Ineligible Man Downfield: Power ranking possible Browns playoff opponents
Plus Paul Dolan sort of walks back the Cleveland baseball team name change.
Bills, Titans, or Colts?
Indianapolis Colts. The current version of Phillip Rivers is why the Colts feel like the best-case scenario playoff opponent for the Browns. They are a solid team (8th in DVOA) and well-coached on both sides of the ball. There’s a scenario where Rivers can do enough and Deforest Buckner causes chaos and the Colts win. But Rivers, at 39, doesn’t feel as threatening as he did at his apex. (Rivers also happens to be playing on an injured foot, which has to be hurting his ability to push the ball down the field.) He is largely why Indianapolis’ offense is about average. This feels like a team the 2020 Browns defense can actually have success against. — Chris Manning
Tennesee Titans. The Browns beat the Titans and absolutely dominated the first half of that game. Parts of the — better play from Baker Mayfield, Kevin Stefanski’s play calling, a poor Titans pass rush, etc. — feel replicable. Myles Garrett having not just returned from having COVID and a healthy Denzel Ward will help too. But what puts the Titans above the Colts as a threat is their offensive upside. Arthur Smith is among the best coordinators in the league and it seems unlikely the Derrick Henry-fueled play-action fest can be held in the same check again. Tennessee just has more upside than Indianapolis and that makes them scarier as a potential opponent. — CM
Buffalo Bills. It is wild to say that a team quarterbacked by Josh Allen is the scariest team the Browns could face in the Wild Card round, but that’s a testament to just how far Allen has come in three seasons. Allen’s bumped his completion percentage up nearly 10 percentage points from last season as it hovers near 70%, a remarkable number for a guy who has struggled with his accuracy his entire football career. Stefon Diggs, who the Bills traded for in the offseason, is a big reason for Allen’s ascension, as the former Minnesota Viking can seemingly get open whenever he wants and absolutely tore apart a dominant Pittsburgh Steelers secondary last week. Throw in Cole Beasley and Devin Singletary, and this Bills offense would give a depleted Browns defense fits.
The Bills defense isn’t as good as the Colts, but it’s not the Titans either. Tre’Davious White remains an elite corner, and guys like Ed Oliver and Mario Addison anchor an above-average defensive line. The Browns would need to put up a ton of points to keep pace with what the Bills can do on offense, and that Bills defense is just good enough to make that a worrisome proposition. — Jordan Zirm
ICYMI
Paul Dolan says the ‘Indians’ name isn’t going away in 2021
How the Cavs are handling on-court communication with coaches in masks
Cavs-Pacers round two tweet thread
Good injury about Wills, Ward and Hooper
Here’s why Baker Mayfield has been making pop culture references
Kevin ‘no moral victories’ Stefanski
Larry Nance Jr. and Matthew Dellavedova in the NBA’s concussion protocol
One thing to read today
ESPN’s Jeff Passan nails the need for a name change
Who we are
Chris Manning: Site Manager at Fear the Sword, co-host of the Locked on Cavs podcast, words at places like Cleveland Magazine and Forbes. On Twitter @cwmwrites
Jordan Zirm: Social editor at @TheCheckdown. Formerly of ESPN Cleveland. Words at B/R, SB Nation and UPROXX. Host of The Rebuild podcast. On Twitter @clevezirm
Alex Hooper: Contributor at Fantasy Sports Insight. Former Cleveland Baseball Club beat writer for 92.3 the Fan (WKRK), and contributor at Sports Illustrated, Let’s Go Tribe, and the News-Herald. On Twitter @lexhooper.
Photos: Getty