The Browns are riding high after winning a nail biter against the Bengals on Sunday and these are the three good and bad things from that game.
The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are two sides of the same coin. They’re both young, offensively driven teams, that have utilized their pieces to the best of their ability and have put up some impressive numbers this year. The thing that separates them is solely an ability to pull out wins. The Browns know how to win games, the Bengals don’t; not yet. The Bengals have put up fights against everyone but the Baltimore Ravens. So far through their season, every loss has been by four points or less.
The Bengals are not a bad team or a joke team. They’re a tough out that are finding their way; which makes the Browns wins over them all the more impressive.
The Browns are moving on from Pittsburgh and not carrying the criticism from week to week. This was a team that if you listened to the talking heads were about to pull the chord on Baker Mayfield after a bad week in Pittsburgh. Despite all the Browns failing to step up. Stephen A. Smith said that Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry should request trades. Collin Cowherd called Mayfield a little boy.
They’re eating a big bowl of “you don’t know what you’re talking about” on Monday.
The Good
Baker Mayfield
After a brutal 1st quarter, Baker Mayfield did not miss another pass the rest of the game. Yes, technically he did when he spiked the ball on the second to last play, but that shouldn’t count. Mayfield completed 21 straight passes, setting a new franchise record for most consecutive completions. Mayfield also tossed 292 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Not a bad day considering so many people bought the weak-Colin Cowherd-argument that the Browns were winning in spite of Mayfield, not because of him. Let’s be clear, Mayfield single handily won the Bengals rematch for the Browns. It’s time to sit down and stop clamoring about Mayfield not being “good enough”. He clearly is. He might not turn into Peyton Manning, but if that’s the bar you need to clear for a franchise quarterback, you’ll always be looking.
Mayfield is now tied for 6th in the NFL in touchdown passes.
The Step Up Crew
That’s what the trio of Harrison Bryant, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Rashard Higgins will be dubbed going forward, especially if they keep playing this way later in the season. Truthfully, Higgins and Bryant’s big day wasn’t surprising but the arrival of Peoples-Jones was. Peoples-Jones looked lost and made some boneheaded plays early on in the season, but his ability to catch a picture-perfect pass from Mayfield in the final seconds of the game will live on as one of the most iconic images from this season.
The two stars on defense
Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward did their jobs and earned their paychecks. The rest of the defense looked lost, but Garrett and Ward showed up. The talks of Garrett being a real MVP is pretty far fetched but against a bad Bengals offensive line, Garrett did exactly what was expected of him. Garrett had two sacks, two tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, and a QB hit. See how much of a difference it makes when you actually make a play, and not just “pressure”? Ward for his credit had six tackles and three pass deflections, and each play he made was needed because no one stepped up beside these two.
The Bad
The secondary
Frankly, the safeties have played better but that’s like saying bread and water is better than starving. Sure, but it’s still not desirable. The biggest problems have been the other cornerbacks, mostly Kevin Johnson and Terrence Mitchell. They’re almost always getting picked on whenever they’re on the field and for good reasoning. It’s part of the reason why the safeties are constantly coming from out of nowhere because the corners blew their assignments. The Browns need to go get a second starter opposite Ward.
The linebackers
The whole lot of them are awful. None of them can tackle, none of them can cover, none of them can blitz. So many fans constantly bemoaned “OH I LIKE JOE SCHOBERT BUT NOT AT THAT PRICE”. That’s the price of a Pro Bowl linebacker folks. The Browns linebackers are the biggest joke in the NFL. The whole lot should be considered on the bubble for the offseason. They gave up big running plays, and so passing over the middle it’s ridiculous. The Browns need to invest some money in upgrades right away. This team won’t win a playoff game with these three starting.
Odell Beckham
This one is a twofer. On one hand, Odell Beckham‘s on the list because of his injury and how it happened. Leaping for a tackle? Yikes. Beckham tore his ACL on that play and is done for the year. After three years of injury-plagued play, it seems Beckham is just that player now. The second reason Beckham is on this list is how the team played without him. With Jarvis Landry’s hip, Wyatt Teller still being out, and Nick Chubb still hurt, Mayfield single-handily carried this team to a win. Sure the receivers had some big plays, but that’s in part to Mayfield’s percession passing. With regards to Beckham, in both Cleveland and New York his attitude has always been a disruption according to those who’ve worked with him. Mayfield hasn’t been consistent since Beckham joined the Browns. If Mayfield continues to roasts teams to close out 2020, talented or not, it’d be time to shuttle Beckham off to somewhere else.
Conclusion
The Browns are legit contenders for a playoff spot and arguably the fifth-best team in the AFC, behind the Titans, Chiefs, Steelers, and Ravens. This is a Browns team that could realistically finish with 11 wins minimum on the season. That’s a very real possibility. The Browns have the Raiders next before going on to their Bye Week.
Nick Chubb is expected to be back for the Nov. 15 encounter with the deflated Houston Texans and by then the team may set to really make a run for a title. With so many teams looking like they’re going to start their fire sales, including (but not limited to) the Texans, who knows what the Browns will look like by the time they’re back on the field against Houston.
Top to bottom the Browns defensively are a bad group, with two very good players and nine very “whatever” players. Maybe in a unit that has some better guys around them Andrew Sendejo and Mack Wilson would look better. Maybe if Ronnie Harrison can stay consistent and healthy the secondary as a whole will improve. It’s clear that the Browns favor Sendejo over Karl Joseph, so we can consider the safties set for at least the rest of the season.
That means upgrading the other defensive end spot and any (if not all three) of the linebackers should be a priority going forward.
The Browns on offense are for real, with all five wins coming with 30 points to their names, it’s undeniable. This team will look different with a healthy Nick Chubb and Wyatt Teller as well. Until then, however, the Browns may want to consider trading for another wide receiver.
Either way, this team is legit. Get ready for a fun second half.