by Laddie Morse
The Cleveland Browns could be the Kansas City Chiefs toughest opponent this season, and it just so happens to the their first game of the season. Back in January, it took a Chad Henne pass to Tyreek Hill on 4th and short with 1:14 seconds left to lock down a 22-to-17 win in over the Browns.
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A five point margin of victory. That’s the same game QB Patrick Mahomes went out with a concussion with about 7:30 left in the 3rd quarter. The Browns out scored the Chiefs 14-to-3 in the second half and if K.C. plays the same way in this game as they did in that game, the result may be very different. When you consider that the game was played in Arrowhead, it makes the Homefield advantage, well, an advantage that probably made the difference.
The good news for the Browns is, they are an improved team since then and all of those major improvements have been on defense including:
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- Signing FA MLB Anthony Walker
- Signing FA Safety Joe Johnson
- Signing FA DE Jadeveon Clowney
- Signing FA CB Troy Hill
- Signing FA DT Malik Jackson
- Drafting LB Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah
- Drafting CB Greg Newsome
- Healing of Safety Denzel Ward
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Admittedly, Ward has had six injuries in his three year career, so staying healthy is primary, but when he is healthy, he’s a difference maker. The quality of players the Browns added far outweigh the players they lost which includes: DT Larry Ogunjobi, DT Sheldon Richardson, CB Kevin Johnson, CB Terrace Mitchell, and DEs Olivier Vernon and Adrian Clayborn.
With Cleveland boasting one of the top offensive line units to not only protect Baker Mayfield, but to open holes for the running back talents of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, any team they face will have their hands full. Especially when you consider their other skill position player: WRs Jarvis Landry and WR O’Dell Beckham, plus Tes Austin Hooper and David Njoku.
Sure, the Chiefs have a tough schedule, so it’s no small statement to say the Brown are the toughest game on their schedule. A tougher game than the Ravens or the Steelers games? Yes. The Browns probably win that division. A tougher game than the Bills or the Titans? Probably, yes. A tougher game than the Packers game. Once again, the answer is likely yes. The Browns are loaded and no one in Chiefs Kingdom, especially the players, should be taking them for granted.
It’s also probably an advantage for the Chiefs that they are drawing the Browns as a first game, Home Opening, opponent. After a year of minimal crowds, Arrowhead should be packed to the gills and emotions will be running high because of it. While the Chiefs new offensive linemen appear to have had time to get to know one another, which clearly helps in their gellign process, it;s hard ot see the Browns having the same luck while bringing in so many new faces to a defense which will have to be at the top of it’s game facing the best quarterback in the history of the game.
That’s not to take away from Travis Kelce and where he may end up as the all time best TE:
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Yep, that’s Denzel Ward that he beat in route to a TD.
Nor is this to say that Tyreek Hill isn’t being considered one of the best WRs in the game right now… as long as he isn’t killed by his own lineman first:
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While I’m convinced that the Cleveland Browns will put up a rousing fight on Sunday, the Chiefs have made enough changes of their own this offseason to not only make a difference in their roster, but a huge change in the way they approach the games they play.
Versatility
The versatility that the Chiefs present on both sides of the ball is part of the team’s call to arms. In the defensive backfield DB coaches, Dave Merritt and Sam Madison, have Tyrann Mathieu, Daniel Sorensen, L’Jarius Sneed, Juan Thornhill, Charvarius Ward, and now Mike Hughes, who can all play any position on the back end. Along the defensive front, DL coach Brendan Daly has many players who can play inside or out including: Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Jarran Reed, and Tershawn Wharton. That versatility gives them the flexibility to change coverages from play to play without opposing QBs, or OCs, able to call out coverages they can be sure about. Any time the defense can confuse the offense, they have a big leg up.
On Offense, Andy Reid has all of his RBs, WRs, and TEs, learn all receiver positions and routes. That kind of interchangeability gives Patrick Mahomes so many more choices, which also confuses the defenses he faces. Another huge leg up.
Retired All-Pro OC and NFL analyst Jeff Saturday says the Browns have the best chance to “de-throne” the Chiefs:
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“They’ve [the Browns] improved in the defensive backfield with [Troy] Hill and [John] Johnson coming over from the Rams, and they added Jadeveon Clowney to help [Myles] Garrett pass rush, which we know is going to be an issue…. The Chiefs defense will not match up well…[The Browns] can run the ball. Baker Mayfield can exploit it down the field with play-action if they do control the line of scrimmage. This is a team that would be built to give the Chiefs a ton of problems.”
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Saturday spells out exactly how the Browns can beat the Chiefs:
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“If they control the line of scrimmage, which is the thing you gotta do to the Chiefs, right?” Spears questioned. “That’s something the Browns can do. They can bleed you with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and the screen game and the quick passing game from Baker and getting the ball in these guys’ hands. The Browns are more suited to put together 12, 13 play drives.”
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While the Chiefs have dramatically improved their pass rush this offseason, far less has been made of their run game defense. That’s because, they haven’t made a big deal out of it. Does that mean it won’t be an emphasis? Not at all. Remember, Jarran Reed was drafted as a 2nd round run stuffing specialist by Seattle in 2016. However, it’ll take more than a good game vs the run by Reed for the Chiefs to stifle Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Both Derrick Nnadi and Khalen Saunders — who had a great offseason — will have bigs roles to play in stopping Chubb and Hunt.
That’s also where the Chiefs 2nd round draft pick this year, LB Nick Bolton, comes into play. Although there are many who are down on Anthony Hitchens, he had a very good second half of the 2020 season and his strength is stopping the run, plus he’s also trimmed down and toned up this offseason to improve his speed.
Consequently, the way the Chiefs play the run vs the Browns is the way to keep your finger on the pulse of this game. If the DL and the LBs stop Cleveland’s running game, the Browns will be a far less effective offense.
The way the Chiefs offense matches up against the Browns defense will be where the Chiefs make hay. Either way, this game figures to be a closely fought battle and could turn into a shootout, much the way the game turned out that way when Baker Mayfield faced Patrick Mahomes in college (a 66-to-59 win for Mayfield). However, I certainly doubt the score will be quite as stratospheric. The big difference now is that Mahomes has mucho multi-talented and gifted players — on both sides of the ball — to play with.
Tough game? Yes. However, if K.C. can beat the Browns, it could signal the beginning of a long roll to 17 straight wins and a first perfect season since the 1972 Dolphins.
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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