THIS IS A NIGHTMARE - Browns Week 16 Preview Presented By Skyhio
This Cleveland Browns preview is presented by Skyhio. Skyhio offers reduced prices on Delta 8 THC, a legal and more functional alternative to Delta 9 THC, which is the active component of marijuana. Head to Skyhio.com and check them out. Thank you to Skyhio!
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This is a nightmare scenario.
The Browns can go 11-5 and miss the Playoffs, and the scenario isn't all that crazy. If the Browns finish 1-1 (they end with the Steelers), and the Colts win out (@ PIT, vs. JAX), the Ravens win out (vs. NYG, @ CIN), and the Dolphins win their final game (@ BUF), the Browns would miss the Playoffs at 11-5.
NOTE: Many assume the Bills will wrap-up the 2-seed if they beat the Patriots on Monday Night Football, and rest their starters in Week 17.
This scenario is also alive because of…
…thanks, Jon Gruden.
Here's the interesting thing: if the Steelers lose today, the Browns, if they beat the Jets, would be alive to win the division in Week 17 when they host Pittsburgh. But that would likely come with a "win-or-go-home" scenario.
Who do you root for as a Browns fan? Do you pull for the Steelers, in a desperate plea to just make the Playoffs? Or do you root for the Colts, punt the Playoffs clinch, and hope they can win the fucking division? I side with the division, but Browns fans are running around like chickens with their heads chopped off this morning.
Can you blame us? No Playoffs since 2002. First winning season since 2007. Possibly missing the Playoffs IN AN EXPANDED FIELD at 11-5. The division title still alive. It's a lot to take in, especially coming off of a ridiculous game in Las Vegas last night that really gives you that "the Football Gods hate the Browns" feeling.
The one positive in all of this is pretty simple: the Browns control their own destiny. If they win out, they're in.
This is what the Browns have left:
- vs. Houston (W)
- vs. Philadelphia (W)
- @ Jacksonville (W)
- @ Tennessee (W)
- vs. Baltimore (MNF) (L)
- @ New York Giants (SNF) (W)
- @ New York Jets
- vs. Pittsburgh
Oh, did I forget to mention this?
That's right. You thought this would be an easy game against the Jets? NOPE!
The Browns have to win today without their top four wide receivers, top two linebackers, the best guard in the NFL, and, as of just this morning, their stud rookie left tackle.
People give me shit for being negative and having constant dread with the Browns, but, I mean, come on! This would only happen with the Cleveland Browns folks, only the Browns. What a mess.
We need positive energy. So why not channel it with Baker Mayfield's debut two seasons ago?
POSITIVE VIBES ONLY.
NOTE: The lines may have changed since this graphic was made…
Rinse and repeat, I split my picks last week, this time hitting the spread, but losing the game total.
I still think the Browns win this game, and -6.5 (could maybe find an even better line) is more than manageable when you have Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt. As for the total, I have to make the rare call and go with the under. Last week against the Giants, Kevin Stefanski tried to shorten the game and take the air out of the ball. He succeeded, the game moved quickly, and with little action. I expect him to try and do the same, seeing as to how the Browns have… no receivers.
PICKS: Browns -6.5, UNDER 43.5
SEASON RECORD: 15-11 (ATS: 6-8, O/U: 10-4)
CLEVELAND OUT: Wyatt Teller (OG), Jacob Phillips (LB), B.J. Goodson (LB), Jedrick Wills (OT), Rashard Higgins (WR), Jarvis Landry (WR), Donovan Peoples-Jones (WR), KhaDarel Hodge (WR)
CLEVELAND QUESTIONABLE: Malcolm Smith (LB)
NEW YORK OUT: Quinnen Williams (DL)
NEW YORK DOUBTFUL: Javelin Guidry (CB)
NEW YORK QUESTIONABLE: Jeff Smith (WR)
1) This is never good…
2) …
Props to this random guy for making this video six years ago, thank you, guy.
I have no further comments about the Close Contact stuff at this time.
…okay, time to make a comment. This is not ideal, I'll stick my neck out there and say it!
But what if I told you, it could be far worse?
The offensive line issues are bad, I won't sugarcoat that, but news that Kendall Lamm took first-team reps this week does calm me down a bit. And despite Wyatt Teller, arguably the league's best guard this year, being out, Nick Harris looked very solid in his place last week against a solid Giants front seven.
But while "all four main wide receivers are out" sounds terrible, the Browns offense really revolves around two healthy position groups: running back and tight end.
When it comes to using an abundance of running backs and tight ends, no one does it more than Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns…
Anyone who watches Browns games knows you'll often see Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt split out wide. Expect to see that early and often today, with the likes of Marvin Hall possibly sprinkled in here and there as the receiver option. We've seen Stefanski take some shots in 13 personnel, and Hall (who hasn't seen action for the Browns since being picked up from the Lions) has the speed to do that.
Shit, I'd expect to see them go with some receiver-less 23 personnel as well today, with Hunt, Chubb, Austin Hooper, Harrison Bryant, and David Njoku against the Jets. There is always a new wrinkle (Landry out of the backfield was last week's) that Stefanski likes to toss in there.
The Jets' secondary is fucking terrible, and they struggle to stop tight ends. It sounds like a recipe for some success today for Baker Mayfield, even without his wide receivers.
But, let's be honest, today will come down to the main duo on this team…
CHUNT
The Browns have to dance with the ones who got them to this point: Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt. The best running back tandem in the league, albeit with a banged-up offensive line, is going up against one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Pound the fucking round, let these two running backs eat the Jets up all day long.
It won't be easy today for the offense, and communication issues will likely be an issue, but you'd much rather this "next man up" Browns team face the Jets than almost anyone else in the league.
As for the defense, who knows with them.
This unit hasn't really forced any turnovers lately, but the Jets provide an opportunity to change that. While the Jets don't cough the ball up as much as other bad teams, this unit has an ability to make plays, especially up front.
The Jets have allowed the eighth-most sacks in the NFL, and now a few weeks removed from COVID-19, I think Myles Garrett is healthier and ready to try and reclaim the Defensive Player of the Year title he likely held a few weeks ago.
I will say this, it won't be a cakewalk for a Browns defense that is pretty… awful. Last week against a solid Rams defense (though, a team that likely got caught sleeping), Sam Darnold looked great…
The issues at linebacker, with signal-caller B.J. Goodson out, worries me more than the wide receiver issues, honestly. Last week against the Giants, coaching decisions deep in the red zone really sealed the deal early for the Browns as the Giants coughed up a handful of opportunities. Maybe Adam Gase will do the same, but the defense can't bank on that shit today.
Myles Garrett is going against a rookie, and the rest of the defensive line consistently gets a good pass rush. Darnold did a great job at getting rid of the football quickly last week, and the game remaining close will likely hang in the balance of how much of a pass rush the Browns can get.
Will Browns fans survive the day?
Easy answer: no.
Look at this!
You think Nick Chubb won't run wild on his birthday!?
Fuck the nevrvousness. This team is still good. Baker Mayfield can still win a football game and, most importantly, the Browns still have Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt.
PREDICTION: Browns defeat Jets, 30-13