5 players the Browns need to play well to beat Chiefs

Baker Mayfield must play within himself and be confident to pull off the upset

What this really comes down to with the Cleveland offense is quarterback Baker Mayfield understanding all and well what he can and can’t do if the Browns want to stun the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Though he is probably not winning a shootout over Mahomes like he did in the Big 12 because he does not have the better team, he can beat Mahomes at his place by playing smart .

Mayfield cannot turn the ball over repeatedly for the Browns to have any chance in this one. He must lean on Chubb and the running game to open up the play-action pass for him to sustain drives for the Cleveland offense. Of course, he will have to occasionally make a big play or two for Cleveland to pull off the upset. He needs to make the kind of throws worthy of being drafted No. 1.

Fortunately, Mayfield has plenty of talent around him on both sides of the ball and does not play for a team that is at a massive coaching disadvantage either. Naturally, nearly everything will have to go the Browns’ way for Cleveland to pull off the upset. However, it is not an impossibility. What is important is for Mayfield to shine in the face of adversity that will be certainly heading his way.

Mahomes can have better stats, but Mayfield has to be the ultimate leader for Cleveland to win.