Cleveland Browns: 5 Bold predictions vs. Chiefs in Divisional Round

Getting bold with predictions ahead of the Cleveland Browns next game

We are just days away from the Cleveland Browns facing off with the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. Hardly anyone expected them to be here, especially with the deck being stacked against them last Sunday.

Facing the AFC North Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns found themselves without head coach Kevin Stefanski and four assistants due to Covid-19. They were also down a couple of key players which included cornerback Denzel Ward and Joel Bitonio.

Even so, they came out like a team possessed and jumped out to a 28-0 lead before winning 48-37 — their first playoff win since 1994. Now, they’re ready to face the defending NFL Champions, which is an even tougher task.

As hard as it might seem to knock off the Chiefs, this Browns team has already proven they are built to shock the world. Here, we look ahead to that big game and make five bold predictions as they look to survive and advance to the next round.

5. D’Ernest finally takes one home

In recent weeks, D’Ernest Johnson has taken over as the primary kick returner for the Cleveland Browns and he’s been impressive in this role. He finished the season with 351 yards on 14 returns which was good for 25.1 yards per run back. He added another 83 yards on three returns against Pittsburgh which was an average of just under 28 yards.

During the regular season, his longest run back was 43 yards and he went for 33 against the Steelers for his best return. And in each of those cases, it seemed as though he was just one move from taking it to the house.

In this first bold prediction, Johnson finally does that. Look for the second-year running back to find a crease and score his first-career kickoff return for six on the biggest stage of his young career.