USA TODAY International Edition
Mayfield, Browns keen on playing spoiler role
The Browns are locked out of the NFL playoff picture, but that doesn’t mean their regular-season finale is without stakes.
The forlorn franchise has a chance to finish 2018 on a strong note by securing its first winning record since 2007. In doing so, the Browns could shake up the postseason for the rest of the division and the AFC at large.
By beating the Ravens on Sunday, Cleveland could potentially knock its foe out of the playoffs should the Steelers defeat the Bengals. But the current leaders of the AFC North shouldn’t be caught overlooking their final opponent after they were bounced from the postseason last year on a last-minute touchdown by Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd in Week 17.
Baltimore should have more confidence in its ability to seal things up this season, as the team is 5-1 since Lamar Jackson took over as the starting quarterback. And while the Browns’ 12-9 overtime win over the Ravens in Week 5 should serve as sufficient reminder of the threat this group poses, plenty has changed for both sides since that game.
For the Browns, the firing of head coach Hue Jackson and interim coach Gregg Williams’ appointment of Freddie Kitchens as offensive coordinator have given rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield and Company new life. The No. 1 overall pick is completing 71 percent of his passes with a 16-to-5 touchdown-tointerception ratio since the move. Rookie running back Nick Chubb has also emerged as a go-to threat with a 5.3 yards per carry average.
But Cleveland will be facing a different challenge against Baltimore this time. With Jackson helping to engineer long drives and dominate time of possession, the Ravens have afforded opposing offenses reduced opportunities to make any headway against the league’s top-ranked defense.
Mayfield likely won’t have the same output of 43 passing attempts that he did in the first matchup, so the key for Cleveland is efficiency. The Browns rank 27th on the season in third-down conversion rate at 35 percent, and improving on that figure Sunday could be paramount in the effort not to fall prey to Baltimore’s brand of keepaway.
Here are other matchups that could define Week 17 in the NFL:
Colts WR T.Y. Hilton vs. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson
Hilton has quietly been one of the strongest performers of the second half of the season, posting 45 catches for 779 yards in the last six weeks while fighting through ankle and shoulder injuries. With tight end Eric Ebron not cleared from the concussion protocol and Indianapolis facing win-and-in playoff stakes, the Colts might need their star target to replicate the 155-yard, twotouchdown effort he had in a 38-10 November win against the Titans.
Jackson was left on an island in the previous matchup, and he likely will need additional help both in coverage and from the pass rush if Tennessee is to notch its first-ever victory against Andrew Luck. But with cornerback Logan Ryan, linebacker Brian Orakpo and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey all out for the finale, Jackson might be short on assistance.
Vikings RB Dalvin Cook vs. Bears LB Roquan Smith
In perhaps the low point of a difficult season for Cook, the second-year back managed 12 yards from scrimmage on 10 touches in a November loss to the Bears. Much has changed since then, as Kevin Stefanski has made Cook an integral piece of the attack after taking over for fired John DeFilippo following a Week 14 loss to the Seahawks. With Minnesota’s playoff hopes potentially on the line, Cook should see a variety of opportunities both as a ballcarrier and receiver.
But while linebacker Khalil Mack and safety Eddie Jackson get the bulk of the attention on Chicago’s defense, Smith has become an important piece for the league’s second-ranked rushing defense. The No. 8 overall pick in April’s draft has particularly come on strong late in the year, as he was a key contributor in the Bears’ effort to hold Rams running back Todd Gurley to 28 rushing yards in Week 14.
Eagles QB Nick Foles vs. Redskins’ secondary
Philadelphia can’t rely on Foles also to carry the defending champions to the playoffs, as a loss by the Bears will be needed to open a window of opportunity. But the Eagles will need their stellar stand-in to again do his part. One week after setting a franchise record with 471 passing yards to go with four TDs in a win over the Texans, Foles could be poised for another big outing.
While Washington’s offense has fallen into disarray after injuries to quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colt McCoy, its defense is also in a precarious position. Safety D.J. Swearinger was waived after criticizing defensive coordinator Greg Manusky for his use of man coverage in last weekend’s loss to the Titans. That move could leave the defense even more vulnerable to Zach Ertz, who already has broken the record for receptions by a tight end in a single season (113) and burned Washington for nine catches and 83 yards earlier in December.