Team Notes week 18 2020

Sunday, the Browns finally ended the NFL's longest playoff drought with a 24-22 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, catapulting Cleveland into the postseason for the first time in 17 seasons.

"I'm really just happy for our fans," said first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski. "They deserve this. And we're happy to deliver this to them."

Baker Mayfield, who three years ago at the NFL combine declared he could be the quarterback to finally turn the Browns around, was the last player to leave the field. He blew a kiss to the fans with both hands while exiting through the tunnel.

"It's a moment I'll definitely never forget," Mayfield said. "The feeling of walking off the field, the energy in the stadium, they're playing 'Cleveland Rocks' ... For it to be that loud with a limited amount of fans, it was a special moment for us."

Cleveland's victory sets up a first-round rematch with the Steelers next weekend in Pittsburgh. Cleveland's only other playoff appearance this century also came in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers won 36-33.

"We're not satisfied," Mayfield said. "We expected to be here. We worked extremely hard to get here and we're excited to have the chance to be in the playoffs."

The Browns prevailed in Sunday's make-or-break showdown against the Steelers despite battling issues related to COVID-19 all week.

Now they'll have to do the same this week -- except the issues are even bigger.

This time, they'll play without Stefanski and many other key members of the coaching staff and at least one Pro Bowl player sitting at home watching it on television because of COVID-19.

Stefanski, two members of his coaching staff and two more players tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and won't be able to participate in the Wildcard Playoff game against the Steelers on Sunday night.

Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will serve as the acting head coach for the game, marking the second time he's served as head coach for an NFL game.

The other coaches who tested positive today are tight ends coach Drew Petzing and defensive backs coach Jeff Howard. The two players are Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio and receiver KhaDarel Hodge.

According to Cleveland Plain Dealer staffer Mary Kay Cabot, Stefanski is currently asymptomatic and will continue to work virtually from home to prepare for the game. He's feeling fine and plans to be involved in all preparations for the game. However, he is not permitted to be involved on game day. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will call the plays.

The Browns also currently have six other players and three other coaches who are isolating from the team because of COVID-19 protocols -- for a total of eight players and six coaches currently out. Some of those players and coaches will also have to miss the game. That makes for a total of eight players and six coaches.

The other coaches already isolating because of COVID-19 protocols are offensive line coach Bill Callahan, receivers coach Chad O'Shea and assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters. Callahan tested positive on Saturday and will also have to sit out the game. O'Shea tested positive last Wednesday.

The players currently on the list are Denzel Ward, B.J. Goodson, Andrew Sendejo, Malcolm Smith, Kevin Johnson and Harrison Bryant.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the game is still on for 8:30 Sunday night because the positive tests are believed to be from community spread and not from inside the facility.

The NFL believes that there's no risk of further transmission inside the facility.

The Browns facility is closed while contact tracing is underway. More players and coaches could be added to the list by the end of the day, but they will be able to participate in the game because they only have to isolate for five days.

Don't underestimate Stefanski's effort in getting the team to this point.

As ESPN.com put it, "In his first season with the Browns, Stefanski has done more than redirect Mayfield's career and offer up some clever play calling and game plans. He has extended a canopy of calm around the most dysfunctional organization in the league."

The Browns would be excused for overexcitement as they enter their first postseason since 2002, but Stefanski's presence gives them a good chance to meet the moment.

It's also worth noting Mayfield was the most accurate deep ball passer in the NFL this season.

Mayfield's adjusted completion rate on throws more than 20 yards downfield was 51.9 percent, according to Pro Football Focus (via Rotoworld.com). He attempted 54 deep shots on the season, the 16th most in the league. Deshaun Watson had the second best adjusted completion rate on downfield passes. Mayfield's success on deep passes brought a much-needed element to the Cleveland offense, which began the season as a conservative, run-heavy unit seemingly uninterested in big plays.

Nearly 13 percent of Mayfield's throws beyond 20 yards over the season's final six weeks compared to a 10 percent deep throw rate in the season's first six weeks.

That said, it should be noted that Mayfield is a volatile player and a playoff unknown. He has made unquestioned progress under Stefanski this season, but he hasn't been asked to carry the team as quarterbacks often need to in the playoffs.

The Browns' defense allowed at least 30 points in seven games this season.

Mayfield might well be ready for the challenge if the Browns get into a postseason shootout, but it's fair to wait until he performs under that kind of pressure before feeling confident in it.

Each team could look a little different from a personnel standpoint -- the Steelers almost certainly more so than the Browns -- but there's only so much a team can adjust or change at this stage of the season.

"A lot of the presentations we are going to give the players will be very fresh," said Stefanski, who experienced a similar scenario with the Vikings in 2012, when they played the Packers in back-to-back games to close the regular season and open the postseason.

"They will have seen a lot of these plays already so you coach them off of your previous game a lot, and they are doing the same."

For the Steelers, the biggest change will come at quarterback, as veteran Ben Roethlisberger will reclaim his spot after backup Mason Rudolph's admirable performance Sunday. On defense, the Steelers will have Defensive Player of the Year candidate T.J. Watt and veteran DT Cameron Heyward back on the field. Maurkice Pouncey will be back at center.

They comprise four of the most important players on the Steelers roster, but there are so many more on the field. Nearly all of the others held down significant roles and played from start to finish Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

"I think we expected it to look different with the change in quarterback, and we expect it to look different again this week," Stefanski said. "That is part of their job is to play to their players' strengths. We understand that may change. It is our job to put ourselves in their building, think like them and try and get a feel for what they may do this week.

"There is the game theory in trying to understand what they are doing and how it informs your decisions and game planning."

Other notes of interest. ... Kareem Hunt said he wasn't disappointed to fall short of 1,000 rushing yards for the 2020 regular season. He was, however, pumped to see his running mate, Nick Chubb, clear the mark for a second consecutive year.

Chubb blew past 1,000 in grand fashion, rushing for a 47-yard touchdown on the Browns' opening drive.

"Before the game I told him, 'Go get it, you deserve it for sure.' And he went right ahead and did it," Hunt said. "Nick is a heck of the back, talented, and I love working with him because he has the drive to win just like I do, so it is a lot of fun seeing him run the ball and make big plays."

Chubb (1,067) and Hunt (841) finished seventh and 16th, respectively, among the NFL's rushing leaders. They were the only two running back teammates to land in the top 20. Hunt finished tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns for RBs with five.

"At the end of the day, the biggest thing to me is the wins and losses and now we have a chance for the second season," Hunt said. "We have a lot of football left to play and that is bigger than getting 1,000 yards, I think. As long as I can continue making plays and helping our team win and find a way to win I am good with it."

On the injury front. ... Receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones is in the league's protocol after suffering a concussion during Sunday's first half. A sixth-round rookie, Peoples-Jones caught 14 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.

You'll want to watch the daily postings of the NFL Injury/Practice report and the News and Views section of the site for any pertinent developments in coming days.

DEPTH CHART
QBs: Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Deshaun Watson
RBs: Jerome Ford, Kareem Hunt, Pierre Strong Jr., Nick Chubb
WRs: Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, Marquise Goodwin, David Bell
TEs: David Njoku, Jordan Akins, Harrison Bryant