Just saw the line is Chiefs -10.

The Browns secondary is fraudulent. If old man Ben could pick it apart last night, then Patrick shouldn't have much trouble.

Uh, this is Patrick ****ing Mahomes we're talking about, right?

Yup thats even higher than I thought it would be, I was expecting -8 or -9.

Maybe. But again, a lot of people saying this are reacting to how the browns played while protecting a huge lead. Maybe the early turnovers pressured the steelers to keep shitting their pants. But the first half as a whole was a blood bath. Ben couldn't move the ball when he wasn't picked, Pitts D got flat out blasted. Did Pitt make adjustments or was cle just playing not to lose. It's probably a mix of both.

I'm looking forward to this one.

I think KC will have its typical recent game... comfortable lead for most of the 2nd half (if not all), two-score lead in the 4th quarter, Browns score late to make it a 1-score game, but Browns never have the ball with a real chance to drive for a tie or lead.

Bills-Ravens is going to be a great matchup. The Bills have been efficient against the blitz lately, so that's a big matchup to watch. Ravens' explosive run game can probably take advantage of the Bills weak run D.

The real question is if Martindale can find a way to confuse Allen a few times with exotic looks. Marcus Peters seems like a good matchup against Allen, as well.

I don't know that it was so much Cleveland playing not to lose. Collinsworth said early (and often) in the first half what the Steelers needed to do to exploit the Cleveland defense and Pittsburgh just simply didn't start doing it until they were behind by 28 points. If Collinsworth could see it, it was there to exploit all game, Pittsburgh just didn't take advantage.

That being said, Cleveland capitalized on several of the mistakes, which is what good teams do. The first half was indeed a blood bath and hats off to them for making it so. But let's not forget that Ben threw 4 interceptions and fumbled a snap for a TD. Take those away and Cleveland probably doesn't win. They certainly don't win going away.

Pittsburgh looked like they thought it was going to be an easy game and that they were going to win just based off of history.

It would certainly be a game without the early turnovers. I just think it's a little unfair for people to point to their inability to move the ball and giving up 500 yards without the context that they were protecting an enormous lead. Without those turnovers Cleveland looked like they were playing well enough to still win and at worse keep the game close. That was all you can ask for from a bubble playoff team. Very different from a team like the bears that proved they flat out didn't belong in the playoffs.

To be fair, the Saints D is legit, and Turdbiski is not.

Surprising. We haven't beaten anyone by more than a TD since we blew out the Jets.

I'm not pining for Hunt, but I just watched the replay, and I forgot how aggressively that dude runs. He really is pretty unique.

I think Chubb is better but they have a really nice 1-2 punch at running back. Seems the running game gives us problems on defense, but they can't keep up with Mahomes doing that shit. I'll come down to Baker being better than Mahomes at scoring points. Don't see that happening.

It's the playoffs, anything can happen. But, I feel like what we saw last night was the best the Browns could do and that was with 5 turnovers. They ain't gonna see that vs. KC.

I'm pretty sure he came over when Alex was signed because he is a Smith fan boy. It's kinda like the Tom Brady Tampa Bay fans now. But he's never hidden the fact that he's a Browns fan if memory serves.

The Browns will be getting back Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson, a big boost to their secondary.

Will be interested to see status of CEH and/or Gay. I’m sure we’ll see something by the first practice, but any word at all yet?

I wonder if they had symptoms.

Takes a bit to get your physical conditioning back if you do. I can attest to it. Granted I’m not an NFL player, but they say Myles Garrett went through a funk for a couple weeks when he got back.

I don't know if CLE loses, but it would've been a much different game. But I always thought it was basically a coin flip, and even then CLE had to play a pretty clean game to beat PIT. And PIT is and has been a shell of themselves for most of the season.

But CLE looked more like the Steelers of old than the Steelers did last night. On offense, not on defense, obviously. CLE ran the ball well for the most part, until PIT decided to lock that down, they took care of the ball, and they took advantage of PIT's mistakes and scored TDs.

PIT, on the other hand, looked a lot like "those same old Browns," and not at all like PIT. They turned the ball over multiple times, and once due to sheer ineptitude. They couldn't run the ball, even though CLE pretty much didn't defend the run. PIT's receivers ran the wrong routes, their OL couldn't block up well enough to either establish a run or keep Ben clean long enough to get going in their offense. Etc.

But CLE still left a ton of plays on the field, especially on defense. They allowed Ben to throw for 500 yds and 4 TDs. Regardless of their COVID issues or whatever, that's inexcusable.

So, while I'm certainly happy for Browns fans, and tickled that things have worked out largely as I predicted they might, it's plain to see that CLE is at least 1 if not 2 seasons early to this show. You can't beat the Chiefs by leaning on a run game, and that whole plan falls apart even faster if your defense can't stop the Jets.

Congratulations to the Browns though. It was a fun game to watch.

Part of me is kind of scared by that two headed monster in Hunt and Chubbs. But then I say to myself "The Cleveland Browns defeat Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to move onto the AFC Championship game" and then I just die laughing. So yeah, I feel pretty confident.

Every team remaining in the playoffs has something scary about them. For Cleveland it's the running backs. However, the Chiefs pose more scary matchup problems for opponents than opponents do for the Chiefs.

For fun i rewatched the highlights of Tech vs Oklahoma.

It dawned on me that for Mayfield to win THIS game, it's going to have to go much like their college game: Mayfield dumping it to his RB's and let them do the rest.

Mayfield had some nice throws in that game, don't get me wrong. But Joe Mixon was most of their offense.

Oh no Watkins what is you doing?!?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I wouldn’t go that far lol..!</p>&mdash; King me (@sammywatkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/sammywatkins/status/1348448174332116995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

True, but Cleveland can throw it also, and that's the key. IF they can combine their solid run game with an efficient passing one, and HIT their downfield shots (Like the Raiders did at Arrowhead) they will be a problem.

Don't get to worked up, Clark shit talked all postseason last year.

He should know better.

I love when teams have dominant running games because we get up two scores and they abandon them ie titans.

Hunt already opened that can of worms :shrug:

Don't care about the shit talking, I just don't want them to take the Browns lightly

Actually that tweet was made during the Browns run in the first quarter.

AFCCG against NE 2018 and against Houston last year would fit the bill, IMO.

True.

However,

Baker can throw efficiently if they can operate through PA. Take that away, and Baker's numbers aren't nearly as good. Part of the reason that they were able to to do what they did last night was PIT could never take away that option.

CLE has a decent receiving corps, but they're not great. Landry is their best receiver, and then it's Higgins, who isn't fast, doesn't run good routes, has trouble getting separation, and has okay hands. Then it's Hooper, who's a nice TE, but he's not a whole lot better than NFL average. After that, it's probably Kareem. Who, in some ways, is the most dangerous receiver they have, because of his incredible ability to RAC.

But that's it.

Also, this is Stenfaski's offense, which we've already faced before. But Baker is still really getting comfortable in it, and there's no chance it's completely installed. In reality, Baker and the offense just began getting comfortable in it around week 11 or 12. And you could see that last night in the middle part of the game when they had several drives stall and they had to punt.

The fact is that CLE wasn't anymore efficient than they've been, even allowing for their recent success, which is about 50%. They scored on 6 drives out of 12. And two of those drives were facilitated by short fields gifted to them by PIT.

Spags will take away Chubb, Hunt, and Landry, like how he took away Cook and Diggs last season when we played MIN. They'll make some plays, but Spags will plan to keep them contained, and force Baker to try and win using Higgins and Hooper.

Then you could argue he was just saying the game wasn’t over yet!

;)

That's how I felt after the Chiefs won their first playoff game in forever.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

Reid PC:

No News on injuries but everyone is progressing

Andy's take on the situation


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Reid on Kareem Hunt saying this upcoming game is personal: “Listen, I like Kareem...I’m happy for him. Things are going in the right direction for him. He’s on a good football team, great coaching staff,they won their first playoff game, there’s something to be said about that.”</p>&mdash; Breland Moore (@BrelandKCTV5) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrelandKCTV5/status/1348692603022286849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Almost certainly the case.

Guarantee they are not.

Cowherd thinks the Browns can win LMAO

Hell, I think the Browns CAN win. It's extremely unlikely though.

they very well could win. that didn’t bother me. what bothered me was when he said the Browns have been playing good football for 6 weeks. uh....they lost to the jets and week 17 BARELY beat the 2nd stringers of the Steelers.

He thinks there's a good chance they win, and is appalled that we're a 10 point favorite LMAO

I read Andys quote in the voice of a parent telling their child that they did a very good job keeping inside the lines while using their cryaons.

Andy: "you did very well Kareem that is a great drawing of a green cat"

I'm frustrated that he is not on the Chiefs still - though I agree and understand why he was waived by the Chiefs.

Watching him play is watching a train crash on every play. He is a violent football player, and a gigantic RB.

Still, root for him? Not this week, no way.

I know people want to rag on baker. He's a limited qb but he's not Matt cassel. He's been running a pretty efficient game. In the 4th quarter he inched the ball down the field when he needed to. Can't stand the guy but credit where credits due. I don't expect we'll shut their offense down. I do expect that our offense will wallop their defense.

The only tiny concern would be that Joe woods knows the Chiefs really well. And he's done well against us. But he doesn't have even close to the talent he had in SF and Denver.

I think this is the ultimate point. We are Chiefs fans, with a few trollers around. So, it's natural for us to say "I'm concerned about Matchup X vs Team Y". But you are 100% right, the other guys have more matchup issues to consider when playing the Chiefs, than the Chiefs do playing them.

The Browns have allowed an average of 32.5 points per game against playoff teams this year (8 games).

5 of the 8 scored at least 35.

Their best defensive effort of those 8 games came against Washington in Week 3 with Dwayne Haskins throwing 3 picks.

Their second best defensive performance was against Steelers and Mason Rudolph in Week 17.

The other decent defensive performance was against the Colts in Week 5. Philip Rivers threw 2 picks.

If we want to, we should absolutely be able to score 35+

Cowherd talks. Ask to see his gambling tickets and you’ll get the truth.

Cowherd had the Ravens as undefeated Super Bowl champs

Cowherd said Sam Darnold was the second best young QB in the league.

Something else I should've said in my other post:

You're absolutely right about the bolded part. A lot of people harp on the whole "you can't beat the Chiefs by running the ball," but that's just half-correct.

The truth is, every time we've faced a really good running team, they simply didn't have the QB play to lean on when we stopped the run.

But if a team had top-10 QB play, and had a great running game, they could challenge KC. And like you said, as LVR did. In both games, Carr almost inexplicably played the best games of his career. He didn't make the same mental errors that we're used to seeing, he didn't throw his usual half-dozen poor balls, etc.

So you can challenge the Chiefs with a great running game. But only if you also have great QB play. Without great QB play, all the great running just isn't enough.

And while Baker has shown a big improvement over these last few weeks, he still is obviously not quite there as a complete QB. Stenfaski's system has hidden a lot of those warts. But as I said, Spags knows Stenfaski's system, and knows how to beat it.

And let's be honest: CLE's corps of Landry, Hooper, Higgins, and Chubb/Hunt, while very good, it's simply not on the same par as LVR's Ruggs, Waller, Jacobs, and Renfrow. Landry is pretty good, but we've faced far more dangerous WRs both last season and this. And Higgins is just a guy. Hooper is nice, but he isn't even Noah Fant. And Chubb and Jacobs are probably just about a wash.

My point being, yes, CLE has some nice tools on offense, but they aren't special, except for Chubb/Hunt. And Spags will slow those guys down.

On the other side of the ball, CLE literally can't cover the likes of Hill, Kelce, Watkins, Hardman. And I'd bet that we'll be able to run the ball with some effectiveness against that CLE DL. Enough to keep them honest. So KC will move the ball almost at will, and CLE will find themselves struggling several times throughout the game.

I really like our chances in that scenario.

I like Cleveland's WR group but the big difference is at TE. They don't have a guy like Waller and that's really what the Chiefs struggle with. Our CB's are really good. It's the LB's that struggle and so we end up playing Sorenson on a TE, which is a bad matchup against great TE's. Cleveland doesn't have that.

Does he consider 25 young? Because, well, you know.

He said this after the 2018-2019 season. To his credit, he did acknowledge Mahomes as the best.

I still think it's hilarious zilla acts like some kind of whisperer to the status of what Browns fans think. It's pathetic.

The Browns looked good offensively and meh defensively, more so the Steelers were atrocious tip to tail.

Good for the Browns.

Their defense is about to get skewered by the Chiefs. Cle will score but won’t be able to keep up.

30s-20s type score.

Zack Moss is out for the postseason. Hurts the Bills.

The Chiefs will score 50 if that’s what it takes to win this one. 35 minimum IMHO.

I respect Cleveland but it’s just a bitch to come off their physical emotional wins of the last two weeks and play a fresh team that is also the best team.

Totally Reid, take all the steam out of it with a few kind words

You tripled down on being wrong. Now you're trolling me for some weird reason. But OK, what's pathetic here.

The Steelers had ZERO QB hits yesterday. ****ing zero. TJ Watt absolutely no showed.

Lower than I thought...just called my bookie. :thumb:

Not sure how or why, but it seems like something about Tomlinson isn't resonating in that locker room

You gotta think the Steelers are due to fall off big. Tomlin might be smart to step away and let it crumble. It’s going to be an ugly situation.

I took it as STFU and next question " I like Kareem"

I read this in Len Dawson's voice when they made the picks on Inside the NFL.

I'm questioning the thought that teams who rest are rusty in the playoffs. How is that any different than a bye week during the season where it's expected that the players will come back healthy, rested, and better prepared?

Of course Colin Cowherd is a blowhard, but his narrative is that Cleveland is young and in the zone, whereas KC will come out rusty. He didn't say Cleveland would win, but that the spread was too much for KC to cover. That narrative ignores the fact that Cleveland barely practiced the past 2 weeks yet still came out on fire against Pittsburgh.

But back to the idea of resting players being rusty, why is a 2 week break that different from 1 week? I just don't see much of a difference there to warrant an argument that 1 week is good for rest but 2 weeks is too much.

Cowherd's only "narrative" is "if i say silly stuff people will talk about me"

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Man, I'm worried about this Browns OL.

This is not a good matchup for our defense.

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JFC you’re a moron.

I want to see Kalen Saunders playing the "Ragland" role. About 320+ falling on him for the whole game

This will likely be the best rushing attack we’ve faced in a long time. Honestly I’m more worried about it than the Titans simply bc Chubb and Hunt are a badass duo.

But I have a feeling Spags will stack the line and force the game into Baker’s hands which will end them. All we need is a couple of stop bc our offense is going to score at will in this one.

Browns can run the ball. If we shorten the game by pounding Chubb and Hunt and a couple tipped passes go our way you never know. Chiefs haven’t been dominate for a number of weeks and Denver almost took you down this way. Should be a great game guys!

They've probably got the best conventional rushing attack we've seen for a while, but the Ravens are a bit more exotic with the running QB and we shut them down pretty effectively. Plus, Henry and Tennessee ran into a brick wall against us. There's precedence to show that they're not likely to bully us as long as we show up ready to play and wrap up when we tackle.

Lol.. Great gif. That's a cute ass cat, too.

Note from a mod: Stop dropping tweets that have nothing to do with the thread topic. This could have easily gone into the Wildcard game thread

I wouldn't call the Browns' running game "conventional".

The last time a team really ran the ball like they do, Marty was coaching the likes of Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack.

Not going to be an easy game. Frank & Chris need to step up their game but I'll be watching with hope and baited breath.