After 17 straight years of watching the NFL postseason, the Cleveland Browns finally made it to the playoffs in 2020. Pittsburgh was beaten in the Wild Card game before the Chiefs won 22-17 in the Divisional Playoff. Last year saw another opportunity missed as the Browns finished with a 8-9 record.
Odell Beckham Jr. winning the Super Bowl with the Rams made things even worse for Browns fans, as they had welcomed him in the hope that he could bring a first ever Super Bowl championship to Cleveland. Now there is a new quarterback with the task of bringing glory to the city. But any potential Ohio sports betting markets might not rate his chances. Just how good can the Browns be this year?
Can Deshaun Watson Help Cleveland Win?
Cleveland has changed from a relatively frugal recent history and decided to go all in on instant success with the acquisition of Deshaun Watson. Trading first round draft picks for the next three years – and more – suggests that the Browns are relying on Watson to bring a championship to Ohio soon.
But the controversial QB has a lot of work to do. Putting his questionable off field morals aside for a moment, Watson will need to show that he is the one that turns narrow losses into wins. He is definitely capable of that – if he gets the chance. But that is a very big ‘if’.
Although criminal charges have been dropped, there are still civil actions to face – and the distinct possibility of a suspension from the league. The backup QBs may be able to fill in, but they will not be able to take a game like Watson is expected to.
Season Schedule
One aspect of the season’s schedule that is immediately obvious is that the opening four games are very winnable. This is good news for the Browns, of course. But it is even more important for a team that may well be without Deshaun Watson. If his suspension is a few games at the beginning of the year, there is every chance that the team can still achieve a good record in his absence.
Cleveland could very easily be 3-1 or even 4-0 by the time the Chargers arrive at FirstEnergy Stadium in week five. There are some tough inter divisional games in the middle of the season but the Browns will be expected to put in a good run for the AFC North this season.
Strengths and Weaknesses
An obvious strength is the arrival of Deshaun Watson. If he gets to play a majority of the season, the Browns will have a good chance of making the postseason at the very least. But getting Amari Cooper on board could turn out to be as important. He has not fulfilled his potential in his eight-year NFL career so far – but all that could change in Cleveland.
Deshaun Watson has tended to team up well with one elite wide receiver – and that could well be Cooper this year. Add to that an already impressive offense and Browns fans can be optimistic.
A major weakness may also be Deshaun Watson though. With no news of potential suspensions as of yet, the season feels a little unknown. Kevin Stefanski needs to have a plan B to kick into effect if Watson is punished severely and misses a lot of games.
Maybe the Playoffs?
The AFC North is not as strong as it once was and it seems to be a race between the Browns, Bengals and Ravens for the divisional title. That should mean that Cleveland takes at least a Wild Card spot this year.
But the NFC is favored to produce the Super Bowl winner – outside Buffalo – so Cleveland fans can feel confident about going further in the playoffs than they have in decades. It is just that major caveat of Watson’s availability that throws everything up in the air.
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