With the Browns in the middle of a playoff chase in a packed field, Cleveland needs these players to step up against the Eagles on Sunday.
The Cleveland Browns are going to need to win every game they can if they want to distant themselves from the pack. The AFC playoff race just got crowded in the Wild Card race. The Dolphins have come on and made things harder for everyone else, with the Ravens, Titans, Colts, and Raiders all sitting at 6-3 as well. The playoff race is competitive and the Browns have quite possibly the best schedule to control their destiny.
The Browns have to win this game against the Eagles, and these are the men who must step up in Week 11.
Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield is going to be in for it on Sunday, as it’s going to be cold (44 degrees) and wet. Another banner day for football in Cleveland. Mayfield and both of the Browns opposing quarterbacks in the last two home games (Dereck Carr and Deshaun Watson) have struggled in the Cleveland weather recently. One game was snowy, the other game was very toronado-y. Now, a third straight game, and the weather conditions are going to be bad.
If Mayfield can have a mildly impressive game at the least, coupled with a win to send the team to 7-3, the town may finally accept Mayfield as their true quarterback for the future. After all, he’s put up better numbers than all but one or two Browns quarterbacks in franchise history, at a certain point even the detractors will need to accept that. A big win on Sunday, with a solid performance, may just be the tipping point to getting the public perception on his side finally.
Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb
The double dragon tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will do what Billy and Jimmy Lee did across the Double Dragon franchise, and that’s making the opposition hurt. Chubb and Hunt are the best one-two combo in the NFL, and with Hunt finally showing up after eight games of “meh”, Hunt and Chubb did something only four other tandems in Browns’ history has ever done before and that’s eclipse the 100-yard mark together in the same game.
Against the Eagles, the duo will need to up their game again, as it’s going to be a cold and rainy day. The only problem is the Eagles’ defense is not easy to get through. The rushing defense, however, does have holes and can be exploited. They’re 25th against the run, while the Browns are 4th in yards rushing. So a weak rush defense and difficult passing conditions will see the double-headed running attack get a lot of play.
If the Eagles can do what no other team has done and that’s limit the Browns’ league-best rushing team, then it’s very possible that the Browns will rely on Baker Mayfield to carry the team, something he’s been able to do across the first eight games. The Browns do have a winning record with Mayfield being the only consistent player through that stretch. So it’s not hard to fathom that Mayfield could win the game for the Browns.
Denzel Ward
The Eagles have a quarterback they’re trying to see what he can still do. Injuries and Nick Foles have sapped the team and fanbase of their confidence in Carson Wentz, and because of that, the future of the franchise quarterback is up in the air. His play in 2020 has been bad, completing just 58% of his passes, with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions to his name. He’s mistake-prone and part of the issue is the offensive line. They’re getting ripped apart and the Browns front four should look good against them.
That means that when Wentz fires off the inevitable bad throw, Denzel Ward needs to be there to step up. If Ward can force a turnover or two, then that will almost guarantee the game is locked in the Browns’ favor. Ward needs to shut down Travis Fulgham, the Eagles’ most consistent threat in the passing game. If Ward shuts him down, while forcing a turnover or two, then not only will the Browns win this game, it might be their first true blowout win of the season.
The Eagles have a good running game, but they don’t rely on it enough for it to really warrant any type of true consideration in threats. That might change against a very beatable Browns front-four, but until that happens, it’s Ward and secondary who needs to step up the most.