Singing the losing blues

The Cleveland Browns -- or a reasonable facsimile thereof -- take to the national television stage Thursday night with an offense that resembles a M*A*S*H unit and a defense that gives defense a bad name.

Word Wednesday that Baker Mayfield's starting streak as the Browns' quarterback will end at 51 games as soon as Case Keenum takes his first snap changes the entire complexion of game seven of the National Football League's 2021 season against the invading Denver Broncos.

The Cleveland offense is a battered and bruised mess. Gone for the time being are the starting quarterback, starting running backs, best wide receiver and, likely, starting tackles. Besides, the three tight ends are having trouble catching the football as is the second-best receiver.

No one knows what to expect from an offense with backups at every key position except the center, who hasn't practice at all this season, and two guards. The vaunted running game is no longer vaunted. It will be handled by D'Ernest Johnson, Demetric Felton and John Kelly behind a suddenly-suspect line. Oy!

Head coach/playcaller Kevin Stefanski will be supremely challenged to navigate extremely choppy waters against a decent Denver defense (compared to the Browns'; more on that later). And because it's Keenum in this one, look for Stefanski to go ultra, ultra conservative.

There will be nothing fancy. Primarily basic stuff for a quarterback who hasn't started a game in nearly two years, one not noted for throwing a football at anything resembling or approaching dazzling velocity. He is the polar opposite of Mayfield.

But he knows Stefanski's offense. At least that's what those in the know say. That's why he's in Cleveland. Here's a sliver of evidence to back up that conclusion.

Back in 2017, Keenum came off the bench with the Minnesota Vikings and had the only career year in his well-traveled 10-year career, fashioning an 11-3 record as a starter. The Vikes finished 13-3 and won the NFC North. Stefanski was his quarterbacks coach. Thus the connection.

Since then, the 33-year-old Texan has failed twice-- with Denver and Washington -- in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately department. We are on the verge of finding out now that he is reunited with Stefanski whether he can summon the old magic.

Is he still the same quarterback who led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game four seasons ago? Or is he just a proverbial journeyman who was fortunate his old quarterbacks coach in Minnesota is now a head coach and believes he still has the talent to replicate, at least on a brief level, that season's wizardry?

If nothing else, Keenum is quite confident, perhaps overly so. "I feel very ready," he says. "I've been ready. You don't have to get ready if you stay ready and I've been ready since I got here (in 2020).  I'm excited. . . . I'm built for this. This is what I've done my whole career."

As for Keenum making his Cleveland starting debut, Stefanski said via the club's public relations machinery, on Wednesday. "We have full confidence in him to lead us and do the things necessary to put us in a position to win."

The other backups also have their coach's weighty confidence. "I honestly have a ton of confidence in all of our backups," Stefanski told the media in a very Stefanskian way Tuesday. "I really do. I think these guys stay ready so they don't have to get ready. (Sound familiar? Check above.) I think they do a great job in the meeting room and on the practice field."

When a coach uses words like "honestly" and "ton of confidence" and "I really do" to bolster thoughts,  my skepticism gene kicks in. It's nice the players do well in meeting rooms and in practice. That's not the problem, It's how it all translates to game day that has been the largest concern lately.

Over the years, I have seen players terrible in practice, but show up big time on game day. Conversely, I have seen terrific practice players fail to show up for games. I prefer the former type of player. Often times, there's too much emphasis on practicing. 

The Cleveland defense, with the exception of rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's trip to injured reserve, seems to have improved in the health department. It is vitally incumbent that side of the football rescues their brethren on the other side in a time of need. That offense, such as it is, is not nearly strong enough anymore to merely outscore teams when the defense is absent.

The only way the Browns win this one is if the defense does what it is supposed to do, which they failed to do the last two games with spectacular ineptitude. It made last season's ugly defense, which lingered pretty much all season, look downright pretty by comparison.

With no Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and ostensibly Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin and a Denver defense that had been stingy until last Sunday, it's difficult to be optimistic about what lies dead ahead. The lone saving grace? The Broncos arrive on the heels of a three-game losing streak.

A season that looked so bright for the Browns as recently as two weeks ago is now teetering with two straight crushing losses. The likelihood of a momentum change, especially with such little time to prep for the Broncos, has been railroaded by an onslaught of injuries (19 names on the injury list). Thursday night will be an important litmus test.

There are too many negatives surrounding the Browns entering this one. The offense obviously is a shadow of the dangerous crew that opened the season. The defense, while getting better from a health standpoint, is not from a performance standpoint.

Denver's running game with Melvin Gordon and rookie Javonte Williams and a passing game featuring wide receiver Courtland Sutton and tight end Noah Fant is strong enough to continue baffling the Cleveland secondary, complementing Teddy Bridgewater's 70% passing accuracy. The heart wants to say the Browns end Stefasnki's two-game losing streak. The head says the streak reaches three games. 

Make it: Broncos 20, Browns 13

Reality slap

Murphy's Law paid an extremely painful visit Sunday to the stadium the Browns call home. Actually, there are seven of them. The first and seventh applied to what unfolded in the club's ghastliest performance of the young 2021 National Football League season.

The first says, "If anything can go wrong, it will." That one lasted all afternoon against the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals. From a ragged beginning to an even more ragged conclusion, the Browns were nowhere close to being ready to play a football game.

The seventh law says that "left to themselves, things have a tendency to go from bad to worse." That one was written with the Browns in mind following their 37-14 battering by the still unbeaten Cardinals witnessed by a full house of stunned fans.

Nothing worked. The offense was offensive and not in a good way. The defense was even more offensive, again not in a good way. The same mistakes that plagued them in last Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers showed up again and again and again.

The Browns didn't stand a chance in this one. They kept beating themselves as quarterback Baker Mayfield personally gifted the Cardinals defense with two fumbles and an interception -- not to mention the five times he was sacked -- in the club's most inept and sorry performance since the Hue Jackson era.

Entering the season, the Browns were one of the favorites to not only reach the postseason for the second season in a row, but seriously challenge for their first-ever appearance in the Super Bowl. Right now, thinking like that falls under the category of dreaming.

This clearly is the worst a Kevin Stefanski team has looked in his 23-game tenure as head coach. He has an awful lot to unpack as he tries to put this 3-3 team back together and he has only a few days until a Thursday night date at home against the Denver Broncos.

He has an awful lot of correcting to do at 76 Lou Groza Blvd. in Berea. There's a whole mess of cleaning up to do. The head coach does not like excuses so let's not talk about the absence of offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin and running back Nick Chubb.

Why the Browns ran only seven times in the first half is a question only Stefanski can answer as his offense sputtered on its first four possessions as Cards quarterback Kyler Murray led his offense to five straight possessions that put points on the scoreboard, 23 to be exact.

In a believe-it-or-not moment, the Browns actually pulled to within a deceiving nine points on the final play of the first half when Mayfield and Donovan People-Jones hooked up on a 57-yard Hail Mary that, as it turned out, gave people false hope this one was far from over.

Yes it was because the defense, which is becoming more clueless by the game, still can't defend against the pass. And here we are after game six. It's supposed to be the other way around by now. Opposing receivers continue to come wide open due to blown coverages. Confusion reigns in the secondary.

Denzel Ward and rookie Greg Newsome II were back from injury. Made no difference. Ward was flagged twice for pass interference. Newsome, back after a three-game respite on injured reserve, looked just like, well, just like a rookie.

The offense does not escape blame for a second half that produced a robust zero points. Mayfield was battered throughout the game by a relentless Cardinals pass rush that sent him to the medical tent with a recurrence of his left shoulder injury in the first half and the bench late in the game when Stefanski mercifully yanked him.

To make matters worse, the Browns lost running back Kareem Hunt, filling in for Chubb, with what appeared to be a right calf injury with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter. He pulled up short on a fourth-and-4 pass at the Arizona seven that was dropped by Odell Beckham Jr. in first-down territory.

The pain was bad enough that he had was placed on what some used to call the meat wagon, which wheels players to the dressing room if they can't walk back. Not a good sign especially with Chubb temporarily shut down. 

It comes down to this with the next game just a few days away. Stefanski has been putting out so many fires in the last couple of weeks, there isn't nearly enough time to right this ship by then. What looked so good after the first four games despite a few warning signs has turned into a disaster in progress.

It wasn't supposed to be this way at this juncture. The secondary, most of whom apparently are slow learners, is getting worse. The pass rush has all but disappeared. The crisp tackling that stood out early in the season, has gone stale.

And the head coach/playcaller seems to have lost his way philosophically. Just because he lost his top running back doesn't mean you turn over the game to a quarterback who has shown lately he has lost his ability to make plays.

Extending plays used to be one of Mayfield's strengths. Not anymore. 

Combine that with a defense that has regurgitated 84 points in the last two games and you get a football team on the verge of turning a season that included "Super Bowl" in the thoughts of many throughout the NFL universe and trashing it.

It will be interesting to see how Stefanski handles his first genuine crisis since taking over. He has enjoyed the journey thus far. The hard part of the job has arrived.

Another slugfest?

As if it wasn't bad enough facing -- and losing to -- a high-powered team last weekend in Los Angeles, it could conceivably be even worse for the Browns Sunday when they return home to entertain the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals.

For the second week in a row, the Cleveland defense that saved games two, three and four with outstanding efforts and collapsed against the Los Angeles Chargers will be challenged to stop a team that couldn't be stopped until San Francisco slowed them down but lost, 17-10, Sunday.

The Cardinals' undefeated streak drips with good fortune. They should be be 4-1 for this one. In week two in the their home opener, the Cardinals led by a point with seconds left and the Minnesota Vikings threatening. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph, who earlier had made a pair of 52-yard field goals, was wide right from 37 yards on the final play.

The Cards entered Sunday's victory over the 49ers averaging 35 points a game after bludgeoning the first four opponents and becoming the talk of the league.  Even though they lost, the 49ers appeared to unlock the secret to slowing down head coach Kliff Kingsbury's high-powered offense featuring quarterback Kyler Murray.

Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods, possibly still dazed at how Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and his cohorts slapped his defense back to reality Sunday by savaging a secondary hampered by injuries and blown coverages, might want to look at the game tape on that one to figure out how to stop the elusive and very accurate Murray.

Unlike the Chargers game, where cornerbacks dropped like flies, Woods will have close to a full complement for Murray.

Like the Browns did in weeks 2-4, the Arizona defense rescued the offense and shut down the 49ers, probably because starter Jimmy Garoppolo was injured and rookie Trey Lance was overmatched. 

The smallish Murray -- at barely 5-10, he's two-plus inches shorter than Baker Mayfield -- is rarely brought down due to his twitchy quickness and great speed. It's like trying to catch a gnat. Because of that, he is difficult to hem in the pocket, making plays that oftentimes defy description.

He is also deadly accurate now that he has been furnished with one of the best wide receivers rooms in the NFL, completing 75.5% of his passes to the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, A. J. Green, the ex-Cincinnati veteran, and flashy rookie Rondale Moore, a 5-7 stick of dynamite.

And with a howitzer attached to his right arm, the stocky Murray is able to squeeze throws through the tiniest windows with just four interceptions in 165 attempts. He doesn't fit the prototype of an NFL quarterback, but somehow gets the job done.

Defensively, the Cards are opportunists with 10 turnovers and a +5 turnover ratio. But Sunday, they'll have to do it minus half the starters on the defensive line, edge rusher Chandler Jones and tackle Zach Allen back in Phoenix with COVID-19. Joining them will be Kingsbury, who ceded control of the game to quarterbacks coach Cam Turner and special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers.  

The strength of the Cards' defense lies in the back seven with Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, a pair of young 6-4 linebackers, and ubiquitous free safety Budda Baker, who anchors the secondary.

Woods isn't the only Cleveland coach efforting to restore order on his side of the football. His boss, the head coach and playcaller on offense, also faces a challenge after what went down in the stretch run last Sunday against the Chargers.

Nothing wrong with the running game and the passing game, dormant for a few games, has once again come to life. More than anything, Kevin Stefanski must clean up the mess he engenders with his strange playcalling in the final moments of games that can be won, but aren't.

What he needed against the Chargers was a large dose of Jarvis Landry, Baker Mayfield's most reliable wide receiver who has been idled since game two against Houston. And he just might get that Sunday with Landry placed on the active squad Friday. If he's ready, he's playing. That, if nothing else, boosts the effectiveness of the offense.

Like Woods, Stefanski is dealing with injury concerns that robbed him of his starting tackles for the entire last quarter against the Chargers. The man needs a bye week, but won't get one until week 13. It's entirely posssible Jedrick Wills Jr. (ankle) and Tony Conklin (knee) will not be ready for the Cardinals.

If that is the case, it will be Blake Hance and rookie James Hudson III and cross your fingers. Adding to the dilemma will be the absence of Nick Chubb with calf miseries, which means Kareem Hunt will get a majority of the carries with D'Ernest Johnson and rookie Demetric Felton ready just in case. Hunt is an established starting running back in the NFL, so there will not be any dropoff in production

It is possible Stefanski, since he does not have all his weapons on offense, will pull back a bit and become more conservative and eschew long-developing pass plays, especially if his starting tackles can't go.

The Cardinals game is the first of three outings in a 14-day span for the Browns, who welcome Denver on a Thursday night and then the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks from Sunday. They are 8-2 at home under Stefanski, who has never lost two games in a row as a head coach.

A look at the Cardinals stats suggests this one, too, could turn into another slugfest. Four quarters of dynamic and entertaining football, The Browns have compiled 2,088 offensive yards from scrimmage; the Cardinals sit at 2,066. Both teams have shown the ability to play solid defense on occasion. Tough call.

One of these days, the Cleveland offense and defense will climb onto the same page and lay a whipping on some poor unsuspecting team. Hasn't happened yet. It says here Sunday will be that day, leaving the NFL with zero undefeated teams.  

Hunt will continue battering opposing defenses -- the Cards cough up 139 infantry yards a game on defense -- and get help this time from a rebounding Mayfield, a defense that neutralizes Murray for the better part of four quarters and a head coach/playcaller who learns lessons the hard way and keeps his losing streaks to just one game. Make it: Browns 27, Cardinals 17

Monday leftovers

It has been Kevin Stefanski's way of being a respected head coach to protect his players publicly. It's a hard and fast rule to never speak negatively about any of his players.

He will always take the selfless route in the postmortems of games. "Blame me on that one," he will say about a bad or ill-timed play call. "That one is on me. I've got to clean that up." Pointing fingers of guilt at someone else is not in his playbook. The players love him for that and play harder.

It has become a staple to the point where you can expect it somewhere in the breakdown of every game. It's all very admirable. But every now and then, he should be taken literally instead of shrugging off the notion he is just deflecting.

Case in point took place three times in Sunday's disappointing loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles. The club's chief playcaller on offense, normally an aggressive, in-your-face type, went conservative and in the mind of numerous fans cost the Browns a victory.  

Waning seconds of the first half, Browns up 17-13 and the defense makes a play deep in Chargers territory, safety Grant Delpit causing a turnover with a jarring hit on running back Austin Ekeler at the LA 22. Thirty-eight seconds left and not one shot at the end zone. A 31-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin was the parting gift.

More coaching brain farts occurred late in the zany fourth quarter on consecutive possessions as Stefanski took his foot off the pedal. The most egregious arrived shortly after the Browns ducked a bullet when Chargers kicker Tristan Vizcaino missed his second point-after of the afternoon and maintained a one-point lead at 42-41 with 3:15 left in regulation. 

Three ineffective plays, including a puzzling draw play on third and 10 that gained three yards, had Browns fans wondering what the hell was happening. Such a peaceful surrender with the lead was antithetical to Stefanski's basic offensive philosophy.

The resultant Jamie Gillan short punt was returned into Cleveland territory, setting up the Chargers' winning touchdown against a worn-out Cleveland defense, setting up Stefanski's third tactical and/or strategic error of the day.

After allowing (helping?) Ekeler to score that touchdown, the Browns still had 91 seconds (and no timeouts) to maneuver into position to be in position to win the game. The Browns ran 10 plays (including two spikes) in that span and advanced the ball just 22 yards.

Noy once did Baker Mayfield attempt a sideline pass to stop the clock. Everything was in bounds and relatively short. Not one receiver made himself available to make a play. In situations like this, Mayfield needed his most reliable receiver. But Jarvis Landry, who always seems to come through in the clutch, is stuck on injured reserve with a sprained MCL.

Yes, Stefanski has to work with whoever is available, But if it worked for the first 50 or so minutes of the game, there was no reason to believe it wouldn't at that point of the game. The fact it didn't makes me wonder whether Stefanski in games like this with so much going on and whose outcome is determined in the final moments needs help. It happened in the season opener in Kansas City and now this.

He is the head coach who is responsible for all aspects of the team. Maybe it's time in moments like this he cedes temporary control of the offense to Alex Van Pelt, whose lone responsibility as coordinator is to  just that side of the ball. 

His deflection this time takes on a greater meaning because of the result of the game. Once again, he pointed fingers at himself. "I need to do a better job," he said for the umpteenth time. "I share in that loss just like everybody else does. . . We're going to win these games together and lose these games together. I need to do a better job."

He might start by looking at the big picture instead of the one he has taken on himself. No, this one he blew all by himself by not being himself when it counted most.

*      *       *

There seems to be a growing conclusion that Mayfield and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. are just not a good fit. Mounting evidence points heavily in that direction

Ever since Beckham arrived in a trade from the New York Giants a couple of years ago, he and his quarterback have rarely been on the same page. He was supposed to be the final piece of the puzzle, bringing along a sterling reputation as one of the best receivers in the NFL.

And yet, the two have connected roughly 55% of the time in 26 games. That is not nearly enough for this tandem. They have played together enough now to have serious doubts whether they will ever become effective.

In the Chargers loss, it was as though Beckham was a spare part. He was on the field for 58 (of 71) snaps and was targeted just three times. Three measly times for the club's No. 1 receiver. Donovan People-Jones and Rashard Higgins were thrown to 12 times.

Beckham caught two passes for 20 yards, but it was the one he didn't catch fans will remember. Mid second quarter, the Browns trailing 13-10 and driving nicely. Fourth and two at the Los Angeles 17 and another Stefanski fourth-down gamble instead of a field goal.

Beckham runs a shallow cross right to left and Mayfield targets him for the first time and hits him in stride in first-down territory. The perfectly thrown pass leaks through his hands into his pads and flutters harmlessly to the ground. Browns Nation gasps. 

With the trading deadline looming in about three weeks, what else do the Browns need to see to convince them that holding on to Beckham isn't in the best interests of the team? Hasn't General Manager Andrew Berry seen enough?

As much as Beckham made his reputation in New York with Eli Manning, it has been quite the opposite in Cleveland. There is no evidence that points to the situation changing. Ignoring him Sunday was borderline insulting to the star, who complains when he doesn't see the ball enough.

It would not surprise if he quietly asks to be shipped out to a team that appreciates his talents and has a quarterback who can cater to them.

*      *       *

I come from the school that believes officiating does not determine the outcome of games. Players and coaches do. There are way too many mistakes by players in the game of football that factor into the equation. 

Yes, officials make mistakes. They are human,. That's why instant replay has been used as an officiating tool to correct those errors. And generally, it has been effective.

I bring this up because a couple of bad calls against the Browns Sunday have been used as reasons they lost Sunday.  Uh, no. The Browns lost because the defense collapsed. It had nothing left in the tank in the fourth quarter when the Chargers scored touchdowns on four straight possessions, gaining a robust 262 yards that took only six minutes and 26 seconds off the clock.

That is what lost that game. Not the officiating, although I can't quarrel with the terrible call on Browns cornerback A.J. Green, who was flagged for pass interference against the Chargers' Mike Williams on a fourth and four from the LA 41 midway through the final quarter.

Replay clearly showed Willians tugging at Green's jersey as the two wrestled for the pass, which fell incomplete. The nearest official to the play only watched. The trailing official did not see the jersey tug and threw his flag. The 33-yard penalty enabled the Chargers to go on and tie the game at 35-35. Marginal call at best, but it happens.

No mention of the final play of the Minnesota game when Browns cornerback Greedy Williams all but mugged Adam Thielen of the Vikings in the end zone on a Hail Mary and did not draw laundry. Somehow, these things have a way of evening out.

*      *       *

It's time for the front office to reevaluate punter Jamie Gillan and perhaps bring in some free agents to challenge him because he seems to be regressing. 

His fine rookie season saw him average 46.2 yards a boot and 28 of his 63 punts land inside the 20-yard line. Last season, his average dropped to 44 yards per with only 14 of his 51 punts landing inside the 20. This season, the average has dipped to 41.8 yards with only five of his 15 punts inside the 20.

His diminishing numbers is a warning sign right now, His lack of distance has to be a concern. And who can forget his mishandling a snap in the season opener in Kansas City that led directly to the Chiefs' comeback?

The Scottish Hammer seems to have lost his effectiveness as someone coached to dictate field position for the defense. His weak 42-yard punt late in the fourth quarter Sunday enabled the Chargers to begin their game-winning drive in Cleveland territory. 

*      *       *

Finally . . . The Browns became the first team in National Football League history to lose a game where they scored at least 40 points and did not turn the ball over. Until Sunday, NFL teams were 463-0 in such games. . . . Now that he has proven he can be a dangerous target, it's time to integrate tight end David Njoku more heavily into the offense. His seven-catch (on seven targets), 149-yard, one touchdown day was a personal best and should elevate him over Austin Hooper. . . . Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt keep getting better. Since a modest 116-yard opener, the duo has combined for 502 yards on the ground in the last four games and accounted for nine of the club's 16 touchdowns overall. . . . Reviving the Andy Janovich meme: Why is he still on the roster? Only six snaps against the Chargers. 

Side note: There will be no mid-week thoughts this week.

A gleam in a loss

This might be hard to believe, but there was good news Sunday out of Los Angeles even though the Browns lost a didn't-see-that-coming, point-scoring festival to the Chargers that saw defense leave SoFi Stadium midway through the third quarter.

This one was a 12-round battle that saw lethal punches delivered with regularity, the lead change hands eight times and the two 3-1 teams compile 1,042 yards of offense in a 47-42 slugfest with 41 of those points (26 by the Chargers) scored in the final 15 minutes. At the end, both teams were gassed on defense. 

Neither could stop the onslaught as Mayfield and Justin Herbert of the Chargers were well protected for the most part, keeping both secondaries extremely busy. Herbert torched the Browns for 398 yards and four touchdowns, two of which were the result blown coverages.

Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams was the beneficiary of both. The first, a 72-yard strike early in the second quarter was due to a missed assignment by a safety; pretty much the same on the second, a 42-yarder early in the fourth quarter. The closest Brown was in the next county.

So what's the good news out of this mess? The Browns' offense is back. Baker Mayfield & Co. awakened from their slumber to put 531 yards on the stats sheet, 230 on the ground with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt taking turns gouging out yards.

Mayfield rebounded nicely with 305 yards and touchdown passes to Rashard Higgins and tight end David Njoku (a 71-yard bomb in the third quarter), doubling his season total. His throwing was much sharper than in recent weeks. Under ordinary circumstances, the outcome Sunday would have been different.

But this one was not destined to be ordinary in the final 15 minutes as the teams traded touchdowns on five consecutive possessions. It was the kind of game where the last team that owned the ball last had the best chance to win. 

That team was the Browns after the Chargers had taken a 47-42 lead with 91 seconds left in regulations on the third of Austin Ekeler's three touchdowns. Head coach Kevin Stefanski wisely allowed Ekeler to score from three -- in fact, it looked as though the Browns pushed him into the end zone -- so his offense could get the ball back with significant time remaining.

The strategy failed as the offense, with no timeouts left, advanced to their 47, but three straight incompletions by Mayfield ended the drama. 

In some ways, it seems a shame such a solid offensive output was wasted. It was due mainly -- and ironically -- to the poor performance of a defense that had been mainly responsible for the three-game winning streak the Browns brought into the game.

Turning points? It's almost nonsensical to pick one out in a game like this, but here goes, anyway.

After the  Browns stretched their 20-13 halftime lead to 27-13 on a 52-yard scoring romp by Chubb to cap the opening drive of the second half, Chargers coach Brandon Staley must have sensed his defense wasn't going to be a factor and his offense needed a boost.

The Browns had all the momentum at the time and probably felt pretty good about themselves. The defense forced a fourth and two at the Chargers 24-yard line on the subsequent possession. Every team punts from deep in their territory, right? Not on this day. 

Still plenty of time left in the game. Why not go for it? Stupid? You bet. 

Apparently feeling this one was slipping away and couldn't be won, the rookie head coach chained his punting unit to the bench and went for it. The daring and very unorthodox against-the-book gamble produced a nine-yard run by Ekeler right up the gut.

Ten plays later, Herbert scored the first of his two running touchdowns and the Chargers were right back in it. It provided that side of the ball the momentum change it badly needed. Staley punts and who knows where this game would have gone. It turned out to be a smart emotional and psychological move, one where he would have been roasted had if failed.

It seemed to have a profound effect on the Chargers' offense, which went on to score touchdowns on four of the next five possessions, including the last four straight. The Cleveland defense flat out disappeared in the final 30 minutes after playing moderately well in the first 30 minutes.

The reason the Browns were able to stay with the Chargers is simple. Think last season, when they played numerous games where they simply outscored the opponent to win because that defense was embarrassingly awful.

This offense is built to win -- and sometimes lose -- games like this. There will be other games this season where something like this is repeated. As soon, perhaps, as the next game back home against the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals.

Some would argue injuries was a factor Sunday. Cornerback Denzel Ward went down in the first half with a neck injury. Edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney (elbow) watched the game on the sideline. Offensive right tackle Jack Conklin (knee) left in the third quarter. Corner M. J. Stewart exited with a hamstring.

Part of the game. Some coaches would argue excuses are for losers. And they would be correct.

Making a statement? 

In the coaching lexicon of the National Football League is what is loosely called a statement game. It's usually a singular targeted game -- every now and then maybe one or two more than that -- during the season when a team's record is deceiving and needs to be more clearly justified with a strong performance.

Take, for example, the Browns. They are 3-1, in the midst of a three-game winning streak and atop the AFC North with Cincinnati and Baltimore. And yet, it is not what you would call a comfortable position. Not with three disappointing offensive games in a row against teams with a combined record of 4-8.

Heading into the 2021 season, just about everyone in the NFL orbit believed the Browns, not even arguably, had one of the most potent and dangerous offenses. Outside of a terrific opening game in Kansas City, that has not been the case. Far from it.

And that sets up what will be the Browns' first statement game of the season Sunday in Los Angeles against the 3-1 Chargers, who are coming off consecutive victories over division rivals Las Vegas and Kansas City. 

What better statement can the Browns make than by knocking off one of the league's hottest teams led by one of the best young quarterbacks in the league and on the road? It doesn't get much better than that. It would certainly silence those who see blemishes despite the record.

The Browns have not won those three games because of Baker Mayfield. They won those games in spite of a series of below-average performances by the Cleveland quarterback. If the offense plays Sunday like it did last Sunday against Minnesota, that winning streak will come to a screeching halt.

Yes, the Browns' defense has sparkled the last two games, And yes, middle linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. is back after spending the last three games on injured reserve. It's the offense, based on what we've seen lately, that poses the problem.

Mayfield, partially torn left labrum and all, needs to play that statement game with his buddies on Sunday. The kind of game that sends a message to the rest of the league that the Cleveland offense is far from approaching life support territory despite owning the NFL's best ground game.

The Chargers' defense is quite capable of shutting down that infantry and force Mayfield, whose three-game snooze has produced just two touchdown passes and whose completion percentage the last two games hovers way too close to 50%, to beat them through the air.

Adding to the concerns -- guessing head coach Kevin Stefanski calls them something else -- is the temporary loss of left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., who has been given the week off to give his injured ankle time to heal, which revs up the next-man-up machine.

Next man up would have been Chris Hubbard, but he undergoes season-ending triceps surgery next week. Next next man up is pick your poison (or cross your fingers) -- Blake Hance or rookie James Hudson III. Both men have filled in for Wills. Hance is more experienced. That is his only edge.

Either way, the quality quotient of that unit takes a solid hit with Wills and Hubbard unavailable. Losing one starting part really does make a huge difference. As a result, its status as one of the best offensive lines in the league temporarily drops. 

Wills' absence, even if it's for just one game, weakens the unit overall. It negatively affects its rhythm as a whole. You can be fairly certain that whoever replaces Wills will get help from a tight end when Stefanski dials up a pass.

Overall, the coach probably has to moderately restructure his playcalling philosophy and play design if he wants to keep his quarterback vertical against a decent Chargers pass rush that features Joey Bosa, who has yet to really bust loose this season. Ostensibly, he'll battle with right tackle Jack Conklin.

While Mayfield attempts to pull his offense out of its slump -- sure feels odd writing that during a winning streak, but it's true  -- in an effort to balance out the overall output by locating and fixing his passing woes, the defense faces its biggest challenge of the season since the opener.

The plan is to get up close and personal with 6-6, 235-pound quarterback Justin Herbert, who connects on nearly 70% of his passes and averages nearly 300 yards a game. The pro sophomore checks in with nine touchdown throws and just three picks, and converts at a 50% rate on third down.

His offensive line protects him, statistically speaking, better than just about anyone, limiting the opposition to just seven sacks in four games. Another challenge for a Browns defensive line that has played well since Kansas City.

The Cleveland secondary must contend with standout wide receivers Keenan Allen (6-2) and Mike Williams (6-4) and 6-5 veteran tight end Jared Cook. Tall receivers have given them trouble in the past.

Most of the pressure, though, will be on Mayfield, who maintains he is not worried and will pull out of this. That there is nothing about which to be concerned. All he has to do is go out and prove his optimistic approach is not just an attempt at staying positive.

Oddsmakers still like the Browns, however, installing them as only point-and-a-half underdogs on the road. That's most unusual considering teams from the Eastern time zone do not generally fare well on the west coast.

Even though I think Mayfield will rediscover his accuracy Sunday, it will arrive well into the final quarter, too late to save the game, which will by dominated by Herbert, who will be virtually untouched by the Cleveland pass rush as he adds three more scoring throws to his total, and the defense, which holds Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt under 100 total yards. That statement game will have to wait. Make it: Chargers 27, Browns 15

Mid-week thoughts

Just one very big one today . . . 

The surprising news that Baker Mayfield has played the last two games with a partially turn labrum in his left shoulder seems to be treated rather cavalierly by the Browns.

The injury, originally incurred while attempting to make a tackle in the Houston victory a few weeks ago, appears to have had a negative effect on his ability to throw a football if the statistics of the last two games are any indication. He disagrees.

It's almost as though the club's approach to the situation seems to downplay the fact Mayfield has worn a shoulder harness in those games to protect his non-throwing shoulder and there's nothing here about which to be concerned. 

Originally it was reported and confirmed Mayfield late in the second quarter had suffered a dislocated shoulder that was quickly popped back into place and all was well. He finished the game, but head coach/playcaller Kevin Stefanski called fewer pass plays seemingly to protect him.

The defense came alive in the next two games to take the pressure off an offense that sputtered, especially in the passing game. Mayfield completed an uncharacteristic 51.5% of his passes for a paltry, for him, 401 yards.

Medically speaking, a shoulder labrum is a thick piece of tissue (cartilage) attached to the rim of the shoulder socket that keeps the ball of the socket in place, according to hopkinsmedicine.org. That it's not a complete tear is the only good news, if you can call it that.

Never mind it's the non-throwing shoulder. If the tear was complete, Mayfield most likely would have needed surgery. There I go again practicing medicine without a license, but a torn labrum, no matter which side, is surgery waiting to happen.

If it wasn't for an NFL Network report by Ian Rapoport Thursday revealing the partial tear, the public, particularly members of Browns Nation, might never have known the extent of his injuries.

Mayfield was asked about whether the harness would affect his throwing. His answer was interesting, but concerning. "It shouldn't, no," he replied. Not "isn't" or "won''t,", causing suspicion on my part that it already has.

Again, the aforementioned statistics do not lie. Something is wrong. As the risk of repeating myself, this Baker Mayfield in no way resembles the one who opened the regular season a month ago with a spectacular game even though the Browns lost.

It is hard to believe he will experience no problems in running a pretty good offense, one that relies heavily on him to be effective. The ground game right now is the only aspect of the offense that is saving the Browns.

From a physical standpoint, the shoulder harness has to, at least a little, affect normal movement of a quarterback from snap to snap. The trick is to avoid thinking about it and concentrate on the play called. That's easier said than done.

The snap itself, especially when Mayfield is under center, has to feel somewhat jarring to the arms and shoulders as it arrives briskly in his hands as he moves his feet to execute the called play. 

Knowing he is not completely healthy and that his production has fallen off dramatically, it won't be long before opposing defenses start crowding the line of scrimmage in an attempt to take away the run game and challenge him to throw.

Mayfield has the right attitude, which helps tremendously. He has identified the problem and seems to be singularly focused on rectifying the situation. That's his MO. He takes setbacks like this and turns them into personal challenges. Just another chip on his amply-chipped shoulder. 

As a remedy, he might consider changing one aspect of delivering the ball. For some reason lately, he seems to get his hand too much under the ball on most on his field-stretching throws and they sail well past wide open targets. When he gets behind the ball and steps into a pass, he is much more accurate.

Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt do not seem worried while working on preparations for the Los Angeles Chargers game Sunday on the west coast. "I see him throwing it accurately in practice, so I don't attribute that to the injury as much as just having an off day," said Van Pelt.

Considering the Cleveland offensive line is no longer among the best in the National Football League at protecting the quarterback (Mayfield has been dropped 12 times already), it would behoove Stefanski and Van Pelt to design pass plays that develop quickly in order to protect the non-throwing shoulder.

Either that or utilize more bootleg rollouts against the grain that freeze defenses and enables Mayfield to escape the pass rush and deliver passes without being physically challenged. They were notably absent against Minnesota last Sunday.

In the meantime, have you noticed all that early Super Bowl talk involving the Browns has quieted down with Mayfield operating at less than peak efficiency? The next two games against teams with terrific young quarterbacks and defenses that meet regularly at the quarterback present significant challenges for the Browns with their star quarterback well shy of 100%.

Monday leftovers

The manner in which the Browns knocked off the Minnesota Vikings Sunday got me to thinking. They are taking the expression "winning ugly" to new and misleading heights.

That's two games in a row now the offense has sputtered and been rescued by the defense. Can't remember the last time a Cleveland Browns defense hogged the spotlight like this.

Sure winning is great, but it sometimes covers up blemishes that ultimately crop up and hamper the ability to sustain the ability to win.

While celebrating its emergence as one of the National Football League's stingiest defenses, a troubling and yet vital part of the offense is clearly on the downgrade. It needs fixing in a hurry because the defense can't keep this up the next couple of games against high-powered offenses.

Baker Mayfield is in a three-game slump. It's that simple. He is not the same quarterback who thrilled Browns Nation the last half of last season and the season-opener this year against Kansas City with his throwing accuracy. It is MIA. It should not be ignored because the record is 3-1 with a three-game winning streak. He's not the reason they are.

An outstanding running game and rebirth of the defense have helped keep the Browns remain tied atop the AFC North with Baltimore and Cincinnati. Without either of these attributes, the Browns would probably be 2-2 at best, 1-3 at worst and sharing the basement with Pittsburgh.

Last season, it was Mayfield and the offense that kept the Browns in contention in spite of an awful defense and ultimately a ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2002.

Mayfield, whose confident nature and bold command of the huddle are among his greatest assets, has looked different during that win streak. He seems uncertain where to throw the football. A great example of that occurred during the first possession of the second half Sunday in Minnesota.

Third down and a couple at their 33, the Browns up, 11-7. Mayfield drops back to throw and locks in downfield, completely failing to see rookie running back Demetric Felton sneak out into the right flat. Wide open. The Vikings paid no attention to him. You and I could have completed a pass to him.

The protection finally broke down after what seemed like at least six or seven seconds and Mayfield was sacked. Instead of completing an easy pass and extending the possession, the Browns punted. A blown opportunity. That's not Kevin Stefanski football.

Mayfield seems to have lost his pocket presence, his pocket awareness. He has lost the ability to escape it. He often looks confused, uncertain where to deliver the football. Locating open receivers has been a common problem. And when receivers are open, his throws lately have had a tendency to sail. Others are poorly thrown. His accuracy is AWOL.

Since his terrific game against the Chiefs, Mayfield is a 62% passer with only two touchdown throws and 614 yards, just 205 a game, and he has been sacked 10 times. Narrow that to the last two games, he has thrown for only 301 yards, completing 54.8% of his passes with eight sacks.

He has yet to connect with a wide receiver for a touchdown, his scoring throws going to tight end Austin Hooper and Felton on a screen. The return of Jarvis Landry in a few weeks should help.

After the game, Mayfield's self assessment might be step one toward correcting the situation. "I pride myself on being accurate," he said. "Today . . . I don't know what the hell that was. . . .  I have to pick it up because if I think that piss-poor performance is going to cut it, it's not. . . . I'll get better."

He had better because if he doesn't, the run game and defense will carry them just so far.

*     *     *

Stefanski tried to absolve Mayfield of any blame by blaming himself. "I've got to do a better job of getting the guys open," he said. A typical selfless move by the head coach of taking some heat for failures. Sorry, coach. Doesn't wash.

Stefanski can take blame for bad playcalling. That's legit. Getting guys open is a matter of drawing up the plays and expecting the players to execute them properly. Which they were doing Sunday, but Mayfield kept missing them. The receivers ran the correct routes.

It's the quarterback, coach. You probably know that. Your quarterback needs a crash course in how to handle trouble in the pocket. It's something he has done before and done well. A good start might be choreographing plays that allow him to get rid of the ball quickly with high-percentage throws.

The thought of Mayfield busting the slump, combined with the ground game and new defense maintaining their excellence, bodes well for the remainder of the season. 

Stefanski's best call of the game was made in the waning seconds of the first half. Third down and 20 from the Cleveland 36, with an 8-7 lead, he dialed up a draw for Kareem Hunt. It clicked for 33 yards to the Minnesota 41. Five plays later, McLaughlin connected on a 48-yard field goal and a four-point lead. 

*     *     *

It might be time for Stefanski to make a temporary change at left offensive tackle. Jedrick Wills Jr. has played a majority of the last three games on a bad ankle. It's getting worse. He had to leave the Vikings game late in the third quarter.

Rookie James Hudson III replaced him and was flagged for a false start on fourth-and-one at the Vikings 42 as Stefanski's penchant for gambling on fourth down in enemy territory continued. It resulted in one of Jamie Gillan's seven punts. (Six of the Browns' seven second-half possessions ended with punts.)

It was believed the more seasoned Blake Hance would replace Wills should the ankle act up. Based on the limited time I've seen Hudson, he is not ready to step in at the most important position on offense after quarterback and be effective. He is too slow with his kick step.\

*     *     *

I'm getting tired of screaming at the television screen every time the Browns advance deep into enemy territory only to see Stefanski gamble on fourth down, thumbing his nose at the field goal. "Take the points," I rant. "Take the damn points." The idea is to put points on the scoreboard.

Last season, Stefanski went for it on fourth down 24 times and was successful just eight, a robust 33% of the time. This season, he has gambled on fourth down eight times, succeeding half the time. He is on pace to take the gamble 26 more times.

Guessing that analytics, with which Stefanski is madly in love, suggest there is a higher chance of succeeding than failing on fourth down when the enemy's goal line is in sight. In doing so, he ignores kicker Chase McLaughlin, who is perfect in placements this season, including three field goals from 50 yards and beyond.

With a leg like that and an offense that lately has trouble putting points on the board, Stefanski might want to reconsider and take the points more often.

*     *     *

Veteran Malcolm Smith deserves a sizable amount of credit for filling in capably at middle linebacker during the absence of Anthony Walker. He led the club in tackles in two games, intercepted one pass and called signals.

Walker, signed as a free agent to help the unit come together cohesively, pulled a hamstring the Thursday before the Houston game and was immediately placed on injured reserve. It is unknown whether he will be ready for the Chargers game Sunday.

*     *     *

Finally . . . Based on how well he has played in the first four games, I'm beginning to think Jadeveon Clowney was a wise addition in free agency. He doesn't crush the scoresheet, but his disruptive style of play makes it easier for someone like Myles Garrett to flourish. Now all he has to do is stay healthy. . . . Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer sure noticed after the gane. "Those two No 1 draft choices were a pain on our guys," he said. . . . Stefanski, on struggling to score against the Vikings: "I wished we scored (more), but to keep (the Vikings) offense on the sideline was a big part (of the victory)." . . . The Browns owned the football for 35:32, 39:34 and 35:05 of the last three games. That's an incredible 40 more minutes than the opposition, or 60% of the time.  . . . Now I know why the Browns keep Andy Janovich on the roster. The fullback caught an important pass for a successful two-point conversion after the Browns' lone touchdown against Minnesota.

All grown up

We -- and by we I mean every skeptic including yours truly -- were warned it will take time. We were told to be patient. It will come.

Well, it arrived Sunday in Minneapolis, Minn., and was the main reason the Browns hung a 14-7 bruising on the Minnesota Vikings in what looked very much like a throwback to the good old days of slugfest playoff football. 

This was the day the semi-maligned Cleveland defense finally grew up.

Putting as many as 10 new faces on that side of the football does not come together right away and perform well at the snap of a finger. It really does take time. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said so. So did defensive coordinator Joe Woods. 

We now have prima facie evidence, based on the last two games, that the Browns now have another unit that can change games, joining an offense that turned dangerous last season. The defense shed its growing pains and grew up in a major way,

It began last Sunday with a nine-sack beatdown of the Chicago Bears. The only similarity between the Bears and Vikings is they reside in the same division. Let's see what they can do against a better team.

The Vikings are much more powerful offensively. This was a more stringent test. And brother did they respond despite losing two starters in the secondary. Rookie cornerback Greg Newsome II (calf) didn't dress and strong safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. was concussed in the opening quarter.

After a game-opening drive that resulted in what turned out to be the Vikings' only points of the afternoon, the Cleveland defense choked off an offense that averaged 425 yards and 25 first downs a game. Sunday, it was 255 yards and 16 first downs.

The Bears game, as it turns out, was a sneak preview of what was to come. Woods' defense was quick, aggressive, rarely out of position and arrived at the football with stunning speed. The pass rush began slowly, then got downright nasty, throwing off the timing of Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, causing him to deliver the ball often times before he wanted to.

Woods, whose soft approach on defense has been criticized by more than a few, beautifully choreographed a fusillade of blitzes that arrived from numerous different parts of the field and appeared to confuse and then frustrate Cousins. 

Sometimes, it showed up from the middle on a late blitz. Other times, it came from a blitzing cornerback after initially lining up in press coverage. The timing on most of them was exquisite. Cousins was sacked only twice, but was hit 10 times and hurried at least a dozen other times, 

The longer the game went, the better the defense played. And it was clearly needed on an afternoon where the Cleveland offense was just good enough to bleed the clock and keep Cousins on the bench. Solid defense on both sides was the clearly the story in this one.

The Minnesota ground game was, for all practical purposes, grounded, gaining just 65 yards. Cousins, a 74% passer entering the game, was a mere 53% passer against the Browns. With one exception, the secondary was solid against the Vikings wide receivers Adam Thielen, Justin, Jefferson and K. J. Osborn.

The only misstep occurred on the opening drive with the Vikings traveling 75 yards in 14 plays in 7:34, Jefferson hauling in a 12-yard strike as cornerback Denzel Ward, expecting inside help from free safety John Johnson III, and not getting it, reacting as if asking where was the help.

The Browns responded with s 15-play, 57-yard drive, climaxed by yet another fourth-down deja vu moment, reminiscent of what happened twice last Sunday when the Bears sacked Baker Mayfield on fourth down on the first two possessions.

This time, the Cleveland quarterback on fourth and four from the Vikings six was dropped by Everson Griffen, who beat left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. 

Two possessions later, Stefanski crafted and Mayfield captained an 18-play, 64-yard scoring march that took 8:39 off the clock. It was climaxed by a Kareem Hunt one-yard burst only after getting significant help as Stefanski did his fourth-down thing again. 

Mayfield's fourth-down pass from the Vikings two fell incomplete, but Minnesota linebacker Eric Kendricks was flagged for holding. Three plays later, Hunt barged in. And then the Vikings' special teams messed up on the point after.

Ex-Brown Sheldon Richardson was late getting off the field as the teams lined up and the Vikings called time out. Problem was they had exhausted their timeouts and were penalized for delay of game. After the the ball was placed at the one, Stefanski reasoned two points sounded much better.  Enter the seldom-used Andy Janovich.

The fullback lined up slot left, tight to the formation. He motioned right and slipped into the end zone at the snap, arriving all by his lonesome. The only thing that could mess it up was dropping the ball. He didn't and the Browns had a lead they never relinquished.

The Browns tacked on a couple of Chase McLaughlin field goals -- 48 and 53 yards -- to make it a seven-point game, but the Vikings were not coming back in this one, not the way the Cleveland defense played.

After their big opening possession, the Vikings' next 10 drives, which consumed just 16:51, resulted in 48 plays, 188 yards (101 on the last two desperation drives), five three-and-outs, six punts, two turnovers on downs, and a pick by cornerback Greedy Williams on the play following McLaughlin's 53-yarder with about six minutes left in regulation. It was Cousins' first interception of the season.

It has been a long time since Browns fans have enjoyed this kind of defense. Even though the score was close for a long time, the lead did not really feel threatened at any time. The game ball in this one without question should go to Joe Woods.

Beware: Shootout ahead

When the Browns' 2021 schedule was initially released, I engaged in the fun game of predicting how many games they would win before training camp even began. Thus far, I have nailed the first three.

Gave game four against the Minnesota Vikings only a cursory thought before quickly marking it a victory even though the game was on the road. Didn't think the Vikings could survive the Browns' dangerous offensive machine.

Then the season began to unfold and those early thoughts about the outcome of Sunday's game have caused me to think my original thoughts might have been incorrect.

The Vikings are 1-2 so far, though, right? Well, yeah. But I can argue that with a degree or two of luck they could be unbeaten. The notion they are what their record says they are doesn't hold true here. Look deeper into the circumstances that brought about the 1-2 and you'll see danger lurking.

Opening game in Cincinnati: The Vikings battled back from 21-7 deficit with kicker Greg Joseph booting a 53-yard field goal with no time left to force overtime. In OT, the Bengals recovered a Dalvin Cook fumble inside the Cincinnati 40 and went on to kick a field goal with no time left in a 27-24 victory.

Game two in Arizona: The defense took a vacation as a shootout broke out with the Cardinals. It came down to the team owning the football last in the best position to win, That was the Vikings, who trailed, 34-33, before moving into position. With mere seconds left, Joseph, who earlier had kicked two field goals from 52 yards, was wide right from 37 yards.

Game three, home opener against Seattle: Another comeback, this time from a 17-7 deficit early in the second quarter. And then the defense showed up, slamming the door in a 30-17 victory. Seattle ran only 19 plays in the second half, The Vikings ran 45, setting up three more Joseph field goals. Head coach Mike Zimmer called it "the best offensive performance I've seen in the eight years I've been here."

That's the team the Browns take on Sunday up north. Two bad breaks created the difference between 1-2 and 3-0. This is a much better team, at least offensively, than at first believed.

We knew Kirk Cousins was a solid, not great, quarterback. He was steady. Rarely made mistakes. And now he, like Baker Mayfield, is surrounded by some very talented individuals. As a result, he has become a very good game manager.

The Vikings offense averages 25 first downs and 425 yards a game, nearly 300 through the air.  Cousins, who has yet to throw his first pick, has completed nearly 75% of his passes to a trio of wide receivers arguably believed to be one of the best in the National Football League in Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson and K. J. Osborn.

They catch 75% the passes thrown their way. Thielen is a third-down-converting machine. Jefferson is coming off a rookie-record 1,400-yard season. And Osborn has developed into a nice third option.

Throw Cook, one of the best all-around running backs in the league, into the mix along with a solid offensive line -- Cousins has been sacked only five times -- and you have a team that should look somewhat familiar to Browns fans.

It is the closest to a mirror image of the Browns on offense as any NFL team. And with good reason since Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was the Vikes' offensive coordinator before deciding he wanted to be a head coach in Cleveland. That Minnesota offense has hardly changed.

A slow-healing ankle injury might keep Cook on the sidelines Sunday. No matter. Alexander Mattison filled in against Seattle last Sunday and responded with a 171-yard afternoon.

It definitely looks like a busy afternoon for the Cleveland secondary, a preview of what lies directly ahead with Justin Herbert awaiting in Los Angeles with the Chargers a week from Sunday and Kyler Murray and his high-octane Cardinals offense a week later back home.

The biggest difference between the Browns and Vikings on offense is how they score touchdowns. Each team has 10. The Vikings have eight through the air; the Browns have eight infantry style with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

Another difference lies on defense where the Browns, at least statistically, hold the edge. Main reason for that is their dominance of the Chicago Bears last Sunday that skewed the numbers. And while the Minnesota offense averages 425 yards a game, the defense surrenders 410 a game. 

Think the Browns can book another nine sacks this week? Yeah, right. But don't look for four or five, either. The Minnesota offensive line is decidedly stronger than the Bears'. Myles Garrett and Co, will be brought down to earth. 

This one very well could turn into the shootout that erupted a couple of weeks ago in Arizona with neither team strong enough to stop the other. And with Cleveland defensive coordinator Joe Woods insisting in sticking with a zone defense for the most part, Cousins could have a field day.

Like the Arizona game, this one also could come down in the dwindling moments of the game to whichever team has the ball last in a close game, one that could be decided by a field goal. Which brings us full circle to the common thread in the Vikings' interesting journey this season. 

Greg Joseph kicked for the Browns after replacing Zane Gonzalez, who was cut after the first two games of the 2018 season. Made 17 of 20 field goals, but missed four extra points. He lost his job when the Browns drafted Austin Seibert in 2019. After making brief stops in Carolina, Tennessee and Tampa Bay, he signed with the Vikings earlier this year. 

Given their performances thus far, Joseph and the Browns' Chase McLaughlin, who has converted field goals of 52 and 57 yards this season and has yet to miss a kick, must be considered important players in the outcome of this game.

That said, all indications point to the shootout with both quarterbacks finding success and both defenses struggling in a point-producing bonanza enjoyable for those who hate defense. And yes, a field goal will decide it in the waning seconds of regulation. This time, Joseph's 37-yard attempt with his team down a point, will be . . . right down the middle. Make it: Vikings 36, Browns 34