The NFL schedule-makers likely did not give any thought at all to this, but by having the Browns play the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals in back-to-back weeks, they and their fans get to see the two best quarterbacks in the game in rapid- fire fashion in first Patrick Mahomes, who is No. 1, and now Joe Burrow, No. 1a, on Sunday on the road.

For a Cleveland team that has not had even just palatable play for almost all of the quarter-century of the expansion era, this is a really big deal.

Burrow, who has played all but two years of his entire football career in the state of Ohio, has thrown for nearly 4,000 yards and exactly 36 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. If the Bengals had just a crummy defense instead of a horrific one, then they would be 9-5 instead of 6-8.

He is absolutely incredible. Just like Mahomes. 

By late Sunday afternoon, after seeing those two, the Browns and their fans, knowing that all great teams must have a great quarterback, will get a real good gauge at how far their team has to go.

It’s a long way.

Steve King