Cleveland came into the 2024 season as a team with great potential – but then they had some “issues” with QB, Deshaun Watson. So the fact that they have been more than able to handle their own still, is a real eye opener to many. Cincinnati was a SuperBowl runner-up a few years ago, and came into the year with a very confident swagger, and Baltimore has the most explosive QB in the NFL in Lamar Jackson. I don’t think anyone would’ve thought the Cleveland Browns would be where they are at right now.
Losing Deshaun Watson for 65% of the games for the year was obviously an enormous loss. I would believe the vast majority of NFL fans thought that losing the career 104 TDs passer would be the end of the Browns season. But Jacoby Brissett and his 66% completion rate and his ability to make plays when things are crashing down around him has been more than serviceable, and Brissett and Amari Cooper have been piling up numbers between the 2 of them. They’re not lighting things up in an Allen / Diggs way, of course, but they have been more than adequate for them, with 219 YDs and a pair of TDs.
Most didn’t expect Cleveland Browns to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers – but they did. And beat them by 12 when Nick Chubb drilled them for 113 YDs and a score – showing his strength and vision throughout. If not for the weird collapse vs the Jets, giving up 17 in the 4th Q and a 2 TD lead – this team would , and should be 3-0. But, they did, take it for what it is.
They have been handling their own on defense on 3rd downs – keeping teams to a 37.1% rate and they have been able to keep drives going with their aggressive running game, as they have been hitting 47.8% on the 3rd downs, putting them at 1st in the NFL for teams with 40+ 3rd down attempts. Nick Chubb is a ball of butcher knives, he finishes with a hard push and is not afraid to come at you. His 113.7 YPG and 5.5 YD /carry are tops for players with 40+ carries in the NFL. He knows how to give his front time to open a hole – and then rips through like a rhino. The Browns are built around the 26 yr old RB, and that is not a bad thing, he can shoulder the expectations and then they also have Kareem Hunt in the backfield as their RB2. I think most know, based on skill – Hunt could be a RB1 on many teams in the NFL.
Their coaching has been nothing but excellent. 3rd year head coach, Kevin Stefanski has made the most of a team with a lack of pass coverage, and having been dealing with the offseason loss of their QB1. They have still been putting up 28 /game on offense – I can’t help but to wonder, once Watson is available and caught up – just how dangerous can this team be? The Cleveland Browns may not have the big name QB like the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens have, they don’t have the explosive passing power that most power teams have – but until things prove me wrong – I think we have to come to terms that Cleveland is the team to beat in the AFC North division.
Whether you went to admit it or not.