COVID-ravaged Cleveland Browns have been here before as Raiders await

The Cleveland Browns have been decimated by a COVID-19 outbreak at time when the playoffs are still within reach.

A win against the Las Vegas Raiders would continue to improve the Browns chances of making back-to-back postseasons for the first time the late 1980s, when Bernie Kosar was under center.

With currently 18 players out, can the Browns somehow find a way to beat the Las Vegas Raiders?

Like everyone else, I’m talking to myself about the Browns trying to sort out whether this team still has a shot.

OK, so do the Cleveland Browns have a shot?

My homerism runs deep. Heck, I had the Browns winning a Super Bowl with DeShone Kizer under center. No, I never wrote such a thing, because I’m not crazy, but in my heart, I always carried the hope.

The Browns have their backs against the wall, but Malcom Smith lifted my spirits when he was asked whether the game should be postponed.

"“No. I would rather knock the games out to be honest with you,” he said. “We have the game on the schedule this week. Let’s go out, and if we have enough guys to play it, we have to play it. I do not see why waiting or moving it. ‘Oh, maybe it will be better it will be better later.’ Who knows? It could get worse. Let’s play the game.”"

That’s the attitude you want the guys in the locker room to have. There’s no wallowing or feeling sorry for themselves. Play the game with who you’ve got. It’s not ideal, but it’s a fighting attitude.

That’s all well and good, but do Cleveland Browns actually have a shot?

They’re the underdogs, but yeah, they’ve got a shot. It’s the Raiders, not John Elway and the Broncos. Las Vegas has its own organization problems it’s dealing with.

Plus, even though he won’t be there, the Kevin Stefanski Browns seem to be at their best with their backs against the wall.

Remember at the end of last season when they lost to the Jets when the receiving corps was decimated by a COVID outbreak? They lost that game, but rebounded in the finale against Pittsburgh and then, of course, whipped the Steelers in the playoff game.

In that contest, Stefanski was relegated to watching from his basement. Offensive linemen were being plucked off the street. The defense stepped up and it all worked out.

Myles Garrett is still going to be there on Saturday. Jadeveon Clowney and Denzel Ward will be there, too. The defense is the strength of this team right now and even though John Johnson won’t be there, Joe Woods’ crew can get it done.

But Baker Mayfield played in that playoff game.

True, but these Cleveland Browns don’t get into shootouts–especially right now when the offense struggles when everyone is healthy. Case Keenum is a veteran who knows how to get the ball out of his hands. He managed the game in Denver and can do it against the Raiders.

Keenum, Mayfield, doesn’t matter, that Cleveland Browns o-line is a mess!

The Browns were already weakened at the position with Jack Conklin going down with a season ending injury. Now, Jedrick Wills and Wyatt Teller are out.

James Hudson will probably start at one of the tackle spots, as will Blake Hance. My guess would be that Michael Dunn will fill in at one of the guard spots, while Joel Bitonio will still be in the lineup.

Again, Keenum’s not going to throw 35 passes. At least, he better not. Now’s not the time to mixing in too many confusing pass blocking schemes. When you run the ball, you move forward. Give the ball to Chubb and forge ahead!

Is there any way this game gets postponed?

There’s no way this game will be postponed. It’s a Saturday game. The NFL is counting on the programming. If the Browns have a team, even if it’s fifth-stringers, they’ll play.