NFL Playoffs: Who will the Cleveland Browns play next week
The Cleveland Browns showed up to Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on a mission in the final matchup of NFL Super Wild Card weekend and immediately showed the world why they not only deserved their spot in the playoffs but that they intended to move past the first round.
The Browns jumped out to a 28-0 lead over the Steelers in the 1st quarter and led at halftime by a score of 35-10, eventually taking a 48-37 win over their bitter AFC North rivals. The Browns gained the opportunity to move on to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs with their performance this weekend, so let's take a look at their next matchup.
Cleveland Browns will play the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs
The Cleveland Browns are excited about their victory, and rightfully so. Browns had not made the playoffs in 27 agonizing years, so to even make it this far is a new level of success that many of the team's fans and players have not experienced in their lifetimes.
Unfortunately for the Browns, their next matchup may be their last of the season, as they will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in a Divisional Round matchup set for 2:05 pm EST on Sunday, January 17th.
The Chiefs have looked dominant for most of the season, easily winning the AFC West and clinching a first round bye. The Chiefs got to spend Super Wild Card Weekend resting up and analyzing their opponent's playstyle, so look for them to resemble the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs of last season.
The Cleveland Browns had some extra motivation in today's game, as the rival Steelers did not attempt to hide their lack of respect for Cleveland. Star Steelers wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster in particular was an outspoken doubter of the Browns team, stating that "The Browns is the Browns", expressing his belief that the Browns are an inferior franchise.
Always quick to fire back at critics, Browns QB Baker Mayfield mocked Smith-Schuster's words in the locker room, and during the game multiple Browns players could be seen mocking Smith-Schuster's celebratory dance on the sideline.
The Cleveland Browns are a team that thrives off of emotion and their leader, Baker Mayfield, is the catalyst for that personality. Mayfield has always been an outspoken and emotional player, and seems to play better after someone publicly criticizes his performance or questions his abilities.
The Chiefs will likely be smarter than the Steelers with their media releases in an effort to refrain from giving the Cleveland Browns any bulletin board material.