The playoffs are within reach for the Cleveland Browns. Can a few bold predictions and a little luck get this team in them?
This was supposed to be an even better season for the Cleveland Browns after their fantastic 2020 season where they made it to the playoffs for the first time in forever. Unfortunately, the Browns have been stuck in the mud all season and the team hasn’t been able to gain any type of traction and it’s made for a disappointing year so far.
I’ve analyzed the latest scenarios on Cleveland trying to back their way into the playoffs. They aren’t that farfetched, but they’ll still need some help from other teams.
The easiest understanding of the Browns playoff hopes focuses on the team beating both the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night – in what might be Ben Roethlisberger’s last game against Cleveland – and then beating the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 18.
While the Browns lost to the Steelers earlier in the year, they did play one of their best games against the Bengals in Cincinnati over a month ago. If the team can do this and win both then they will still need help from either the Steelers or Los Angeles Rams to beat the Baltimore Ravens in either game. If that happened then they will win the AFC North Division, which is their only legitimate avenue to the playoffs at this point.
The Browns lost another heartbreaker this past Christmas Day when they played the Packers up in Green Bay. Quarterback Baker Mayfield had one of his worst games in the NFL when he gift-wrapped four interceptions to the Packers defenders. Those interceptions led to touchdowns for the Packers who are leading the NFC side of the NFL with a solid 12-3 record. When you see that Mayfield threw four interceptions and the Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown four total interceptions on the season then you know you have a problem as a team.
So, with only two weeks of the regular season left can the Browns take advantage of their opportunities and sneak into the playoffs after their subpar season under sophomore coach Kevin Stefanski? With that question let’s jump into some bold predictions for these last two games that will have your heart pounding anxiously and you holding your breath every time Mayfield steps back to throw the football.
Cleveland Browns Bold Prediction No. 1: Baker Mayfield will NOT throw another interception the rest of the season.
If you’re like me, at this point, every time Baker Mayfield falls back in the pocket with the ball ready to launch the ball to let’s say the moon, I’m grimacing with one eye closed and hoping the pass isn’t headed to his opponent like it was four times in this last game against the Green Bay Packers. Those four could have been six easily if his opponents didn’t have butterfingers. Mayfield has been the poster child of inconsistent quarterback play all season long.
He only has 15 touchdown throws to his 11 interceptions on the year now. To all those Mayfield faithful fans out there, he had 27 touchdowns to 14 interceptions his rookie season. He also threw the ball for over 3,725 yards. In the Packers game, the Browns again were within a score of beating their opponent, Mayfield again failed in his attempt at the comeback win.
In games against the Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs he had similar opportunities The bright lights affect Mayfield in a big way, and he hasn’t been able to come through as the hero.
So, with that unnerving fact, I’m taking a leap of faith and bolding going where no one has gone, recently and say that Mayfield finds his youthful and aggressive self again and plays excellent football the next two games. He will not throw another interception.
If he can do it in the past, he can do it again. Last season he went eight out of the last nine games of the year without throwing a pick. His only blemish late last year was the one interception he threw against the Baltimore Ravens in that epic 47-42 loss.
With Mayfield playing solid football and taking care of the ball like it was the last game of his career, the Browns will use Mayfield’s efforts to propel them to victories.
Cleveland Browns Bold Prediction No. 2: Nick Chubb looks to reach No. 5 on all-time franchise rushing list
If you haven’t been paying attention to the Browns best offensive weapon this season in their running back Nick Chubb, you might not know that he is climbing the franchise all-time rushing leader board at a fast clip. In only 56 games, Chubb today stands at No. 7 all-time on that list with 4,700 yards gained. He’s about to eclipse Cleveland great Marion Motley who sits at No. 6 with 4,712 yards. At No. 5 with 5,123 yards is the former Browns legend, Kevin Mack.
Just to give some perspective on how quickly Chubb is climbing this impressive ladder, Mack and Motley both played in 99 games to reach their numbers. If you’re a mathematician, that’s 43 more games than Chubb has played in. I call that tremendous and Hall of Fame quality.
Chubb has never gone for more than 176 yards in any one game. He’s had a few career games of plus 160 yards. Last week he fished with 126 yards on only 17 carries.
If coach Kevin Stefanski would utilize his star back more then he could very well get ever so close to Mack’s number. If Chubb can’t get there this season, he’ll certainly cruise by it next season.
Not out of the realm of possibilities is that Chubb could land in the No. 3 position by the end of next year if he were to stay healthy. Former Cleveland running back Mike Pruitt holds that slot with 6,540 yards and he did that in 124 games. Chubb will get there soon if not by next season, it’ll be the season after and likely do it in under 80 games. That’s such an impressive accomplishment.
Cleveland Browns Bold Prediction No. 3: Myles Garrett will reach 20 sacks on the season
Myles Garrett stands at 15 sacks so far this year. He now has the record for most sacks by a Brown all time. He has these next two games to reach 20 sacks and based on how he’s done in the past against the Steelers and the Bengals I believe he’ll reach that mark. He has six sacks against the Steelers in his career and six and a half against the Bengals.
He was credited with one and a half sacks against the Bengals and one sack against the Steelers in his matchups with both teams earlier this year. A year ago, he recorded three sacks against the Bengals, so obtaining five more sacks between these next two games is possible. He has been hindered by a groin injury these last few weeks, but I look for Garrett to step up big in both these next two games.
Cleveland Browns Bold Prediction No. 4: Jarvis Landry will triple his touchdowns on the season
With only one receiving touchdown to his credit this year, Jarvis Landry is due a few more before this regular season comes to a close. He has two more touchdowns on rushes this year, but his one touchdown receiving is the worst of his career.
Landry had his most touchdowns as a Brown in 2019 when he caught six. His overall numbers have all been down since he arrived in Cleveland from the Miami Dolphins back in 2018. In his last season with the Dolphins, he had nine scores.
These last two years with the Browns have been some of his worst in the NFL since he began his career in 2014. This year in 10 games he’s only totaled 452 yards. He had one game this year where he climbed over 100 yards in a game. The Browns will need Landry to step up in these next two games if they are going to have a chance at the victories.
Cleveland Browns Bold Prediction No. 5: Browns win out and make playoffs
Yes, I said it and it is a real possibility. The Browns truly face elimination now in these next two games and their backs are against the wall. Last season, Cleveland had to beat the Steelers in the regular-season finale, and they came through and beat a team they had a history of losing to.
The following week Cleveland humiliated Pittsburgh in the first-round playoff game and left Ben Roethlisberger crying on the bench. This season the Browns lost to a mediocre Steeler squad because they played poorly and made too many mistakes in the closing moments of the game. I see the Browns stepping up and playing a big game and winning on Monday Night Football.
In the last week of the season, the Cincinnati Bengals will visit Cleveland. It’ll likely be ice cold and a snowstorm on January 9th when they play. The Browns will look to their best offensive player in Nick Chubb to carry them to a win and the AFC North Division title. Book it!