for 501 yards within the Browns’ 48-36 wild card victory on Sunday.
However there have been three key defensive backs both lacking or severely restricted in that sport due to COVID-19 — Denzel Ward, Ronnie Harrison and Kevin Johnson. Harrison performed solely 11 snaps as a result of he had a false optimistic COVID-19 check final week and missed the lone apply of the week on Friday and the Saturday walk-through due to it.
Ward and Johnson, activated off the COVID-19 record on Wednesday, missed their second straight video games with the virus, which was an enormous purpose the Steelers had been in a position to shut inside 12 factors within the third quarter.
All three shall be again to full-time obligation Sunday, offering Ward and Johnson are totally recovered. It’s not the identical secondary that allowed Mason Rudolph to finish passes of 41, 41 and 47 yards two weeks in the past. In addition to, backup M.J. Stewart grabbed game-changing interceptions in every of the previous two video games.
6. The Browns offensive line ought to dominate
With left guard Joel Bitonio again from COVID reserve and proper deal with Jack Conklin anticipated to play regardless of injuring a hamstring final week, the Browns have the band again collectively, and it’s arguably one of the best offensive line within the NFL. The Chiefs, conversely, are twenty first vs. the run and nineteenth within the NFL with solely 32 sacks. The road dominated in Pittsburgh final week vs. T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Co., regardless of no Bitonio and dropping Conklin within the second quarter.
7. Chiefs main rusher Clyde Edwards-Helaire is ailing
Edwards-Helaire was restricted in apply on Wednesday, however then sat out Thursday and Friday along with his hip and ankle accidents and is questionable. If he doesn’t play, he’ll get replaced by previous Steelers nemesis Le’Veon Bell and Darrel Williams. Edwards-Helaire completed nineteenth within the NFL with 803 yards and rushed for 4 TDs.
It doesn’t assist the Chiefs that they’re with out former Browns proper deal with Mitchell Schwartz, who’s been on injured reserve with a again harm. The road isn’t nearly as good because the one which went to the Tremendous Bowl final 12 months.
8. Garrett predicts a monster sport
Garrett, who completed No. 6 within the NFL with 12 sacks, has had solely 2.5 in his six video games again from COVID-19, together with none within the final two. He additionally hasn’t pressured a fumble in his final eight video games after forcing 4 in his first seven. However there’s no time like Sunday towards the reigning Tremendous Bowl MVP for a breakout sport, and Garrett predicts he’ll have one.
“Completely,’’ he stated Friday. “This needs to be the sport to do it. I’m due. … Top-of-the-line groups within the league, if not one of the best workforce within the league, however they should go in there and so they should show it, and we now have to show that we are able to battle with anyone.”
Mahomes, who’s been sacked 10 instances in his final 5 video games, is aware of what he’s up towards.
“I’ve identified Myles for a very long time, being in highschool and belief me he was the very same dimension in highschool as he’s now, so I’m glad I didn’t play him then, however he’s an amazing participant, performs extraordinarily exhausting and has a ton of expertise,’’ Mahomes stated Wednesday. “They’ve expertise throughout that entire complete protection and so for us it’s about executing at a excessive degree, getting the ball out of my arms type of like I stated and let guys make performs and we’re going to should play our greatest soccer if we need to win a soccer sport on the finish of the day.”
9. The Browns teaching employees
This is a superb teaching employees that may match wits with Andy Reid and Co. Stefanski has confirmed to be a superb play caller, and the Browns have glorious schemes on each side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods was a part of a defensive employees that held Mahomes to 10 factors till the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ 31-20 Tremendous Bowl victory final 12 months. Offensive line coach Invoice Callahan is without doubt one of the greatest within the enterprise, as are others at their positions. They play sound soccer and don’t make many psychological errors. In the event that they play a clear sport, they’ll win.
10. They Poked the Bear Once more
Nobody gave the Browns an opportunity to beat the Steelers, and nobody provides them an opportunity to knock off the defending Tremendous Bowl champs, which is simply the way in which they prefer it. Steelers receiver Chase Claypool predicted they’ll “get clapped” and Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins said ‘I wouldn’t go that far’ when a Twitter fan noticed that the Browns would supply competitors.
“We’ll see what he thinks after the sport,’’ Hunt stated.
Mayfield thrives on being counted out like a vampire thrives on blood, and the Browns will use these slights to rise up for this sport. However insults apart, they’ve an unshakeable perception they’ll win.
Claypool calls the Browns ‘super classless’
“I don’t assume you’ll step on the sector until you imagine in your self,’’ Garrett stated. “You don’t get right here doubting your self, your capacity and your teammates, particularly not within the playoffs. We’re right here. We’d as effectively be nice.’’
Browns playoffs shirts, hats on the market: Here’s where Cleveland Browns fans can order shirts and hats celebrating the workforce qualifying for the 2020 NFL playoffs.
Extra Browns protection
Playing with house money? It doesn’t sound like it for these Browns
Garrett plans to ‘leave an impression’ on Mahomes; ‘I’m due’ for a big game
Browns vs. Chiefs: Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star previews Sunday’s game
Joel Bitonio activated off COVID-19 Friday; all coaches back too
Chiefs WR Watkins out for Sunday’s game; Jack Conklin questionable
Berry: ‘We wouldn’t be here’ without Mayfield’s contributions
Mahomes briefly ‘likes’ OBJ’s ‘don’t be surprised this weekend’ tweet
Not only are the Browns winners, I like this team! Pluto
Looking back at the 3 matchups between Mayfield and Mahomes
Mayfield vs. Mahomes: How the QBs graded week-to-week this season
[ad_2]
Source link