CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 27: Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. #13 of the Cleveland Browns walks on the sidelines with the name of Breonna Taylor on his helmet during the second half against the Washington Football Team at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 27, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Washington Football Team 34-20. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Last season, the Cleveland Browns surprised many by finishing with a winning record for the first time since 2007. The franchise even ended their 18-year playoff drought. Not only that, but they also secured their first playoff win by defeating the Steelers in the Wild Card round.The Browns will look to build on last season’s success and continue to rise as a competitive team in a tough AFC North division.
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AFC North: The Browns will be fighting in a three-way battle with two other contending teams within the division. The Steelers and Ravens will give the Browns some trouble if they want to win this season’s division title. The Browns will struggle against the revamped Ravens offense led by Lamar Jackson. In regards to the Steelers, Cleveland split last year’s regular-season series, but Cleveland won when it mattered in the postseason. Pittsburgh continues to be led by an aging quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, and the Browns defense seemed to finally have his number in the 2020 NFL Playoffs. With Odell Beckham Jr. returning from a season-ending injury, the Browns’ offense could be as explosive as ever this season with Baker Mayfield at the helm, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in the backfield, and Beckham, Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins catching passes. Between the team’s strong defense and their revamped offense, the Browns are not to be taken lightly in 2021.
Matchups: Cleveland will open its season with a tough game against Patrick Mahomes and the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Another tough game for Cleveland will be against the Packers, but that game will depend on whether Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets his trade from the team or not. The Ravens will be difficult considering they easily beat the Browns both times last season. Cleveland also has some favorable matchups such as their games against the Lions, Bengals, Broncos and Patriots.
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Overall: The Browns will not have much trouble except for their inter-division rivals in the Ravens and Steelers. Their Chiefs and Packers game may be out of reach for the Browns, but the rest of their schedule will be much easier.
Prediction: The Browns will finish 12-5, second in their division. They will qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
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