How Many Games Will The Browns Win Next Season?
The Browns schedule is out and Ohio’s Tate and I broke down all of the games…
Week 1: Tennessee
JEFF: Since 1999 the Browns have won one Week 1 game. That’s pathetic. The quarterback that year? Jeff Garcia. The stadium is going to be electric and the Browns will likely come out a little hot and maybe sloppy. In the end, there is no chance the lose this game. Browns 38, Titans 17
TATE: The Browns are 1-18-1 in season openers since returning to Cleveland, and they haven’t won one since 2004 when Jeff Garcia led them to a 20-3 victory over Baltimore. Easy pick, right? You’re darn right it’s an easy pick. Baker, OBJ, and the boys are going to come out swinging to start this new era of Cleveland Browns football off on a high note. There is a 0.00% chance the Browns lose this game. Browns 34, Titans 20
Week 2: @ New York Jets (MNF)
JEFF: Having their first primetime game on the road is a positive for the Browns, in my opinion. The pressure is more off than it would have been at home. I like the upgrades the Jets have made in the offseason, but the Browns are simply better. This could be a close game and another classic like last year’s Thursday Night contest. Browns 27, Jets 20
TATE: Baker vs. Darnold. OBJ returning to NYC. LeVeon Bell playing in his first primetime game in two years. Monday Night Football. This game will be storyline city. But the fact of the matter is that the Browns are so much better than the Jets that the hype surrounding the game will outshine the game itself. Browns 31, Jets 17
Week 3: Rams (SNF)
JEFF: So here is where the Browns are going to feel the pressure. The Rams should be locked in and the Browns will be ready to go to show the world how good they are this season. There’s no question Los Angeles is the better team. I’d imagine the Browns keep it close, but it is still too early in their “gelling” process for this to be a game I feel great about. Rams 28, Browns 24
TATE: Super Bowl preview? Not so fast. There are a lot of talented teams in the NFC and to think the Rams are just going to waltz right through everyone is ridiculous. This will be a good early season test for the Browns. You’ll all call me a homer if I pick them here… but I am a homer… and I think the city is ROCKIN on this night. This is the Browns big coming out party, as they move to 3-0. Browns 24, Rams 21
Week 4: @ Baltimore
JEFF: I am going to wimp out on this one. I think the Browns will fare much better against Lamar than they did in 2018’s Week 17, and I am sure Baker has this revenge game circled but winning in Baltimore isn’t easy. They might not be as good as last year, but the defense will still be a tough beat. Browns 24, Ravens 24
TATE: So, is this the next best team in the AFC North? The Steelers and Bengals rosters are absolutely dismal. I guess that makes this a big game, regardless of the fact that the gap between 1 and 2 in the division is bigger than the one in Michael Strahan’s teeth. Coming off a huge win over a good football team on Sunday Night Football may be the cause for a hangover, but this is divisional football. Plus, Browns fans can drink. We don’t get hangovers. Browns 48, Ravens 7
Week 5: @ San Francisco (MNF)
JEFF: The Browns are going to beat the 49ers like a drum. Browns 41, 49ers 16
TATE: I like Jimmy G. He won me an undisclosed large amount of money in Fan Duel one time. I paired up him and Marquise Goodwin when they were playing the almighty Jaguars defense on Christmas Eve ’17, and they won 44-33. It’s called going contrarian, folks. I really like the 49ers for that. But I pick with my head, not my heart. Browns 44, 49ers 33
Week 6: Seattle
JEFF: This is quietly one of the best games in the NFL all season. Playing this game in Cleveland gives the Browns the obvious leg up, but I still don’t think the defense will have quite come into its own yet by this point. Seahawks 27, Browns 21
TATE: Fat pigs get slaughtered. $107 million in guaranteed money? Russell Wilson isn’t going to be putting in the extra work anymore. There’s no need! But hungry dogs hunt best, and the Browns are hungry for their first playoff appearance since 2002. Russell Wilson’s Super Bowl winning, hundred million dollar belly is full. Browns 24, Seahawks 13
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: @ New England
JEFF: The Browns get a huge break going into New England off of a bye week and, as Dave Portnoy told me yesterday, this is probably around the time the national media will write the Patriots off. No matter the week, picking against Brady is foolish. This will be a bit of a wake-up game as the Browns fall to 3-4 before a huge stretch run. Patriots 31, Browns 21
TATE: I’ll be honest: I do not like that this game is being played in Foxboro. That scares me. Lots of question marks when you play up there. I wonder how they’re going to cheat this time? But something that should definitely scare the Patriots is that Freddie Kitchens has never lost coming out of a bye. Two weeks to prepare for the mundane New England offense? Browns 33, Patriots 30
Week 9: @ Denver
JEFF: Joe Flacco is going to get rocked from the start. I was more concerned about last year’s Denver Broncos squad. Browns 35, Broncos 13
TATE: Trap game. Not necessarily because we’re going to be 8-0 heading into what I would consider to be a clearly inferior opponent, but the fact that it is in Denver, Colorado is frightening. Antonio Calloway: STAY OFF THE WEEEEEEEED. Browns 35, Broncos 14
Week 10: Buffalo
JEFF: I could see Josh Allen giving the Browns a push. They’re a very bizarre team that will either shock their opponent or lose by 30 and no in-between. With Kareem Hunt back and a game at home, we have to fire this up as an easy win for the Browns. Brown 38, Bills 14
TATE: Welcome back, Kareem Hunt! Fresh legs will be a nice pickup in Week 10…let’s just make sure he uses them for RUNNING ONLY. Baker’s going to enjoy playing with his new weapon, and there’s no better team for him to work out the kinks against than the Buffalo Bills. Does the scoreboard in Cleveland go to triple digits? Browns 56, Bills 7
Week 11: Pittsburgh (Thursday)
BROWNS: The Browns vs. Steelers Thursday Night Football games are usually a good time. Joe Buck enjoyed being in Cleveland for Baker Mayfield’s debut last year and he makes his return in Week 11. Playing the game at home is the equalizer here. Browns 24, Steelers 15
TATE: Good old-fashioned Thursday Night Football. This used to be the night the Browns would play the Ravens to check off the box so we could appear on primetime once a year. Throw on some color rush jerseys, get beat in a weird way, and wait til next year. But times are a changing in the north. Now this is the night we clinch the division. 11-5 would do it, right? Here’s some complex math for those of you in Pittsburgh: if you start 11-0, at worst you go 11-5. Browns 30, Steelers 21
Week 12: Miami
JEFF: Hahahaha. Browns 45, Dolphins 7
TATE: Wait, a team from the south is coming up north to play football in the cold weather? This must be the NFL…because the SEC would never do this. Anyways, write this date down. November 24th, 2019. The day that Ryan Fitzpatrick broke the single game interception record. I can’t believe he’s their QB. I can’t imagine ever being a team without a clear franchise QB. Browns 28, Dolphins 13
Week 13: @ Pittsburgh
JEFF: I am not a fan of the Browns playing the Steelers twice in the span of three weeks. I’ll never predict them winning in Pittsburgh. Steelers 28, Browns 14
TATE: You know what they say: you can throw the records out the window for a rivalry game. So throw out the fact that the Browns are 11-0 and the fact that the Steelers are 3-8. This game could go either way. And the fact that it’s in Pittsburgh is not going to make this any easier. I think Big Ben comes out pissed off and the Steelers play their best game of the season, shocking the entire football world. Browns 24, Steelers 24
Week 14: Cincinnati
JEFF: This will be a massive game for the Browns and probably the most important Battle of Ohio since the Browns lost in 2007 on the road to the Bengals and tanked their Playoff hopes. The ghost of Hue Jackson will remain, and Baker will kick their ass. Browns 34, Bengals 9
TATE: Nothing gets me going like the Battle of Ohio. It’s a shame that these two teams are trending in opposite directions though. It was way more fun when both teams were terrible. Now playing the Bengals is like running over a very small and worn-down speed bump. You have to slow down for like 2 seconds but then you just keep moving forward. Browns 35, Bengals 3
Week 15: @ Arizona
JEFF: Baker vs. Kyler. Baker vs. Kliff Kingsbury. Steve Wilks vs. his old team. This is a hell of a matchup in terms of storylines. The Browns are the far better team, but it could be close with some personal touches factoring into the showdown. Browns 30, Cardinals 21
TATE: Boomer Sooner! Do not mistake all of the fans in their dark red packing the stadium this weekend as Cardinals fans. No one is a Cardinals fan. Those will be Oklahoma fans, as they’ll be checking out their previous two Heisman winning quarterbacks in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. I will say, the kid does look promising, but the old man always wins. Browns 27, Cardinals 20
Week 16: Baltimore
JEFF: Lamar Jackson will throw for 90 yards on 8 of 24 passing Baker will finally get revenge on the Ravens from Week 17 of last season. The Browns might clinch their Playoff spot at home this week and doing it home would be insanity. Browns 27, Ravens 10
TATE: If you think the Browns are going to lose their last regular season game in the Dawg Pound this year, you’re crazy. This will be the culmination of a magical year, and the place will be rocking. The Browns and Ravens played in late December last season in a game that sent Baltimore to the playoffs. Once again, they’ll meet in late December, but this time it’s in Cleveland. And the playoffs will have been locked up long ago. Does Baltimore still put up a fight, or do they roll over and die? Browns 28, Ravens 17
Week 17: @ Cincinnati
JEFF: Rest game. Bengals 24, Browns 14
TATE: Rest or rust? This might be the hardest game of the entire season to pick. The Browns will have already locked up the #1 seed throughout the playoffs, and they won’t play for another two weeks due to the bye. Do they commit to the first lossless season since the 2007 Patriots1972 Dolphins? Or do they commit to staying healthy for a deep playoff run? Luckily, our first teamers will only need to be in for a couple of series to win this game. Browns 14, Bengals 3
RECORD PREDICTION
JEFF: I have the Browns at 10-5-1 and winning the division. Their ceiling is 11-5 I think and there is a shot, if things go poorly, they could fall back to something like 7-9. The excitement for the Browns is as high as ever and I cannot fucking wait for the season.
TATE: From an unbiased perspective, I have the Browns at 15-0-1. A true homer would have them going 16-0, but I have to call it as I see it. And it would be doing an injustice to the readers to just blindly pick the Browns to win all of their games. Regardless, the fact of the matter is that this is going to be a magical season in Cleveland. And I’ve already heard the complainers up here in Northeast Ohio. “Oh my goodness, hotel rooms in Miami for the Super Bowl are going to be so expensive.” Shut up. If you would just get off your ass one time and place your life savings on the Browns win total over 9, then a hotel in Miami in early February will be a kick in the bucket. See you guys there.
Oh yeah, buy a shirt…