COVID-riddled Browns get some players back
The Browns flew to Pittsburgh for the playoffs with some reinforcements — and missing some regulars.
Top cornerback Denzel Ward stayed in Cleveland as he recovers from COVID-19, leaving a massive hole in the Browns’ secondary as they get ready to face Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers in an AFC wild-card game on Sunday night.
The Browns, who were limited to just two practices this week because of another wave of positive COVID-19 cases, including coach Kevin Stefanski, were hoping Ward would be back in time after he tested positive with the virus last week.
However, he’s still not ready to return and the Browns may miss him dearly.
And while Cleveland’s players took a short flight to Pennsylvania on Saturday, the team’s coaches made the 2-hour drive in separate cars to lessen the risk of COVID spread and further infections in the hours leading up to kickoff.
All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin also drove by himself after being listed Friday on the injury report as questionable with an “illness.” It’s believed Conklin was exhibiting COVID-like symptoms and was being isolated from his teammates.
As long as he doesn’t test positive on Sunday, he’ll be able to play against the Steelers and the Browns need him with Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio already out.
Cleveland finally caught a bit of a break Saturday as safety Ronnie Harrison, tight end Harrison Bryant and linebacker Malcolm Smith were activated from the COVID-19 list, giving the Browns some much needed depth for their first playoff game since the 2002 season.
Harrison’s a hard hitter and he’ll slow Pittsburgh’s run game, but the bigger issue for the Browns will be covering wide receivers Juju Smith-Schuster or Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh’s top deep threats.
Bears at Saints
Although the Saints needed overtime to beat the Bears in November, they are solid favorites here after winning their fourth straight NFC South crown. Drew Brees likely is in his final playoff run and has supreme weapons in recordtying RB Alvin Kamara and, if healthy, wideout Michael Thomas.
Plus, New Orleans has a defense in many ways as
staunch as Chicago’s. The Bears need their defense to be at its best because other than WR Allen Robinson, they have few threats. They are the third team since the 1970 merger to reach the playoffs after a six-game losing streak.
Ravens at Titans
They met in the divisional playoffs last year and Derrick Henry ran all over the Ravens for 195 yards. They met in the regular season and the All-Pro running back had 133 yards in November’s OT win on his way to a 2,000-yard season.
Baltimore has its own highly efficient running game, a three-pronged operation featuring quarterback Lamar Jackson and RBs Gus Edwards and rookie J.K. Dobbins. The Ravens averaged an NFL-best 191.9 yards rushing per game and their 3,071 yards rushing were third highest in NFL history.
Oddly, this is the fifth playoff meeting, and the road team won each of the first four.