2020 Will Be Remembered As The Year Of The CLEVELAND BROWNS

Well folks, 2020 has been a wild ride. Coronavirus, no March Madness, Kobe and Chadwick passing, murder hornets, George Floyd, the protests, a stock market crash, the greatest rise in stock market history, Kim Jong Un potentially on his death bed, and much much more. It is hands down the craziest year in the history of this world, and it's only been 8 and a half months so far. Which is why I'm so fired up this morning. 

I know the Browns haven't won an opener in their last 15 years. I know the Ravens have won their last 4 and are coming off a 14-2 season with the league MVP. I know the Browns haven't made the playoffs in a league worst 17 straight seasons. BUT IT'S 2020 BABY! ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN THIS YEAR!!!!

I really thought I was going to wake up this morning and take a much more calm approach to the season. I figured, hey, you've been wrong each of the last two years about calling for a minimum record of 15-1 (finished 7-8-1) and then following it up with a 12-4 prediction (finished 6-10). But predicting us to go 8-8 just can't come out of these fingers. My keyboard won't allow it. A red squiggly line appears under our record if I type anything less than 10-6. Besides, the TALENT on this roster each of the past two seasons should've been enough to win the AFC North. The only roadblock that I forgot to factor in was that we had the two dumbest human beings in the history of the human race leading our team. How crazy is it the when we finally fired 3-36-1 Poo Jackson that we replaced him with Dopey Freddie Kitchens? Sheer bad luck. But thankfully, it appears we hit the nail on the absolute head this time and brought in what I consider the early front runner for NFL Coach of the Year, Mr. Kevin Stefanski.

Phil Long. Shutterstock Images.

GREAT hire, Mr. and Mrs. Haslem. An offensive genius and OH BABY does he look the part. I can't wait to watch him shove his two tight end sets right down the throats of opposing defensive coordinators this year. I mean, think about the success he had in Minnesota and now multiply it by 100 because of the weapons he's got at his deposal in Cleveland this year.

All jokes aside: find me a more dangerous set of weapons in the league this year than Nick Chubb (Top 5 RB), Odell Beckham Jr (Top 5 WR), Austin Hooper (Top 5 TE), Jarvis Landry (#1 Second WR), and Kareem Hunt (#1 Second RB). There literally is not a team in the league that can stack up with that. Which is why Baker Mayfield better figure out how to win with this bunch or else there is QB change coming in Cleveland at draft time next year. And honestly, it shouldn't be that hard for Baker to win this year. You don't need to do anything crazy. Get the ball to your playmakers and watch them make plays. And then watch your defensive line eat quarterbacks alive.

Which brings me to my two bets I'm handing out today free of charge:

Comeback Player of the Year: Myles Garrett (+1700)

Perhaps the 2nd easiest bet I've ever made in my entire life. This dude messed up in the heat of the moment, no doubt about it. But he's had to sit and listen to people defame his character like he made a calculated decision to murder somebody. He was competing and he got caught up in it. He's a good dude at heart. And he is impossible to be blocked. I mean, look at this guy:

Getty Images.

So after an indefinite suspension to end the year last year, if the guy turns around and leads the league in sacks, he has to win the award right? This seems more like an investment than a wager to me. And stocks only go up these days. LOCK IT IN.

Next bet:

Browns Over/Under 8.5 Wins: Over

So you're telling me I need to find 9 wins on this Browns schedule? Only 9? Okay, here, I'll give it a shot: Bengals (x2), Washington Football Team, Jaguars, Jets, Giants, Colts, Raiders, Steelers (at least once), Texans. Oops I named 10. And they are 10 easy ones. I didn't even count in the fact that I think we beat the Steelers twice, the Ravens at least once, and probably get one from either the Eagles, Titans, or Cowboys too. This team should win 11 games easily. I know I said the Myles Garrett bet was the 2nd easiest one I've ever made in my life, and that's only because this one is the easiest. 8.5 wins? I didn't know money grew on trees out in Vegas.

Which brings me to today: obviously we have a tall task. I think it flat out sucks that the Browns haven't won their opener in 15 years and Roger Goodell decides to send us to the reigning AFC North champions with the reigning MVP right out of the gate. But God(ell) gives his toughest task to his strongest warriors. A win today would put the rest of the league on notice and the rest of the AFC North on life support. You cannot let the Cleveland Browns come into the defending division champs house and beat them in Week 1. 

This is not a must win for the Browns. This is a MUST WIN for the Ravens though.