The Cleveland Browns were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders in 2019. They have not lived up to that hype though. In fact, it's not even close.
Through 10 weeks, the Browns are just 3-6. Not a lot has gone right for them, and it's reflected by that record.
However, they had a surprising win in Week 10. Cleveland defeated the Buffalo Bills (now 6-3) and could be looking to flip the script on their 2019 season.
In Week 11, they face off with the Pittsburgh Steelers, an AFC North division foe that has won four straight. So how can they pull out the victory?
Here are four reasons the Browns can defeat the Steelers in Week 11.
4. Nick Chubb
The Pittsburgh defense has been really good in recent weeks. However, they aren't perfect. Their rushing defense is middle-of-the-pack, allowing 105.3 yards per game.
Meanwhile, Nick Chubb has been one of the few (possibly even the only) consistent bright spot on the offense for Cleveland.
The running back has 919 yards and six touchdowns on 174 carries (5.4 yards per carry). He has looked phenomenal nearly each week and has had some of his best games recently.
Chubb makes things a lot easier on everyone else. The passing attack has struggled. Guess what, he can run the ball and take the pressure off.
The defense has some great pieces but gets tired at times and the holes in it get bigger. Guess what, he can run the ball and help Cleveland win the time of possession battle. This helps the defense rest a little bit more.
See where I'm going with this? Chubb plays an incredibly important role, and he plays it well. If he can get loose in Week 11, the Browns might just win again.
3. Kareem Hunt
Chubb is not the only star running back on the Cleveland roster. In the Browns also have Kareem Hunt. However, he was suspended to start the year and made his debut in Week 10.
The good news for Cleveland is that Hunt still looked extremely dangerous.
In his first game of the year, Hunt had four carries for 30 yards. He also had seven receptions for another 44 yards.
Hunt brings so much versatility to the offense. He can be a dynamic runner and the main back if you need him to be. However, it's in the passing game that he's most dangerous.
That's incredibly important as it gives the Browns another weapon. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry are already elite-type options. However, if they aren't open or if the play broke down too quickly, you can always just dump it off to Hunt. And he's liable to take it to the house at any moment.
Hunt opens up the offense a little bit more. Maybe that's all it needed. If so, Cleveland could become a dangerous team to close out the season. Is this the week they prove they're back on the right track and pick up back-to-back wins for the first time all year?
2. Baker Mayfield
The sophomore season for Baker Mayfield has gone about as poorly as possible. Mayfield was a stud in his rookie year. He could do no wrong.
Mayfield was winning games, and doing so in style. In 14 games, Mayfield had a 63.8 completion percentage and threw for 3,725 yards and 27 touchdowns (14 interceptions).
The media (for the most part) seemed to love him as well.
Now, his team can win much. He's completed under 60% of his passes and has only nine touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions in nine games.
He's also starting to get much more pushback from the media. All of a sudden those actions that many called “confident and funny” last year are “cocky and unnecessary”.
Mayfield had arguably his best game of the year in Week 10 though. Against an elite Buffalo defense, he had 238 passing yards and season-highs in completion percentage (68.4) and touchdowns (2). Mayfield also had zero interceptions.
If he's starting to get that swagger back from his rookie year, maybe there's still hope for this Cleveland team.
1. Pittsburgh Weapons
The Steelers have a little bit of an issue on offense. Mason Rudolph has been solid at quarterback, but that's about it. He's not someone you should rely on to lead you to a lot of victories by himself.
However, he also does not have much help. James Conner is returning from injury this week, which is great. How healthy is the running back though?
And even if he is healthy, 2019 has not been his year. Sure, he had a great game in Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins (his last game before the injury). That was against the Dolphins though, not exactly a defense you should brag about lighting up.
Meanwhile, the receivers have been bad. Vance McDonald's been just average at tight end as well.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has had a wildly-disappointing 2019 after a breakout 2018. He has just 38 receptions and 503 yards on the year. Those numbers are projected to finished severely under his 111 receptions and 1,426 yards from last year.
Those are still the best numbers on the team though.
Diontae Johnson isn't a terrible number two and James Washington has his moments as well. However, neither have exactly stepped up to soften the blow of Smith-Schuster's struggles and Antonio Brown's departure.
Speaking of that, Donte Moncrief was brought in to be a big helper in that area. He was cut after recording four receptions (on 18 targets) in five games. If you need an indication of how things are going for the Pittsburgh passing game, there you go.
So why can't the Browns exploit the Steelers' lack of weapons and sneak out another victory in Week 11?
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