Close game? Nah

All it took was one week, one game into the 2021 National Football League season for the Browns to slam it into scramble mode. Just like that, key pieces in the Browns' football structure are falling on what seems to be a daily basis.

Yes, football is a collision sport. Injuries are unavoidable. You never know when they occur because the way the game is played nowadays, they sometimes occur when least suspected.

How many times have we seen what appears to be a violent play ripe for an injurious outcome turn out to be nothing at all? And the most innocent of plays yields something as serious as a season-ending injury?

Entering Sunday's home opener against the Houston Texans, the Browns will be without their best blindside protector for quarterback Baker Mayfield and their best and smartest linebacker. Kevin Stefanski and his coaching staff have scrambled all week to plug those important positions with quality talent.

Barring a miracle recovery from an ankle injury to offensive left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. in the season opener, insiders suggest rookie James Hudson III will provide Mayfield's protection over the more experienced Blake Hance.

On defense, middle linebacker (and signal-caller) Anthony Walker's surprise visit to the injury list for at least three weeks due to hamstring woes necessitates a group effort at the position with Malcolm Smith Jr. and Mack Wilson, who is much more comfortable and effective in the middle than outside, stepping up.

It also gives rise to the notion that rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will see more playing time as a hybrid linebacker/safety, giving defensive coordinator Joe Woods many more options to utilize the kid's unique talents.

As for the tackle problem on offense, wondering how and why the coaching staff favors Hudson over Hance. The former high school defensive lineman played only one full season at tackle in college before the Browns selected him in the fourth round of the draft.

Watching him casually during the exhibition season, I noticed how slow he was off the snap, He seemed to have difficulty adjusting to the speed of the game, It's important to note here that the speed and quickness of the game in the regular season is substantially more intense than the exhibitions.

It's disconcerting to think the coaches believe Hudson can keep his quarterback clean as a raw rookie playing his first game. 

Now I consider offensive line coach Bill Callahan the best in the business. Who am I to quarrel with his judgment? Good argument. The only way, I guess, we'll find out who is wrong is by watching how the game unfolds if Hudson does, indeed, start. Count on at least one false start and one holding penalty.

Here's my argument for Hance, who, you'll recall, stepped into the breach in the playoff game against Kansas City last January after coming on board just days before the game and played well. The Browns thought enough of him to place him on the final 53-man roster.

He was a four-year starter at left tackle at Northwestern, where he was Academic All Big 10 his last two years. He is most comfortable on the left side of the line. Four years starting at tackle vs. one year starting at tackle. Hmmmm.

The fortunate aspect of the situation is the opponent Sunday is Houston, so well thought of by oddsmakers that the Browns are favored by a dozen points. The Browns are clearly the better club, their injury situation notwithstanding.

They became a better home-field team last season (6-2) under Stefanski, who has never lost consecutive games in his brief head-coaching career. In fact, he is so excited, he publicly implored the fans to show up early and be ready to support.

Having played before empty houses last season due to the pandemic, this will be Stefanski's first opportunity to see up close just how boisterous and raucous Browns fans can be, especially now that they have morphed into legitimate contenders for the postseason. 

The Texans ride in on an emotional high following their season-opening 37-21 home romp over Jacksonville. Ex-Brown Tyrod Taylor threw for nearly 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns and the defense picked off rookie Trevor Lawrence thrice.

On offense, look for Houston to use the run game to set up the pass with Mark Ingram Jr., David Johnson and Phillip Lindsay, all former lead backs. Ball control is essential to the Taylor's success. And that's where the Browns have the edge.

The Chiefs last week ran for only 55 yards against the Cleveland front seven when you subtract Patrick Mahomes II's 18 scrambling yards. Crowding the line of scrimmage, forcing Taylor to throw, is a distinct possibility Sunday. The Cleveland secondary is not nearly as porous as Jacksonville's.

The Texans are most vulnerable to the pass on defense, which would lead one to believe Mayfield will spend a large part of the afternoon distributing the football to as many as nine different receivers. 

We don't know yet how good the Houston run defense is because the Jaguars ran the ball only 15 times last week, Lawrence filling the air with footballs after falling so far behind that was the only way they could play catchup.

That won't be the case Sunday. Not with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt still fresh and eager to treat the home crowd to their talents in person. Add that to Mayfield and his receiving arsenal and you have the first rout of the season. It won't be close. Mayfield throws his first three scoring passes of the season. Make it: Browns 38, Texans 17