5 reasons the Cleveland Browns will stun the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.
The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens get right down to AFC North business in Week 1, in what’s sure to be a season unlike any other as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our daily lives.
At least there will be football to watch, and card carrying members of the Dawg Pound throughout the world are hoping the Browns finally shock the world and earn a berth in the Super Bowl.
Wishful thinking? Absolutely. I’ll take a record over .500 to start and a playoff berth to go along with it.
Anyway, as it usually goes, the 2020 season kicks off another new era in Browns football, as Kevin Stefanski begins his career as a head coach, while Andrew Berry watches his first game as the man in charge of putting the roster together.
Ahead of kickoff, we all know the history by now. The Browns haven’t won a Week 1 game since 2004, when the Jeff Garcia led-Brownies knocked off Baltimore at what was then Cleveland Browns stadium.
It’s been loss after loss since, and while I’m not placing as much importance on Game 1 as I have in the past, a win here could really set the tone of the rest of the season.
Here’s five reasons why the Browns, listed as an 8-point underdog on one betting site, can pull off the upset in Week 1.
1. Run, Run, Run
It’s no secret the Cleveland Browns will run the ball this season with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt occupying the backfield, but we said the same thing last year, if you’ll recall.
Of course, then head coach Freddie Kitchens loved to throw the ball around, when he should’ve been feeding Chubb and Hunt.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Kevin Stefanski, who as play caller of the Vikings a season ago dialed up 476 run plays, the fourth most in the NFL. Kitchens and the Browns were ranked 21st.
Rushing the ball just makes sense, considering where the Browns are as an offense right now. PFF tagged Chubb as the most elusive back in the game.
Jedrick Wills is going to have a tall order on Sunday, and having him protect Mayfield on 35-40 drop backs would be a big leap of faith.
Get the ball to Chubb and Hunt, perhaps the teams most two gifted skill players, and then passes will open up.
2. Ravens veering from what they do best
To take the next step as an offense, the Ravens are appearing to steer away from their bread and butter, which is rushing the ball with Lamar Jackson, or setting up passes to his tight ends.
Per ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi, Baltimore and coach John Harbaugh are intent on stretching the field.
Sure, Lamar Jackson only threw one interception in a ll of training camp this summer, but he’s hardly the quarterback that comes to mind when you start thinking of a precision artist in the pocket.
There was a play last season from the Browns romp of the Ravens in Baltimore where Jackson had a man wide open the sideline. If he’d make a somewhat accurate throw, it would’ve easily been a touchdown. Instead, Jackson’s receiver had to leap for the ball and landed with a foot out of bounds.
Lamar Jackson is one of the most exciting players in football, but until he proves otherwise, he’s got a lot to prove from the pocket.
3. Front 4 are healthy
It’s one thing to be accurate from a clean pocket, it’s another when the defense is chasing you around, and the Browns will be fully loaded at their strongest position group: The defensive line.
Myles Garrett was on his way to breaking the Browns’ single-season record for sacks before his suspension ended his 2019 season. With a lucrative extension now in his pocket, Garrett should be in the same conversation as the Bosa brothers when it comes to talking pass rush.
Plus, after months of speculation, the Browns ultimately kept veteran Olivier Vernon. Sure, they flirted with Jadeveon Clowney, but now they’re betting on the former Giant to stay healthy. If he can, and it’s a big if, Vernon is still capable of producing.
On the inside, the Browns boast Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson. Both players are looking much leaner, as it’s clear their bosses they gave orders to change their body make up during the offseason.
Jackson may be at his best when he’s under pressure, but the Browns are capable of rattling him, and it starts with the front four.
4. Baker positioned for success
Year three is a big season for Baker Mayfield, as the NFL world waits to find out if the former No. 1 pick is capable of leading a franchise to the Super Bowl, or just a guy capable of winning seven or eight games a year, feasting on lesser opponents.
With Stefanski now calling shots, it’s expected Mayfield will be an improved player, and by all accounts, he’s been open to coaching.
The effects of COVID-19 on team’s ability to practice this offseason will surely impact Mayfield and the offense, as the unit looked clunky in camp.
However, it doesn’t change the fact that Mayfield’s got Chub and Hunt in addition to his arsenal of tight ends in Austin Hooper, Harrison Bryant and David Njoku. Plus, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham will keep the secondary entertained.
And while the offensive practices weren’t great this summer, I still give. Mayfield should still have some credibility as a gamer. When the helmets go on and the games count, I think he’s capable of playing better than he did in camp.
Factoring in that Mayfield doesn’t need to throw the ball around like Patrick.Mahomes, Mayfield should have a nice day if he plays within the offense, meaning throwing the ball 20-25 times and handing the ball to Chubb and Hunt.
5. No Fans
Baltimore is an extremely difficult place to play, and while the Browns spanked the Ravens during their visit there last season, the home-field advantage in 2020 has basically been wiped out.
While the Browns will be able to host 6,00 fans in Week 2 against the Bengals, Baltimore is one of the teams that won’t allow any spectators, at least in the early going.
There will still be pre-recorded crowd noise, as teams without fans must play prerecorded crowd noise at 70 decibels, through their public address system, according to the Baltimore Sun.
OK, not the same. And really, watching how teams perform without fans is going to be one of the intriguing storylines to watch.
Baseball’s doing it, but stadiums can be relegated to a chatter even with fans when the action gets boring. In the NFL, every play gets fans riled up.
It’s going to be a strange site, and if your worried about the Browns being impacted, the Ravens are going though the same thing, as well, as Lamar Jackson said he’s never played a game without fans in the stands.
We all wish that place was loaded with fans and things would get back to normal, but neutralizing that stadium, in theory, should be a better bet for the Browns on Sunday.