Is There Any Hope Left For Cleveland?

Is There Any Hope Left For Cleveland?

Monday night marked 39 days since the Browns had won a game, which last occurred with a 29-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cleveland on September 22. Between that prior victory, and the recent 32-13 domination of the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns have battled through close games which they ultimately dropped. After the victory on Monday, Cleveland still sits at a concerning 3-5 with just nine weeks remaining in the season. Controversial star quarterback Deshaun Watson makes his return in December when the Browns face the Texans, and will surely take the Browns to the next level once he appears on the gridiron. However, to reach Watson’s return from suspension, the Jacoby Brissett-led team will have to face the 5-3 Miami Dolphins, the 6-1 Buffalo Bills, and Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Was the defeat over the Bengals a one-hit wonder, or will the Browns be able to carry this winning momentum through the remaining games in hopes of a playoff appearance?

I do not see the Browns achieving this feat. The win earlier this week isn’t anything extraordinary, as Cleveland has won the last five matchups against Cincinnati. Also, Cleveland’s underperforming defense must battle against the Dolphins who are a top-ten offense in the NFL. One week later the Browns face off against the Bills who currently sit first in the league in total offense and third in total defense. Cleveland will most likely drop both of these games due to talent and roster depth that just doesn’t match up. The final game before Watson’s return is against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 27. Tampa has been struggling as of late, and similarly to the Browns, is sitting at a 3-5 record through their first eight games. Despite this, Tampa will not be an easy opponent, as Tom Brady is 7-1 against Cleveland in his career. Brady is also second in the league in passing yardage and has only thrown one interception this season, adding yet another burden on Cleveland’s defense who is ranked in the bottom half of the league in takeaways. The win over the Bengals was crucial to keep the Brown’s hopes for this season alive, but with a difficult schedule remaining, I do not see Cleveland anywhere close to the playoffs come January.