Mid-week thoughts

There is an overriding reason the Browns are supremely confident as they prepare for phase two of their quest to upset the professional football world in the AFC division semifinals Sunday in Kansas City.

No, it's not that they believe they are better than the Chiefs from a personnel standpoint. There is no question whatsoever the defending Super Bowl champions are significantly better in every phase of the game.

And no, it's not because they are still feeling pretty good about themselves and enjoying the fruits of their labor after sending the Pittsburgh Steelers packing in the wild-card round of the National Football League playoffs last Sunday.

It's an intangible that often accompanies underdog teams in the postseason and supplies the silent reason they perform in unexpected ways once the games take on extra special meaning. Often times, there is no reasonable explanation for it.

It is simply called belief. Let Baker Mayfield explain.

 "We believe in ourselves and that is why we are here," the Browns' quarterback said recently. "We have a bunch of fighters who have scratched and clawed to get here, We are going to continue to do that week in and week out."

It could serve as a mantra for the Browns, who are huge underdogs for Sunday's game. They weren't supposed to be "here"," as Mayfield put it. Rookie head coach, new systems installed in all phases, limited training camp, no exhibitions. And still alive.

Cleveland Browns and playoffs in the same sentence is oxymoronic, but only for the time being. That they qualified for the postseason this season from out of practically nowhere has to be the NFL's feel-good story of the season. 

Mayfield is the team's leader in many ways. He has become a very good quarterback after buying into what head coach Kevin Stefanski has been selling. His positive attitude radiates all over the roster, not just on the offensive side of the football.

He talks about scratching and clawing for a reason. He knows all about it. He experienced it in college, walking on at two schools and becoming the starting quarterback at both. Intangibles like that enabled him to become the first overall selection in the 2018 NFL college draft.

Mayfield epitomizes the scratch-and-claw nature of this team. They are two of the reasons he is where he is. 

There are those on the league's landscape who believe the Browns don't belong on the same field with the Chiefs with regard to the personnel. Maybe so, but you won't get the Browns to believe that. 

After fighting COVID-19 for much of the last two months, it has been reported there is a good chance the Browns will enter Sunday's game in their best physical shape since the bye week. Starting cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson are back with guard Joel Bitonio expected back by Sunday.

Not to be dismissed, though, is the distinct possibility the Browns' season will end in Kansas City. Oddsmakers say the Chiefs are 10 points better. Then again, those same people said the Steelers were six points better than Cleveland last Sunday.

In the Any Given Sunday world of the NFL, anything is possible. Belief has been a strong ally of many teams that have provided surprises over the years when they were not expected to win. It receives another test Sunday in K.C.