CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns clinched their first playoff birth in 18 years this past Sunday. But things almost went down from there.
Coach Kevin Stefanski and left-back Joel Bitonio are among five members of the organization who tested positive for COVID-19 this week and must postpone Sunday night’s playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Analysts who celebrated the Browns on Monday wondered on Tuesday if the team did not even have a chance over the weekend.
“Absolutely devastating,” said Marcus Spears of ESPN. “It’s to me the equivalent of not having a star player available for this game to carry out what Kevin Stefanski wants this offense to do.”
Co-analyst Dan Orlovsky agreed, saying the Browns would have no chance if the game did take place on Sunday.
“This game is over when they play it this weekend,” Orlovsky said. ‘Play calling is not science. It is not measurable. You can not repeat it. You can not just examine it. Play calling is feeling. These are instincts. It is anticipation and reaction. ”
The NFL said there is no change to the playoff schedule and the game between the Browns and Steelers is still being told for Sunday Night Football.
“I think it will show the most if this game takes place in the second and third and fourth quarters,” Orlovsky added. ‘Stefanski will call the first term. He will do his first 20, 25 opening script … Once you have a feel and rhythm of the game, it’s at its best. This is cruel to the Cleveland Browns. ”
The mood was equally gloomy at FS1, where the Hall of Famer and analyst Shannon Sharpe said the loss of a head coach who mentions the plays is monumental.
“Stefanski mentions the plays,” Sharpe repeats. ‘The way he can name a game as opposed to the coach of the special team, or I do not know who is going to name the game, is different because they can see things differently. It’s a big, big deal. ”
Both Sharpe and Skip Bayless, an undisputed “co-host”, said they expected full-back Baker Mayfield to play well over the weekend, but neither gave the Browns a great chance, given the team’s COVID -19 circumstances.