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Week 15 of the 2020 NFL season will slate two teams that are raring to make it back to the postseason picture after several years of futility. The Cleveland Browns are looking well on their way to securing a playoff seat with a 9-4 record heading into the match. They are coming off a tightly-contested affair against division rival Baltimore Ravens in a game that could've gone either way. Opposing quarterback Lamar Jackson's heroics in crunch time ultimately lifted the Ravens over the Browns on a nail-biting 47-42 outcome.
On the other hand, the New York Giants are fresh from a disappointing loss against another playoff hopeful in the Arizona Cardinals. Big Blue braved the encounter as QB1 Daniel Jones went down with a sprained ankle in addition to his hamstring issue after amassing six sacks in the game.
The Giants' receiving corps was virtually non-existent in the game with wideout Golden Tate already leading the way with 39 yards on a single reception. The team's lackluster offense led to a 26-7 final decision which dragged the Giants to a 5-8 record to lose their grip on the top spot of the NFC East division.
With two hungry teams competing on the field, the primetime game should prove to be an entertaining showdown for football fans everywhere. Here are four bold predictions heading to the Week 15 tilt from the Browns' standpoint:
1. Baker Mayfield will throw 2 touchdown passes in the game
The former Oklahoma standout has been on a tear lately as he finally found his rhythm on the field dating back to their Week 12 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Against the struggling AFC South team, Baker Mayfield threw for 258 passes on 19/29 passes completed to go with two touchdowns. He proved that he can perform under the lights against a top team when the Browns faced the Tennessee Titans in Week 13.
He managed to come out with a better outing and generated 334 passing yards on a 25-of-33 passing clip along with four touchdowns in the game. In a tough AFC North divisional showdown against the Ravens, Mayfield continued on his momentum and produced 343 passing yards on 28/47 passes completed and two touchdowns.
The Browns can increase their chances of winning against the Giants if Mayfield manages to throw efficiently under center and orchestrate the offense against a capable defensive line by New York.
2. Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb will each score a touchdown
Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb continue to banner the Browns' rushing attack which made the team harder to beat this season. Hunt managed to sneak a rushing touchdown against the Ravens last week to account for 33 rushing yards on six receptions.
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Meanwhile, Chubb has been on a roll lately after he picked up the slack against the Jaguars in Week 12 and exploded for 144 rushing yards on 19 touches and a scoring touchdown. In the following week against the Titans, he came up with another stellar performance of 80 yards on 18 carries and a score on the endzone.
The former Georgia standout wreaked havoc against the Ravens defense in their most recent game as he produced 82 rushing yards on 17 attempts and two scoring touchdowns. Head coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to turn to his prolific rushing duo and utilize their combination once again to produce points for the team on the offensive side of the field.
3. Myles Garrett will record a monster sack in the game
Defensive end Myles Garrett last tallied a sack in their Week 13 game against the Titans where he also contributed two tackles against a subpar offensive line. However, he failed to sack the elusive Lamar Jackson in their most recent game and only ended with a tackle in the Week 14 loss.
Matching up against a struggling offensive line once again, Garrett is expected to cause headaches for the Giants' starting quarterback on Sunday. With or without Daniel Jones on the opposite side of the field, the pass rusher should be poised to come out with a better performance and add more casualties to his high sack tally which currently ranks third-best in the league.
4. Cleveland will emerge victorious and improve to a 10-4 record
The team looked demoralized when they were stopped in their tracks by the Ravens in their most recent game. With the loss, the Browns now hold a 9-4 record with the Ravens closely trailing behind by a game with an 8-5 win-loss tally. Their Week 15 tiff against the Giants should be a must-win for the Browns in order to secure their lead ahead of their dangerous division rivals and put them in a good position for the postseason.
With Daniel Jones' playing status still questionable, the Browns are assured that the Giants' offense will not be at its best when both squads square off on Sunday Night Football. Baker Mayfield and the rest of the team will have to capitalize on their opportunities against Big Blue to inch closer towards their playoff aspirations heading to the final games of the season.
