Category Archives: Browns

Browns must keep OBJ-Landry together

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The Cleveland Browns have no choice but to keep the dynamic wide receiver tandem together.

If the Cleveland Browns made roster decisions based off ideas that originated on Twitter they would be in a bad spot. There is some prevailing thought that Cleveland must move on from one, if not both Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. Not only is this thought incredibly dumb, it should never happen. The Cleveland Browns must keep the duo of OBJ and Landry together.

The salaries of OBJ and Landry

One of the biggest perceived obstacles is the contracts of Beckham and Landry. Both are due high salaries which results in a large percentage of their financial commitments being dedicated to one position group. OBJ has cap hits of over $15 million for the next three seasons while Landry sits at $14.7 million in 2021 and $16.5 million in 2022. The aspect most circle back around to is that Beckham has no dead cap after next season while Landry’s is $3 million for each of the next two seasons. This presents a reasonable out for the Browns if they choose to move on. Even with the opportunity to do so, they should not.

For those who only focus on the salary cap it can be tempting to try and move on from the duo. The temptation is to combine cheapness and performance in order to find some sort of less costly alternative to having to actually pay talented players. This may work for backup roles or third or lower receivers, but it simply does not work with the starting lineup. If a team actually wants to have production from a player who is not on a rookie deal, the price is going to be much higher than what some who have no say in the matter want to pay.

Browns are better off with more weapons on offense, not less

Based off his performance this past season, there are a lot of people making definitive statements on Baker Mayfield. The fact of the matter is that he is still a relative unknown product. The variance in performance shows a large margin of where Mayfield lands on the talent scale. Chances are after more information is learned that he will end up in the middle of that scale. The fact of the matter is that the Browns need as many weapons on offense as possible and keeping OBJ and Landry together in Cleveland will help elevate the play of Mayfield.

Having receivers such as Beckham and Landry in addition to others puts Mayfield in a position to succeed. Well, the receiving duo combined with the excellent coaching and scheming from Kevin Stefanski. Subtracting the best two receivers on the team from the equation would be foolish. There is no easy or less expensive alternative that would be an adequate replacement. This would result in opposing defenses keying in other players or aspects of the offense resulting in things being more difficult. Instead of sabotaging themselves according to an agenda of misguided individuals, the Browns are better off now and in the future by retaining both Beckham and Landry.

Browns can learn from the Rams and Jared Goff

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The Cleveland Browns can learn from the mistakes of the Los Angeles Rams.

On the surface there is not a connection between the Cleveland Browns and Jared Goff. After some brief information gathering reality starts to set in. The Los Angeles Rams have provided a template in what not to do with a quarterback and that should allow the Browns to handle their own quarterback situation correctly.

That quarterback situation of course is Baker Mayfield. Mayfield and Jared Goff are not that different, they require a certain type of offense with a certain talent level around them to be successful. Both quarterbacks began their career with less than adequate coaching and eventually found their way to a better coaching situation. It was then that the quarterbacks improved and appeared to be worthy of a contract extension, that is when the trouble started for Los Angeles. The Rams picked up Goff’s fifth-year option and just a few months later handed out a contract extension that has aged horribly. Goff’s contract has to be one of the worst quarterback deals in the league which is why so much draft capital was attached in order to acquire Matthew Stafford from the Lions.

So how does this relate to the Browns and Mayfield?

Here is how. Los Angeles was not able to determine who is more responsible for his turnaround. Was it Jared Goff himself or was it Sean McVay? As it turns out, it was clearly McVay. For the Browns they find themselves in the situation the Rams were once in. Not only do the Browns run an offense that at the core is similar to that of Los Angeles, they have a quarterback that succeeded in it.

Cleveland now needs to determine who is more responsible for the success of Baker Mayfield during the second half of the 2020 season. Was it Mayfield or Kevin Stefanski? This one is even easier than the question for the Rams, it is Stefanski. Stefanksi is the reason why the offense was catered to Mayfield’s strengths. It was Stefanski who schemed players open which gave Mayfield easy passes to complete and put him in a position to succeed.

How do the Browns approach contract extension talks with Mayfield?

This is easy, right now they don’t. The Browns should pick up Mayfield’s option and make him prove that he is able to be successful over more than half of a season. Right now there has been two seasons where Mayfield played better over the final eight games and that should be in the minds of the decision makers for Cleveland. The mistake the Rams made with Jared Goff was committing too early when they didn’t have to.

The temptation for those who like to discuss a potential extension with Mayfield is getting out ahead of a large number and the pursuit of a bargain down the road. As we saw how things unfolded with Goff this is not a guarantee and can backfire fairly easily. With the numbers that a lot of people are projecting for Mayfield, it would require moving on from players at the skill positions that he needs in order to be successful. This is all before acknowledging the possibly of regression from Mayfield and how it would negatively impact the team.

What the Browns must do is not repeat the mistakes of the Rams. Sure, they’ve essentially failed upward, but they had to pay a price in order to do so. Cleveland must wait until after year four of Mayfield before even entertaining contract extension talks. The way things worked out with Jared Goff in Los Angeles is the perfect example of why they should operate in that manner. If not, a repeat of the mistakes of the Rams could play out in Cleveland and result in a much larger issue for the Browns.

Browns should explore trade for J.J. Watt

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The Cleveland Browns should explore a trade with the Houston Texans for the dynamic defensive end.

There is a certain player from the Houston Texans that the Cleveland Browns should consider trading for. No, this is not about Deshaun Watson (although there is merit to that), this is about J.J. Watt. There is the possibility that Watt has played his last game in Houston according to reports.

Let’s look at the facts. The Browns defense desperately needs help and it appears that the Texans are about to begin a total teardown resulting in J.J. Watt being available. Cleveland needs someone to play on the opposite side of Myles Garrett and even if they re-sign Olivier Vernon it is doubtful he is ready to go Week 1. While Adrian Clayborn and Porter Gustin filled in admirably, they are simply not starting quality defensive ends.

There is one major obstacle for the Browns when it comes to trading for J.J. Watt, his contract. Watt is due $17.5 million this upcoming season and that is quite the sizable chunk for a team that needs to make improvements across the board defensively. Luckily there is a solution. A simple restructure would give the Browns flexibility and could result in Watt having financial certainty beyond this upcoming season. Combine all of this with the fact that the Browns appear to be in a contention window and this is a win for all sides involved.

In the end it is possible that the Browns do not trade for J.J Watt, but if they do not at least explore the idea it would be foolish on their part. Cleveland’s defense is bad and needs help in the worst way. Not just in the draft and free agency, but the trade market as well. Adding Watt to other acquisitions they make would be an absolute home run for their defense. Especially after this front office essentially punted defense last offseason.

What to make of and do with Baker Mayfield?

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The Cleveland Browns quarterback improved as the season went along, but what does that mean in the big picture?

Entering the 2020 NFL season there were more questions than answers when it came to Baker Mayfield. A hot second half of his rookie season led to high expectations for his sophomore campaign which ended up being a massive disappointment. It was a make or break year for the Browns quarterback and his performances were on both ends of the spectrum. There were times when Mayfield looked spectacular and there were other times that he did not look like he belonged on the field. So that brings us do the multi-million dollar question.

What do the Browns have in Baker Mayfield?

If this was pure fan speak or people who focus on aspects of football that do not relate to play on the field the answer would be something like saying he is a bonafide franchise quarterback, sign him to a large extension, so on and so forth. Unfortunately it is not that simple. The reality is that Baker Mayfield was inconsistent for a large part of the season, only improving with a simpler game plan and coincidentally the absence of Odell Beckham Jr.

In Mayfield’s full six games with Beckham in the lineup he completed 60.6% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while averaging 182.5 yards per game. Every full game after Beckham was lost for the season Mayfield completed 62.5% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 1 interceptions with throwing for 241.2 yards per game. It is worth mentioning that Mayfield averaged nearly four more pass attempts without Beckham than with him (32-28.3).

Mayfield improved as the season progressed

As mentioned above, Baker Mayfield improved as the season went on. A key aspect of this was becoming more comfortable in yet another new offense that was thrust upon him. Another was the overall simplification of the game plans from Kevin Stefanski. A lot of the offensive success actually belongs to Stefanski due to his scheming players open and catering the offense to the strengths of Mayfield. That being said, credit where credit is due, Mayfield executed and was able to propel the Browns to the playoffs including a win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

Where do the Browns go from here?

You know that part above asking about the multi-million dollar question? This is the secondary part. The first part is What do the Browns have in Mayfield?

The second part is Where do they go from here?

So looking at the first part it appears that the Browns have a quarterback who has succeeded in the offense that the coaching staff installed. The second part is the tricky part. After there were legitimate questions about what the Browns would do with his fifth-year option it is a no-brainer to pick it up. While some like to take the way too premature approach of extending Mayfield now, the reality is that Mayfield still has not been consistent over a full 16 game season. This is the second time in his short career where he has shown better numbers over the second half of a season and that is something to keep in mind. Granted the offensive schemes were completely different, but a massive second half improvement has been seen before which led to disappointment the following season.

What the Browns need to do with Baker Mayfield is sit tight in regards to extension talks. Considering his inconsistency thus far in his career, they still need him to prove he is worthy of an extension. The worst thing they could do is prematurely extend him and have the contract age poorly. There have been plenty of teams that have signed a player to an extension before they should, resulting in it blowing up in their face. If an opportunity for a mulligan presented itself, have to imagine they would take it.

So, do the Browns extend Mayfield sooner rather than later?

The fact of the matter is that a premature contract extension can lead to a premature death of a contention window. Once a team signs a quarterback to a big deal it results in sacrifices made elsewhere on the roster. Considering the large dollar figures belonging to key offensive players this could result in a reduction of quality players at skill positions and a lower quality of offensive execution overall. Taking away talented payers from a player who appears to need it hardly seems like a good idea.

Baker Mayfield has not yet earned a contact extension and the suggestions made by some are just preposterous. The argument of setting the market for other quarterbacks drafted in his class simply does not apply. Lamar Jackson has won an MVP and Josh Allen is at or near an elite quarterback. The fact of the matter is that their offenses are driven by their quarterback and this does not apply to Cleveland.

Cleveland’s best path forward is to pick up his fifth-year option and stand pat. There is no reason to rush into signing an extension just because the player is now eligible for it, the player has to earn it. Currently Baker Mayfield has not earned a large big money extension.

If Baker Mayfield is able to continue the trajectory of the 2020 season and leads the Browns on a deep playoff run this would qualify as earning it. This would mean that Mayfield is their franchise quarterback and that questions no longer remain about his future. The fact of the matter thought is at this point being consistently inconsistent with one winning season and one playoff win under his belt is not worthy a deal which will more than likely cripple the franchise in the future.

Browns upcoming free agent decisions

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The Cleveland Browns have some tough and not so tough decisions to make in regards to some of their upcoming free agents.

Just like every team in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns will have free agents and they must decide whether or not they want to bring them back on another deal. The decision in regards to some players is pretty clear, while others it is not as easy. Let’s start this off with a group of players that really do not require an explanation, but should not be back next season.

Easy no decision

Kevin Johnson, Karl Joseph, Kendall Lamm, and Andrew Sendejo. That’s the list and it’s a pretty easy one to figure out why. Three of these players were signed on one-year deals on defense and were either unavailable to play, flat out bad, or both. In regards to Lamm, the Browns can look elsewhere for a backup tackle as he was not that impressive when he did see the field.

Olivier Vernon

Olivier Vernon is an interesting case considering he suffered an Achilles injury that ended his season. With the nature of his injury it could be a situation where he is not ready Week 1 and that could have an impact on what his market is this offseason. The Browns should consider bringing him back with the expectation of missed games and also adding another defensive end into the mix either through the draft or a low-cost free agent. If Cleveland goes down that path it would make an interesting dynamic on their defensive line which could prove to beneficial later in the season.

B.J. Goodson

B.J. Goodson was another one-year deal that the Browns made on defense, but unlike those mentioned above, it hit. Goodson was easily the Browns best linebacker this season and was an impact player on a regular basis. Cleveland is going to have add linebackers through the draft and free agency, but bringing back Goodson should be somewhat of a priority.

Hollywood Higgins

There’s something to be said about the chemistry between Rashard Higgins and Baker Mayfield. The two clearly have a connection and just seem to click. That being said, here’s the deal when it comes to Higgins. He is a perfectly fine third or fourth receiver on a team that has already invested in pass catchers. Looking at just receivers he is firmly third behind OBJ and Landry. Add in tight ends he drops down to fourth or fifth on the list depending on the formation. Finally, add in the running backs and his place on the hierarchy drops even further.

The fact of the matter is that Cleveland needs to add on the defensive side of the ball and spending on offense should not be a priority. Unless a return on another bargain contract is in the cards, the Browns should look elsewhere to fill a role that honestly should belong to a much faster receiver. Cleveland lacks speed with their receivers and when looking at who they have invested in versus who they haven’t, it is much easier to find a burner type to compliment their current group rather than to replace them with explosive receivers and retain Higgins.

Larry Ogunjobi

It has been an up and down career for Larry Ogunjobi so far which is why this is a difficult player to properly assess. There have been moments of equally good and bad play from Ogunjobi which is why the Browns need to be careful when evaluating this position. Cleveland currently has Sheldon Richardson under contract for next season, but there is an out available if they decide to choose that path. The Browns did draft Jordan Elliott in the 3rd round of the 2020 draft and Andrew Billings flies under the radar due to his opting out of the season. It really seems like Ogunjobi’s status could be tied to Richardson. Keep Richardson and let Ogunjobi go or move on from Richardson and re-sign Ogunjobi.

Cody Parkey

Cody Parkey was not terrible last season, but considering his track record why gamble on this again? Find a new kicker.

Terrance Mitchell

Terrance Mitchell started all 16 games for the Cleveland Browns this past season and he was fine, but did not play at a level that a starting cornerback should. If Cleveland can sign Mitchell to a similar deal he is coming off of and play him as a sub-corner it could work.

KhaDarel Hodge

A lot of the reasons that apply to why the Browns should not re-sign Rashard Higgins apply to KhaDarel Hodge. Hodge does not give Cleveland what they need for a wide receiver behind their other receivers and the team should look to find another option as a bottom of the depth chart option.

Porter Gustin

If the Browns do decide to bring back Olivier Vernon as mentioned above it might be a good idea to consider also bringing back Porter Gustin. Cleveland might need to put together a combination of players at the start of the season to manufacture the production that will be missed with Vernon being out. Gustin, Adrian Clayborn, and a defensive lineman in the draft would certainly be able to hold down the fort in a rotational scenario.

Stepen Carlson

As of now Cleveland has three other tight ends on the roster and it does not appear that any of them will be going anywhere any time soon. Austin Hooper, Harrison Bryant, and David Njoku are ahead of Stephen Carlson on the depth chart so there might not be an urgency to re-sign him. Carlson did appear in 88 offensive plays (8%) this season and 335 special teams plays (79%). Cleveland could continue to use Carlson in this capacity if they were to bring him back. It’s not a must sign scenario, but having a fourth tight end for a team that seems to be fond of them seems like a wise decision.

Browns defense needs an overhaul

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The defense of the Cleveland Browns needs a massive overhaul this offseason if they truly want to contend.

For as many positive strides the Cleveland Browns offense took this season, the same does not apply to their defense. Watching the Cleveland defense this past season was an exercise in frustration. If they were unable to force turnovers or take advantage of mistakes, chances are they are giving up points in one way or another. One thing is abundantly clear heading into next season, the Browns defense needs a massive overhaul.

There are multiple reason why the defense struggled so much. A combination of injuries, questionable schemes, and non-effective players led to a unit that came up short more often than not. Injuries are something that every team has to deal with, but not having second round pick and presumptive starter Grant Delpit for the entire season definitely had an adverse effect on the defense. While Ronnie Harrison was a nice find in season, Karl Joseph, Andrew Sendejo, and Sheldrick Redwine left a lot to be desired at the safety position. Every once in a while one of the aforementioned trio would make a play, but they were few and far between.

There are ways for the Browns to fix their defense next season and honestly any move they make would be an upgrade. Acquire an impact starter on defense via trade or free agency. Position really does not matter because outside of Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward everyone is replaceable. Next they must add rotational help that will supplement their locked in starters. Finally, Cleveland must use the majority of their draft picks on defense. A best defensive player available approach would allow the team to make the leaps on the defensive side of the ball they desperately need.

Based on the offensive focused approached to the previous offseason, it is easy to imagine that Andrew Berry and Co. will flip that approach and apply it to the defense. The shortcomings of defense are apparent to everyone and the current Browns regime is smart enough to recognize that. If they are able to improve the defense they may be able to capitalize on what appears to be an open contention window.

Kevin Stefanski named PFWA Coach of the Year

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The PFWA has named Kevin Stefanski Coach of the Year.

The Professional Football Writers of America certainly loves them some Cleveland Browns. After naming Jedrick Wills Jr. and Harrison Bryant to their All-Rookie Team, they have come back and named Kevin Stefanski their Coach of the Year. Stefanski is only the second Browns coach to win the award, the other being Marty Schottenheimer.

Kevin Stefanski easily surpassed expectations for the Browns during the 2020 season. Stefanski took over a team that was still reeling from yet another coaching change. Add in the complications of trying to install new systems and offensive schemes during a pandemic, it just makes the job he did much more impressive. Stefanski led the Browns to their first winning season since 2007, their first playoff berth since 2002, and their first playoff win since 1994. The 11-5 record was the best since the original incarnation of the team and when Bill Belichick was patrolling the sidelines of old Cleveland Municipal.

The fact that Kevin Stefanski was named PFWA Coach of the Year is hardly surprising. In fact, it would have been surprising if he wouldn’t have been named Coach of the Year. Stefanksi did a hell of a job for the Browns in his first year and that has things looking up for the first time in a very long time.

Speed should not be focus for Browns offense

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While the Cleveland Browns do need to make some tweaks and improvements to their offense, an overhaul based solely on speed is the wrong way to go.

A belief has infiltrated the world of the Cleveland Browns and it is downright preposterous. This thought has come from the offensive display of the Kansas City Chiefs that was witnessed this past Sunday. What is this thought? That the Browns do not have enough speed on offense and should change things for the sake of speed. Listen Tom Cruise, not only is that a terrible idea, it’s completely irresponsible to do so. 

First off, comparing the offenses of the Chiefs and Browns is comparing apples to oranges. The schemes are entirely different and that is before comparing the talent level of players and their specific traits. Much like when teams in the NBA tried to duplicate the success of the Golden State Warriors, many of them failed because it is simply impossible to do so. The Warriors were a special group of players who had elite traits which allowed them to operate in that manner. NBA teams that were not properly equipped that attempted to copy Golden State produced a product which was not only bad, it was flat out unwatchable.

This theme also applies to the Chiefs and their collection of elite talents. With Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire having the right combination of traits and abilities to make their system work. In addition to the players, the coach who oversees everything also has a massive impact on their success. Much like Golden State, Kansas City has a coach who has tailored the system to his players and put them in a position to succeed. Just like there is only one Steve Kerr, there is only one Andy Reid and that is not something that can be simply copied.

That brings us to the Browns, their offense, and the players in it. The offensive strategy deployed by Kevin Stefanski is completely different than what is utilized by Reid and the Chiefs. Kansas City’s offense is dominated by the passing game and their rushing attack was a complimentary facet of their scheme. Cleveland’s offense has a dominant rushing attack which leads to success on bootlegs and in play action. While both offenses can lead to impressive passing performances, one is more reliant on the defense believing that the offense could run the ball on any given play and that is Cleveland’s.

It is crucial to identify the differences in the abilities and style of quarterbacks of both teams. The fact of the matter is that Patrick Mahomes is what drives the Chiefs offense while Baker Mayfield is a passenger of the system. Mahomes is a player who can succeed in any offensive scheme while the same does not apply to Mayfield. Want proof? It is not a coincidence that Mayfield improved so much in an offense that is not entirely dependent on the passing attack. Stefanski’s offense is designed to maximize the production of quarterbacks just like Mayfield and that was the case this season. Simply put, Stefanski put Mayfield in a position to succeed based off of his unique skill set and did not put him in a place where he is the engine of the offense. Mayfield’s success this season is a product of the offense and not the other way around.

Now onto the aspect of speed. This is not saying that speed on offense is a bad thing, but a complete overhaul of the team in order to cater to this strategy is completely reckless. Adding a player to their receiving corps that has speed would be a great idea, but replacing one or both of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry with players for the sake of speed and speed only is roster construction malpractice. It is better to find a complimentary speed player to add to the mix rather than replace everyone to fit a system that would be nothing more than a hollow, cheap, and more than likely ineffective facsimile of Kansas City. If this sounds familiar, see above about teams attempting to copy the Warriors resulting in a terrible on court product.

With all of that being said, the Browns do need to make adjustments to their offense and how their roster is constructed. These adjustments should be nothing more than a few tweaks and the addition of players to fill certain roles. A burner would be a perfect addition and would take the top off the defense in a three wide receiver set. The key part of that last sentence is that the player would be third receiver on the field behind OBJ and Landry. This type of player would be able to provide the explosive plays that have become an intense fascination as of late. These players typically finish the game with only a few targets and maybe a catch or two for big yardage. These type of players should not be the focus of the offense, but rather a secondary or tertiary option behind talents who are clearly superior.

It is crucial to not focus on something that one team in the entire league can do better than anyone else, that thing being speed. What the Browns should do is find something that they can do better than anyone else and build that way. Their offense was clearly one of the more impressive units this season and can take the next step with the addition of a speed player. But again, the addition of a speed player, not a full on overhaul with speed being the primary focus. If the Browns can accomplish this they may be able to capitalize on what appears to be an open contention window.

Browns: Wills, Bryant on PFWA All-Rookie Team

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Two Cleveland Browns rookies have been named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

So far it appears that the Cleveland Browns have two hits in their 2020 draft class, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Harrison Bryant. Both Wills and Bryant have been named to the Professional Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team.

Jedrick Wills Jr. was the 10th overall pick by the Browns and appeared in 15 games for Cleveland. The former Alabama tackle was impressive and a huge part of the Browns success offensively this season. The performance of Wills is a reason why Cleveland is considered to have one of, if not the best offensive line in the NFL.

Harrison Bryant was a 4th round selection by Cleveland and is turning into an absolute steal. Bryant impressed quite often during his rookie campaign and could leapfrog others on the depth chart sooner rather than alter. The 2019 John Mackey Award winner appeared in 15 games for the Browns and finished with 24 receptions for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Browns drafted some key players in the 2020 NFL Draft and could do so again this April.

Takeaways from Browns 22-17 loss in Kansas City

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Even though the Cleveland Browns lost Sunday, the final score was a lot closer than many imagined. The fact that only 39 total points were scored was surprising, but there is a reason for that and it is mentioned later. Cleveland had a chance to win and unfortunately they came up just short. There is hope for the Browns moving forward and the familiar mantra in Cleveland comes back in a way that is not ironic. There’s always next year.

The defense needs a ton of work

There was one glaring issue that the Browns had coming into this game and it was the defense. Kansas City ran through the Cleveland defense like a hot knife through butter. Even when a quarterback change was made due to an injury, the Chiefs still had their way. Both Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce had 8 receptions for 110 and 109 yards respectively. Every available resource should be put into the defense this offseason as many of their one-year signings were complete misses.

Mayfield played well

For a game that could have turned into a pass heavy affair, Baker Mayfield was impressive. Just about every time the Browns needed a play Mayfield delivered. Mayfield’s one interception was less of case of a bad throwing decision and more of a great play by Tyrann Mathieu. Overall Mayfield made a ton of plays and was able to keep the Browns in the game.

Not enough rushing attempts

Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combined for only 19 rushing attempts for 101 yards. Yes, the Browns did have to play catchup for a large part of the game, but there were plenty of times earlier to run the ball. This was something that seems to have happened a few times this season. It was clearly a conscious decision by Kevin Stefanski and not an instant that can be considered flukey. The Browns are and will be a team that is one of the best in the league in regards to running the football. Perhaps leaning on that a bit more next time will lead to a different result.

Higgins fumble was inexcusable

If there is one thing that can never happen it is attempting to extend the football over the goal line and fumbling the ball out of the end zone. That is exactly what happened with Rashard Higgins and it resulted in a 10-point swing. The Browns were going to score a touchdown on that drive and instead the Chiefs added a field goal before the half to increase their lead to 16. Does the rule suck? Absolutely. Should there have been a flag for Higgins being hit in the helmet? Also yes. But at the end of the day Higgins has to retain possession of the football and just go down.

Mahomes’ early exit changed the game

There was a game changing moment Sunday and it was when Patrick Mahomes left with a concussion and would not return. The Chiefs very well could have added two more touchdowns to their points total rather than a field goal and a hilariously bad Chad Henne interception giving the Browns one last hope on offense. While the Browns did only lose by 5 points, it is a differential that doesn’t necessarily need an asterisk, but a conversation is needed when talking about the final score.