The Cleveland Browns finally did it.
After a 17-seasons playoff drought that was the longest in NFL history, the Browns have broken through, driving an 11-win season to a placeholder and a Sunday playoff matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is live on Yahoo can be broadcast sports app.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield bounced back from his sophomore plunge with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while draft investments in players like Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett and cornerback Denzel Ward have paid off.
Will Baker Mayfield have enough talent on Sunday to upset the Steelers? (AP Photo / Gene J. Puskar)
COVID-19 hits Browns at the worst time
Then came the news on Tuesday. Rookie head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. The candidate for Coach of the Year will not be on the sidelines for Sunday’s game.
Stefanski’s case is part of a larger outbreak that has resulted in multiple positive tests among coaches and players, leaving others on the NFL’s reserve / COVID-19 list.
Ward is on the list and his status for Sunday’s game is uncertain. There is corner player Kevin Johnson. Pro Bowl Guard Joel Bitonio and wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge also landed on the list. To make matters worse, Oliver Vernon landed in the injured reserve on Monday with an Achilles injury. He was second on the team behind Garrett that season with nine sacks.
Will Brown’s players get back off the COVID list?
The Browns could bring some players back in time for Sunday night’s game, which was still on schedule as of Wednesday after no new positive tests were run. But after a week of poor preparation they will be understaffed with disused facilities and without their head coach. COVID-19 has devastated the Browns at its worst.
The wear and tear on the coach and squad will make a tough matchup a lot more difficult for a team that has marginally won. The Browns posted an 11-5 record despite a minus 11 point difference, the worst of the playoff teams. You don’t have a top 10 offense or defense.
The story goes on
But they’re fresh from a week 17 win over the Steelers, despite the fact that the Steelers ditched several starters, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Defensive Player of the Year favorite TJ Watt. When the teams met in Week 6, Pittsburgh rolled 38-7.
Can Steelers recover from the late-season slump?
The Steelers hobbled 4-1 into the playoffs after starting the season 11-0 as the last undefeated team in the NFL. That run secured an AFC North crown, but three losses to Washington, the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals raised concerns about the team’s playoff strength.
The Steelers still boast an elite defense that will be by far the best unit on the field. And unlike week 17, Watt will be in the field after a 15-sack campaign.
The biggest question for the Steelers is whether an aging Roethlisberger with elbow problems can trigger a crime that stagnated at the end of the season. The Steelers had a four-game stretch in weeks 12-15 where they couldn’t beat 20 points. Before week 12, the Steelers scored at least 24 points in every game.
They came back on track with a 28:24 win in Week 16 against a strong Indianapolis Colts defense. A first round playoff matchup against an understaffed Browns team could be just what the Steelers need.
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