Given their historical past over the final dozen years or so, it is onerous to imagine the Cleveland Browns are nonetheless standing at 7-Three with a great shot at making this NFL playoffs this late into the 2020 season.
Despite accidents to some key gamers (Odell Beckham Jr.), inconsistent play from their quarterback (Baker Mayfield), extra organizational upheaval (first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski is the Browns’ fourth coach in three seasons) and even COVID-19 absences (Myles Garrett), the Browns are sitting in a great place to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season, and end with a successful document for the first time since the 2007 season.
In Week 11 this previous Sunday, the Browns beat the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles, 22-17. The loss dropped the Eagles to 3-6-1.
It was the Browns’ third straight residence game. Now they head into the closing stretch of the season with 4 of their remaining six video games on the street. On the shiny facet, included in these 4 street video games are weaker opponents like the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and New York Jets.
If the Browns win the video games they’re anticipated to win (Jags, Giants, Jets) and lose the video games they will doubtless be projected to lose (Titans, Ravens, Steelers), the Browns will nonetheless end 10-6. That’s main for a franchise that not too way back endured a stretch of two seasons (2016, 2017) that noticed them go 1-31, together with a winless season in 2017.
Browns win behind operating game, protection
On Sunday, the Browns had been led once more by operating again Nick Chubb and their floor game. Chubb rushed for 114 yards on 20 carries. Backup RB Kareem Hunt scored the solely offensive landing for the crew.
Baker Mayfield wasn’t nice, however the former No. 1 draft select continued to achieve the “game supervisor” position. He was 12 of 22 throwing the ball for 204 yards. For the third straight week, he did not throw an interception or throw a landing.
On the different facet, Eagles QB Carson Wentz threw two extra interceptions to increase his NFL lead in that class. Wentz got here into the game with a league-high 12 interceptions and 17 whole turnovers (he is additionally misplaced 5 fumbles). While Wentz did fumble as soon as towards the Browns, the Eagles recovered it, so that did not go towards his turnover depend. Wentz now has 14 picks and 5 misplaced fumbles for a complete of 19 turnovers.
Wentz threw a pick-six to Browns linebacker Sione Takitaki for the game’s first landing. Wentz’s landing move to Richard Rodgers tied the game in the second quarter, and his second TD with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tight finish Dallas Goedert pulled the Eagles to inside 5 factors.
The Eagles wanted to get better an onside kick after that, however the Browns secured the ball and the victory.
Published 25 Nov 2020, 00:20 IST
