Cleveland Browns vs. Chiefs: Can the new staff upset Kansas City?

Writer: Mike Lukas

Imagine you’re halfway through a big road trip when you realize your GPS isn’t working right.

In fact, it’s only been correct twice and all the other times it’s had the nerve to blame the map designer.

Or the brand new tires.

Time to toss out that junker and snag a new GPS, or at least an interim one, right?

Damn skippy, says general manager John Dorsey, the man in charge of the Browns’ 2018 seasonal road trip.

With half the distance yet to go, the broken GPS that is Hue Jackson has been dumped and grouchy map maker Todd Haley has also been let go, both replaced by a few options that were already in the Browns’ sputtering vehicle.

Defensive coordinator Greg Williams will now direct the trip as the interim head coach while running backs coach Freddie Kitchens will now map out the offense as its coordinator.

And despite all those new team features, rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield will have to continue to develop his offensive driving skills.

Now in Week 9, the 7-1-0 Kansas City Chiefs will bring their 3rd ranked, well-oiled scoring machine to Cleveland and dare the ‘interim’ Browns to interrupt their surprising race to the AFC title.

Good thing the Chiefs’ defense is second worst in the league.

Kansas City allows their opponents to score 25.6 points per game, which apparently isn’t a problem when your offense scores a league-leading average of 36.2 points every time.

The Browns will need Kitchens to take an offense ranked 24th in total yards, points, and passing yards and outscore a Chiefs franchise that easily ranks top five in all those same categories.

Can GPS Williams inspire more discipline? The Browns’ past road was bumpy with 8.1 penalties per game, tied for second-worst in the league, so it can’t get much worse.

Can Map Maker Kitchens game plan Mayfield’s winning roadways?

For what it’s worth, in the one preseason match-up where Kitchens was the Browns play caller, the team scored 35 points, gained 422 total yards and had 22 first downs, so it’s possible.

Can the Browns offense fight through the distractions and find a way to execute Kitchens’ new game plan designed to keep pace with the oft-scoring Chiefs?

They figured out how to score 42 points in Week 4 against the Oakland Raiders’ higher ranked defense, so it’s possible.

Can the Browns offensive line protect Mayfield from unnecessary collisions and give him more than 2-seconds to gun his engine?

After three 5-sack weeks in a row, last week against the Steelers  Mayfield was only sacked twice, so it’s possible.

Can the Browns defense hold down the Chiefs’ young quarterback phenom Patrick Mahomes and All-Rookie running back Kareem Hunt and speedy receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins and Second-team All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce?

They did against the playoff-bound Saints, Ravens and Steelers (the first time), so it’s absolutely possible.

Who knows, with their new no-nonsense GPS and a more creative map maker, the talented young Browns might just live up to their hype (and talent) and have a better rest-of-their-journey with a few more wins than in the first half.

And there’s no better place to start a surprising Browns road trip like that than at home in Cleveland.

Predicted score: Browns 27, Chiefs 24

It’s entirely possible.