The Cleveland Browns are gearing up for a monumental challenge in Week 15, facing the Kansas City Chiefs, with playoff dreams long gone.
Despite being long shots, the Browns must be determined to make a statement against a Chiefs team chasing an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title.
With 12 wins in 13 games this season, Kansas City stands as a formidable opponent, but a Browns victory would place them alongside the Bills as the only teams to defeat the reigning champions.
Browns legend Hanford Dixon isn’t holding back on defensive advice for the team’s cornerbacks.
In a recent segment of “The Hanford Dixon Show,” he broke down the critical nuances of defending against receivers.
“Have to keep your feet shoulder-width,” Dixon emphasized. “You can’t open them up, because if you do, you’re dead anyway. Okay, and you get that jam on them.”
Hanford has some advice for the #Browns corners as Patrick Mahomes comes to town. #DawgPound
"You can't open your feet up wide because you're dead anyway! They should call it turn and run instead of bump and run."
– @HanfordDixon29 pic.twitter.com/A098SDzDYO
— The Hanford Dixon Show (@TopDawgShow) December 12, 2024
Dixon pinpointed a concerning trend among current cornerbacks – their tendency to abandon the classic “bump and run” defensive strategy.
Instead of confronting receivers at the line of scrimmage, many corners are simply turning and chasing, which significantly reduces their ability to disrupt route patterns early in the play.
“And then another thing they have to understand, they can’t panic,” Dixon continued, “…because what they do is, when they’re in that situation and the wide receiver beat them off the line of scrimmage, now they’re in a catch up mode. And the problem is you can’t panic, because a lot of times it’s gonna have to have to take a perfect throw to beat you.”
Patrick Mahomes presents an extraordinary challenge, having led 23 game-winning drives since becoming the Chiefs’ starter in 2018.
Paired with head coach Andy Reid, Mahomes has mastered the art of off-schedule plays, consistently making magic happen when defensive schemes break down.
For the Browns, with their 3-10 record, this game represents more than just another matchup.
It’s an opportunity to prove their mettle against the league’s most consistent team.
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