Browns Should Be Healthier For Chiefs
One of the aspects that made the Cleveland Browns victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers so impressive was the amount of players they were missing due to injuries as well as COVID-19, so as they are now headed to the divisional round, the Browns could get some badly needed help back for their game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Right tackle Jack Conklin left the game with a hamstring injury. It's unclear what his status is for next week, but left guard Joel Bitonio, who was named a second team All-Pro by the Associated Press could return as well as corners Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson. KhaDarel Hodge was missing from the receiver group and that was an issue in Pittsburgh at times.
Bitonio was replaced by Michael Dunn, who had a pretty remarkable performance against the Steelers before he left the game with a calf injury, replaced by Blake Hance, who quarterback Baker Mayfield met in the locker room before the game.
Hodge doesn't have a ton of production this season. He's caught just 11 passes in 9 games this year, but he has a knack for coming up with some key receptions as well as offering them the ability to stretch the field. Too often against the Steelers, the entire defense was up near the line of scrimmage with just a free safety back and the Browns had trouble moving the ball in the third quarter and early in the fourth.
The Steelers were able to clamp down on the running game while taking away the short passing game. It took the Browns a while to figure a way around it. Hodge could force the Chiefs defense to play deeper and create more space.
At corner, the Browns won two games with Robert Jackson as a starting corner. Normally a gunner who was kept on the practice squad in case something were to happen to Tavierre Thomas, he gave everything he had, but struggled.
M.J. Stewart filled in for Kevin Johnson and played well in the second game against Steelers. A beneficiary of the inability for the Steelers to run the ball, Stewart was able to tackle receivers, which is something he does at a high level. He also made an impressive catch for an interception.
Considering the matchup against the Chiefs, the Browns need all the speed in the secondary they can get. Ward and Johson offer more speed as well as raw coverage ability, which simply offers the Browns more options. And with a group of receivers that includes a ton of raw speed such as Tyreek Hill, they need all hands on deck.
Conklin never returned to the game and was replaced by Kendall Lamm. After the first snap, which ended with a holding penalty, he held his own against Watt in pass protection. The run blocking suffered some, but they did enough.
The Browns could also see the return of head coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive line coach Bill Callahan, assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters and tight ends coach Drew Petzing.
If the Browns are beyond this three week stretch where the facility seemed to be closed for a new positive test every day including a false positive on safety Ronnie Harrison, if the Browns are passed this, they can not only practice, but give the Chiefs their best shot in the divisional round.
The performance against the Steelers, with so many players and coaches out, having only practiced once this week, is the most impressive feat for the Browns since they came back in 1999. That's before considering it was in the playoffs.
The Chiefs are the top seed in the AFC and arguably the favorite to win the Super Bowl, so if the Browns are going to win, they will need their best players on the field and playing well.
