Monday leftovers

Normally at this time of the National Football League season, at least with the Browns over the last two decades, thoughts turn to next season. Not this season, Not with the Browns in the thick of the playoff scenarios.

I hate this time of the season now that the Browns are perched on the precipice of competing in the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Why's that? Way too many of those damned scenarios. Five to be exact. My eyeballs are rolling. 

Believe it or not, the Browns' 10-4 record is not good enough to insure they'll be one of the three wild-card teams in the AFC. With only two games left, that's how close the conference is with the Browns, 9-5 Baltimore, 10-4 Indianapolis, 10-4 Tennessee and 9-5 Miami in the hunt.

Without getting too technical with this spider web of possibilities, it is entirely possible the Browns can knock off the New York Jets Sunday and still not clinch. It might need to go to week 17 and the home finale against Pittsburgh. That's how close it is. It all depends on how the other teams fare.

The Ravens have the easiest path if they win out with games at home against the New York Giants and at Cincinnati. The Dolphins have the hardest path with games on the road against Las Vegas and Buffalo. Indy and Tennessee will fight it out for the top spot in the AFC South.

It is also entirely possible, though, the Browns can clinch one of the wild cards by beating the Jets Sunday and the Dolphins fall to the Raiders on Saturday. The Browns would improve to 11-4 and the Dolphins slip to 9-6. The only question then would be where Cleveland is slotted.

Of course wanting that scenario does not always make it so. The Dolphins can ruin it by beating the 7-7 Raiders, who are statistically still in the hunt but barely hanging on by a thread, and force a verdict in week 17. But at least they'll be motivated.  

Too many variables. Just when you try to figure out how this will all end with the numbing number of possibilities. it's always best (for someone who hates this) to presuppose what will happen based on  hope more than anything.

The easiest path to the playoffs for the Browns, of course, would be to defeat both the Jets and Steelers. Yeah, just win them all. And there is the possibility of the Browns splitting the last two games to wind up at 11-5 along with Baltimore, assuming the Ravens win their remaining two games.

The Ravens hold the tie-breaker with Cleveland having won the season series head-to-head. And the Browns hold the tie-breaker with Indianapolis. (I'm starting to get a headache. I think I'm going to stop right here before my head explodes.) 

The only thing I can tell you with any degree of certainty is that 11 teams have been eliminated. from the postseason. Of the remaining 21, three reside un the AFC North. And it is entirely possible the division will send all three to the playoffs. The last two weekends will decide all that.

Memo to to the Browns: Win 'em both -- remember what the Steelers did to you in week six -- and  remove all doubt.

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Did you notice that Baker Mayfield did not roll out or bootleg in the victory over the Giants Sunday night. He was almost strictly a pocket passer. The only times he rolled out it were because he was flushed out of the pocket.

In this one, he put his ball-handling skills on display. Quite a few of his passes were play fakes, designed to slow the Giants' pass rush. It gave him time to complete almost a dozen chunk plays in rhythmic fashion with receivers getting open most of the evening.

Mayfield, looking more like the rookie quarterback who thrilled Browns fans in 2018, threw only five incompletions in 32 throws. Two were throwaways, two were knocked down at the line of scrimmage and one was dropped. 

His growth from game to game has been eye-opening. National pundits are beginning to take notice. In some ways, it almost seems like a rebirth of sorts as he climbs the stats sheet with the hot streak he has enjoyed the last several games.

The bond that has developed between Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski is the biggest surprise and it is strengthening. That he has bought into Stefanski's program is the main reason the Browns for the first time in memory, or since 1999, enter games knowing they can win. Not hoping. Not thinking. Knowing.

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Have you noticed how much more under center Mayfield is playing? And looking comfortable doing so. In the last few games, he has played more under center than in either shotgun of pistol. 

No longer do we see Nick Chubb lined up next to Mayfield in the shotgun on a designed run play. He is a much more effective runner when taking the handoff from his quarterback peeling back from the center snap and giving him the football at full speed.

In the shotgun, Chubb has to take what amounts to a lateral handoff before heading toward the line of scrimmage. The timing is much better with Mayfield under center.

Kareem Hunt is quicker than Chubb -- and a better pass receiver -- and can take better advantage of running the ball on a shotgun handoff.

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Having Denzel Ward back from his three-game absence (calf strain) made a big difference in the secondary against the Giants. He was strong in run support with six tackles and pretty much shut down his side of the field. 

The only glitch was a blown coverage on New York wide receiver Darius Slayton late in the first quarter. Slayton raced past Cleveland cornerback Kevin Johnson in zone coverage and completed a 35-yard catch and run on third down. 

Johnson, it appeared, was expecting help over the top, waving his arms as if to say, "Where was everybody?" It led to a Graham Gano 39-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead.

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Finally . . .  It didn't hurt in the end, but the Browns have to tighten up defending against kickoff returns. Dion Lewis of the Giants is the latest to burn that unit, returning the opening kickoff 48 yards. It's becoming too commonplace. . . .  Center JC Tretter was credited with a fumble for the second time this season when he literally sent a dribbler back to Hunt lined up in shotgun midway through the fourth quarter. . . . The Cleveland defense limited the Giants to only 74 yards on the ground. . . . Jarvis Landry has been around long enough to know flags will fly for taunting. So after he caught a short scoring pass for in the final seconds of the first half, he and Giants cornerback Isaac Yiadom jawed at each other. It drew the flag and cost the Browns a point. Instead of the normal 33-yard point after, it became 48 yards and too much for Cody Parkey, who rattled the right upright.. . . Keep an eye on who plays weakside linebacker against the Jets. Mack Wilson was a healthy scratch Sunday night. He was replaced by rookie Jacob Phillips.