CLEVELAND, Ohio – Write in my notebook while the Browns face Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs at Heinz Field tonight:
1. I don’t bet on sports, so I rarely check point spreads, but I did for this game. I knew that the Steelers had to be favored, but I was surprised with just six points. Common sense says that Pittsburgh would be a heavy favorite.
2. Perhaps in their biggest game since the franchise returned in 1999, the Browns are without coach Kevin Stefanski, Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio and cornerback Denzel Ward due to COVID, and defensive side Olivier Vernon (Aquiles). Several other players are out, especially in defense. But safety Ronnie Harrison and linebacker Malcolm Smith were released to play.
3. The Browns beat Pittsburgh 24-22 last Sunday. The Steelers did not play against QB Ben Roethlisberger. They were without defensive line players Cam Heyward and TJ Watt. They also rested the Maurkice Pouncey center and Joe Haden was eliminated with COVID-19. The Browns won a game that they absolutely, positively had to win. This is important, because previous Browns teams have lost games like this. But it doesn’t tell us much about this confrontation.
4. The biggest turnaround in the Browns’ history was the title game in 1964, when they defeated the Baltimore Colts 27-0. It is difficult to find the exact distribution of the point now, but the Colts were about 10 favorites. That’s what I learned from writing Browns Town 1964, when it was difficult for almost anyone in the media, except Plain Dealer columnist Chuck Heaton, to believe the Browns would win. At the last moment, PD Hal Lebovitz joined the club after a long conversation with coach Blanton Collier the day before the game.
5. So, instead of talking about The Fumble, The Drive and all the other dislikes of the Browns, how about some action in 1964? How about Baker Mayfield having the game of his life in the biggest game of his life? That’s what Frank Ryan and Gary Collins did in 1964. How about defense playing the game of your life? In 1964, the Browns defense ranked fifth out of 14 teams, good, but not great. Baltimore was the highest scoring team in the NFL in 1964, and the Browns excluded them.
Jim Brown finds space to run during the Browns’ 1964 NFL championship victory over the Baltimore Colts in Cleveland.
6. Which brings me to this game and the defense of the Browns. Vernon is out, a significant loss. But linebacker BJ Goodson is back. As defensive coordinator Joe Woods said: “He has been our leader, the defender of our defense”.
7. The Browns have all their healthy linebackers, with Smith joining Goodson, Mack Wilson and Jacob Phillips. An LSU rookie, Phillips had some good times in last week’s game in Pittsburgh. Woods said Ronnie Harrison and Phillips play “as if their hair is on fire”. In the football world, that’s a compliment.
8. Also in the burning hair club is Myles Garrett: “I will play as if it were my last (game). It may be the last chance I have (for the playoffs). I’m not saying you will, but you never know. … I’m going to play as if my hair is on fire. “
9. The Browns need to put pressure on Roethlisberger, because Cleveland’s secondary is still a mess. Ward is out, as is cornerback Kevin Johnson. They will feature cornerbacks Terrance Mitchell, MJ Stewart and Robert Jackson. Security guards Karl Joseph, Andrew Sendejo and Harrison are healthy.
10. In Vernon’s place will be mainly Adrian Clayborn. Woods on the veteran defensive end: “I love him. I love the intensity it brings. He plays hard when he’s there. “
Frank Ryan throws a pass to Gary Collins against the St. Louis Cardinals in September 1964. The Plain Dealer
11. Roethlisberger has a 24-2-1 record against the Browns. He is 38 years old and does not play as well on the field as he did a few years ago. He is coming out of major elbow surgery in 2019. He had a 3-game interception against Tennessee and a couple of choices in the loss to Buffalo. That’s what the Browns need, turnovers.
12. I have no idea what to say about the Browns playing this great game without Stefanski. It must have an impact, because he is also the author of the move. One of his greatest attributes is the posture and the firm heart he brings to the team when facing pressure.
13. Acting head coach Mike Priefer has worked with Stefanski for years, since his time together in Minnesota. Priefer said: “Make no mistake, this is Kevin’s team. He laid the foundation for an intelligent, strong, responsible and resilient team. “
14. Priefer will also retain his position as coordinator of special teams. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will call the shots. As Stefanski said, this will be the first time that he will watch his team play from his basement. You cannot invent these things. In addition, due to COVID restrictions, they only had one full field workout this week on Friday.
15. Myles Garrett said: “As Stefanski always told us, ‘You are not up to the occasion, you fall to your level of preparation.’ No one is going to say that we’re leaving ourselves out. These guys are hungry and we are going to take them. “
16: I chose Steelers to win, 33-24. I have been notoriously wrong in the past and would love to be like that again.
17. A final note from Jeremy Levine, son of cleveland.com talk show host Les Levine: “Les is taking the time to focus on health. He spent more than 50 years connecting with Cleveland sports fans and sharing his opinion while broadcasting on radio, television, print and digital media. We can’t wait to have the ‘Voice of Truth and Reason’ back on the air again soon. “
Les Levine, in the studio, preparing for the broadcast of “More Sports and Les Levine”. Levine has been a sports announcer for decades. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and his wife, Allison, battled cancer. The Plain Dealer
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Browns 2020 Playoffs shirts and caps on sale: This is where Cleveland Browns fans can order shirts and hats celebrating the team’s qualification for the NFL 2020 playoffs.