THE BROWNS NOW HAVE A CHANCE, AND THEN SOME

By STEVE KING

When you have a quarterback, you have a chance.

And when you don’t, you don’t.

Because the Browns now have one in Baker Mayfield, they have a chance.

That was pointed out – again – in their 20-6 victory over the host New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that it was just a two-touchdown margin of victory, or that the Browns scored only 20 points. Mayfield and the offense were superb. They controlled the New York defense – and the game – throughout. There was no stopping them. They did what they wanted, when they wanted and how they wanted. The Giants simply did not have an answer. They knew it, and so did the Browns.

But this has been going on for a good portion of the season in the fact that Mayfield and this offense believe they can score on anybody, from anywhere on the field, at any time. Their confidence level is soaring and soaring.

In a sport in which all the rule changes for decades have favored the team with the ball, it is paramount to have a good quarterback and a good offense. The Browns now have that – finally, thankfully – and with the fact that Mayfield and the players around him are young and still learning, these guys are just scratching the surface of what they should, and likely will, become. They are having a blast, and so are Browns fans, for it is so much fun and exciting to watch.

The Browns are now 10-4 and streaking. They have almost assured themselves of making the AFC playoffs for the first time in 18 years, and while that is a noble achievement for this franchise, they want so much more this season.

And that is certainly a reasonable expectation as this special, long-awaited joy ride that has been 2020 thus far, marches onward.