It’s the way too long season breakdown of all the Browns opponents for 2021.
The Browns have 17 opponents for the first time, so why not expect big things for the Browns in a new era of NFL football? The Browns are going to be a team to beat and despite Cleveland having the “9th strongest schedule”, the Browns are actually in the driver seat for most of their games.
At worst, this team will lose three or four games and that’s if the defense still sucks. If the defense is even 50% better, then this team may not lose a game. That’s an unrealistic expectation, so I’m picking the Browns to lose three times.
But to whom?
That’s why you need to read and see who I think the Browns biggest challenges will be in 2021.
We’re going to review this divisionally, starting with the AFC West, the NFC North, the AFC North, and the leftovers. The reason for this is because it’s less about when the Browns play what team, and more about the teams they’re actually playing.
Week 1 – Chiefs (Away)
Facing off with the Kansas City Chiefs is a great way to start the season. They had to overhaul pieces of their roster in the offseason, namely at the offensive line spot. Just because you make perceived upgrades, doesn’t mean they always become upgrades. The Chiefs will need time to gel regardless, and the Browns’ revamped defense may be able to take advantage of that. Though, they are themselves going to need time to gel as well.
This will be a big game for Baker Mayfield, and assuming the entire offense is healthy heading into the game, this could be a major breakout moment for Mayfield. He’s finally entering the second year of a system, something we’ve never seen before, and he could be ready for a massive breakout moment.
Expectation: The Browns nearly beat the Chiefs last year and granted it was after some injuries, but it wasn’t like the Browns defense was fully healthy either. Myles Garrett was still wracked with the after-effects of COVID and only played in 67% of defensive snaps in their last encounter. A number that’ll be much higher in the rematch. If Andrew Berry is the genius many claim him to be, this team should be able to hang in until the end, or even get the win. Anything else is unacceptable.
Week 5 – Chargers (Away)
The Chargers actually had one of the best pass defenses in the league last year, and it only got better when they acquired Asaunte Samuel Jr. in the 2021 NFL Draft. With four of the five starters in the secondary coming back; Michael Davis, Rayshawn Jenkins, Nasir Adderley, and Chris Harris Jr., the Chargers look to incorporate Samuel into their scheme as quickly as possible to replace departed corner Casey Hayward. Hayward signed the Raiders in the offseason.
Melvin Ingram, another long-time Chargers defender, has also left the team after his worst career season yet. Ingram and Hayward are joined by another major free agent departure in tight end Hunter Henry, who joined the Patriots in the offseason after one of his better seasons yet.
The Chargers are bringing back a bulk of their team, and a hopefully healthy Justin Herbert will lead the team back to the playoffs, but there remains a problem. Former head coach Anthony Lynn led the Chargers to the top ten in offense and defense last year, to a respectable 7-9 record under a rookie quarterback, and was unceremoniously fired. He was replaced by a defensive-minded head coach in Brandon Staley, who was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams last year. A year in which the Rams were in the top 11 worst defenses statistically in the NFL.
If you’re a Chargers fan, 2021 will be a very trying year.
Expectations: Unless Brandon Staley is the next great coordinator to jump to the pros, the Chargers are in for a losing season. The defense should be stout, but Staley isn’t an offensive minded-coach and considering he’s not all that proven as a defensive-minded one, the Chargers don’t appear to be the favorites to beat the Browns at home.
Week 7 – Broncos (Home)
It’s sad to see what John Elway has done to the Denver Broncos. At one point, the best team in the NFL hands down, now, the team is an easy out for any team on the radar. The Broncos were in the top 12 for worst defenses in 2020, and in the bottom 10 for worst offenses. When you can’t score points and constantly allow them, you’re doomed.
The Broncos have some stars still, like Nick Chubb’s outside linebacking cousin Bradley, and safety Justin Simmons, but defensively they aren’t what they used to be. Von Miller is still on the team but dealing with a major off-season injury and legal trouble really does seem to spell the end of the Miller-Era in Denver. Even if he’s not moved, the odds he’ll be a Defensive Player of the Year Contender isn’t exactly likely.
The offense let go of Phillip Lindsay, a peculiar sign to put their best bet for a productive offense in the hands of Melvin Gordon III, a player on the wrong side of his career.
Of course, it wasn’t all about what they lost. They drafted key defensive player Patrick Surtain II and traded for Teddy Bridgwater from the Panthers. For Surtain, he’s following in his father’s footsteps but the problem with that is that the son either exceeds the father or can’t duplicate what the father did. It’s a sad reality but the number of father/son Hall of Fame combos are rare, if not non-existent. Surtain has huge shoes to fill, as his old man was a two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler at their shared position.
For Bridgewater, he’s now on his fourth team and hasn’t caught on yet. The Vikings didn’t think he was the guy, nor did New Orleans and Carolina saw he wasn’t first-hand. Now Elway is getting another castoff quarterback and if history is any indicator, Bridgewater is going to fail. First, it was Peyton Manning, who worked out admittedly, then it was, Case Keenum then, Joe Flacco, and now it’s Bridgewater.
Expectations: The Broncos are not going to get better until either John Elway is removed from the front office or they bring in a GM who’s given carte blanche over the roster and chooses to rebuild. The Broncos don’t appear to be going anywhere, and the Browns should have an easy win.
Week 15 – Raiders (Home)
The sentence “LOLZ, John Gruden” should describe this situation. Let’s dispel a big misconception about Gruden, that the game “passed him by”. It didn’t. That’s because it never stopped at his doorstep. Gruden is good at calling plays. No one should deny that even in his return he’s a competent play-caller. The problem is, he’s not the offensive coordinator. He’s also the head coach and team GM. Granted, Mike Mayock holds the official title but Gruden is the mastermind, everyone is aware of this.
Gruden inherited most of his 1998 Raiders squad and only ever added established veterans to it. During his four years in Oakland, he only had two winning seasons before replacing Tony Dungey in Tampa Bay. He inherited a Super Bowl winner and then killed it the next year. Gruden doesn’t know how to build a team or coach it, just how to call plays. Yet, he’s constantly given autonomy to control franchises for some baffling reason.
Besides his draft, which historically has always been bad, the Las Vegas Raiders are bringing back former Browns safety Karl Joseph, a player the Raiders let go of because they didn’t think he was good enough anymore. Now, all of a sudden, he is? The Raiders watched problematic Richie Incognito, who was arrested at his own father’s funeral while with the team, tear his Achilles, be released, and then re-signed. All at the age of 38.
No wonder Derek Carr is frustrated with the Raiders.
The Raiders went out and got Jason Witten, in 2020 and he retired after a bad year with the team. The Raiders are still very much running like a Gruden club. Over the hill veterans and problematic players (Bill Romanoski anyone) being allowed to dominate roster spots, while players with little talent but a lot of “skills” are given spotlight treatment. Granted, the Raiders’ offense in 2020 was in the top eight, but the Raiders’ defense (as has been a trend on this list so far) was in the bottom eight.
Expectations: Jon Gruden is going to ride this team until the wheels fall off, and after three consecutive non-winning seasons, the pressure will be on Gruden to produce. The problem is Gruden. He’s alienated his starting quarterback, drafted relatively poorly, and has made questionable free-agent signings. The Browns shouldn’t struggle with the Raiders.
Week 3 – Bears (Home)
The Bears are going to suck in 2021, but 2022? Come back and talk to me then. The Bears drafted rookie quarterback Justin Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft, and while he’s an unknown commodity, many are hopeful that he’ll pan out. The Bears also drafted two tackles immediately following him in Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom.
The Bears are also bringing back Jimmy Graham, Allen Robinson, David Montgomery, and Cole Kmet for Fields to throw to. The problem is, Fields may not be the starter for the Bears by Week 3, or in any way this year. The Bears didn’t just acquire Fields, they also went out and got long-time Browns nemesis Andy Dalton, who’s penciled in to start. The team still has Nick Foles as well, so if the Bears can figure out a three-quarterback system, then maybe the rest of the NFL will have to take notice.
The Bears are in a bad way. They’re seventh in defense, but they’re 22nd in offense. Truthfully, that doesn’t look like it’s going to change. Mitchell Trubisky wasn’t as big of a problem as the media made him out to be, but it was current head coach Matt Nagy. After his first year of 12-4 football, the Bears went 8-8 in each of his last two years. Trubisky wasn’t Nagy’s guy, he came in the year after the quarterback was drafted and for some reason, couldn’t figure out a way to duplicate his sophomore season.
Expectations: The Bears won’t be a winning ball club this year, and will have a revolving door at quarterback due to Matt Nagy’s inability to develop an explosive offense. Sometimes the obvious issue is the one right in front of you and Nagy’s lack of imagination has doomed this team. The Browns shouldn’t struggle at all with a rebuilding Bears team.
Week 4 – Vikings (Away)
The Viking’s offense in 2020 was great. The Viking’s defense in 2020 was not, however. So what do the Vikings do in the draft? Four of their first six players go to the offense. They did draft Chazz Surratt and signed undrafted free agent Tuf Borland, but that’s hardly enough to improve the defense. Mike Hughes was shipped to Kansas City on Thursday, while also having let Anthony Harris go, and there are still rumors of the Vikings wanting to trade franchise icon, Harrison Smith.
Head coach Mike Zimmer has been inconsistently successful, with three playoff appearances and four non-playoff seasons to his hame so far. That opens up a slew of conversations about what’s next with the Vikings. Despite some in the media spinning a narrative, Kurt Cousins is an efficient and accurate quarterback who doesn’t have a huge problem turning the ball over. It’s not his fault he doesn’t play defense.
That’s the issue too, is that the defense is so bad, that Cousins has to play superman to produce and keep his team in the game. Maybe more so than anyone else in the NFL last year not named Baker Mayfield or Deshaun Watson.
Expectations: Mike Zimmer has proven to be a shakey coach at best, and with the Vikings cutting and trading talent over the last few years to keep themselves out of salary cap hell, the Vikes are looking like they’re a year away from an entire rebuild. This is a very winnable game.
Week 11 – Lions (Home)
Cue the “LOLz Detroit.” This isn’t even worth talking about, which may be exactly why it’s my pick for the upset special of the season. The Lions weren’t a good team with Matt Stafford and they won’t be without him. They were the 20th best offense and the 32nd best defense last year. They also got rid of a lot of big names who could’ve helped get them better but they’re going into full rebuild mode.
Kenny Golladay, Adrian Peterson, Danny Amendola, and Everson Griffen were all effective players for the Lions last year. While Golladay was having a down year, he was a Pro Bowler in 2019. Peterson put up an impressive 3.9 YPC for a man who’s 35 years old, Amendola stayed around his usual 600 yards per season despite also being 35 and Griffen put up six sacks last year in just 14 games across two teams.
Sure, they’re all older but if they’re all competent players still if you’re looking to compete. The Lions apparently aren’t. Not only did they let go of Griffen defensively, but they also let go of Danny Shelton and Desmond Trufant. They still have Jamie Collins Sr., who’s coming off of a terrible year. Granted, none of those three names previously mentioned had great years, but they could’ve bounced back as they were all solid players before 2020.
The Lions are going nowhere fast and it seems unlikely that the Stafford for Jared Goff trade isn’t going to help any. The earliest the Lions can get out of the deal without getting nuked is after June 1, 2023. Any time sooner and they’re going to eat at least $10 million+ in a given year, not to mention $5 million in others on top of the previous $10 million+. So you’re looking at a deal you’re stuck with for a few years. Might as well kept the veteran talent and tried to win.
Expectations: The Lions seem like they’re going forward in a strange, but promising new direction. The team owner, Sheila Ford Hamp, is putting a lot of effort into making sure the team is going in the right direction and may eventually be in a place to compete. That place is not at the corner of 2021 and Next Season.
Week 16 – Packers (Away)
A lot of people seem to want to give the Packers the edge in 2021 when they face the Browns, but they’re not really realizing that this team is going to be going through some internal strife throughout the year. Aaron Rodgers wants out and is beyond unhappy that his friends are constantly being cut. The Packers were a top 10 offense and defense in 2020, but will that be the case in 2021?
The Packers offensive is deceptively old, with Rodgers 37, and Davante Adams turning 29 and no real help offensively besides them. This is an offense by committee and has been for most of Rodgers’ career. The Packers have no true second-threat offensively besides Adams. Aaron Jones is a fine running back but the Packers are always able to produce solid running backs. Nothing about his game says “can carry a team” if Rodgers isn’t on.
Defensively there’s Za’Darius Smith but the defense isn’t plagued with All-Pro guys either. Though there are two budding stars in former 2020 Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander and 2019 Pro Bowler Kenny Clark. That said, this is a beatable defense. Keep in mind who they faced four times last year; the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. Not exactly the 1927 Yankees Murderers’ Row lineup, is it?
Expectations: This late into the season should make this game must-see TV. Regardless if Aaron Rodgers is on the team or not by this point, the Browns will likely be a better ran team under Kevin Stefanski, so it seems unlikely this is the cakewalk many expect it to be for the Packer. The Browns, assuming their defense is much improved, should be able to win this one.
Week’s 12 & 14- Ravens (Away)
The Ravens tried to improve their passing game for 2021 by adding Sammy Watkins and 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman. The Ravens also signed former Browns guard Kevin Zeitler, and former Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva, while also drafting Ben Cleveland to improve the offensive line. This is a decent haul for the Ravens but it’s probably not going to help things, after all, the issue is with Lamar Jackson trying to be a pocket passer. Jackson has a nice completion percentage but a lot of that is on the run, with defenses trying to play both the run and pass. If you can get to Jackson as the Browns did in their second meeting of 2020, then Jackson kind of struggles with passing.
The Ravens as an offense were largely down from their 2019 campaign. They were ranked 19th in 2020, while in 2019 they were 2nd. A lot of that had to with the lack of talent around Jackson for sure, but it also had to do with the former MVP regressing a bit. Year four is going to be huge for him, because if he doesn’t put up impressive stats and keeps the team winning, then there may not be a huge extension coming in his future.
Defensive they’re as good as ever. They re-signed Derek Wolfe and drafted Odafe Oweh while keeping the rest of their defense in pretty good shape. The problem for the Ravens is the Browns weren’t bothered by their offense in their last meeting, it was the lack of competent defense on their own part that allowed the Ravens to win that epic encounter. The Browns proved they can play with any defense in the league, they just needed a much better defense than the one they had.
Expectations: Unlike some pundits out there who think the Ravens are going to go 2-0 again, these aren’t games that aren’t winnable. The Ravens offensively didn’t really get better. Sammy Watkins is a disappointment and dang-near a bust of a receiver, and the linemen that the Raven added were aging out and were let go of for a reason. Their defense is good but unless Lamar Jackson returns to form in 2021, this could be the Browns’ year to be the bullies of the division.
Week 8 & 17 – Steelers (Home/Away)
The Steelers are going to be looking very new in 2021 but it may not be a better look. The offense in Pittsburgh has officially hit the wall and they’re no longer able to just keep plugging in players left and right and getting success. James Conner ended up not being the next great Steeler back and JuJu Smith-Schuster is far from an elite wide receiver. Ben Roethlisberger has fallen off and no longer has the arm strength to compete against better teams consistently.
Defensively, they’re still good, with Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick leading the way but as the Steelers proved last year, all the talent in the world can’t compensate for an offense that can’t stay on the field for longer than a three-and-out.
The Steelers were the weakest 12 win team in the last decade, and the Browns beat them twice in a row, ending whatever physiological hold they had on Cleveland. Mike Tomlin’s crew isn’t what it once was and a full rebuild may be coming soon. If it does happen, it’ll be after what should be an expected down year.
Expectations: Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned down in nine. The fall of the Steel Curtain is upon us, expect the Steelers to be wildly disappointing in 2021. Roethlisberger is on his last legs, the offensive weapons aren’t what they once were and there are a lot of people leaning on the idea that the only first-round running back taken in the 2021 NFL Draft is going to be the correcting force. Chase Claypool is a possible breakout star but then again, that’s what people said about JuJu Smith-Schuster and he’s been anything but. Don’t worry Steeler Nation, “the Browns is the Browns.”
Week’s 9 & 18 – Bengals (Away/Home)
If we’re being honest, The Browns and Bengals could very well be the number one and two teams in the AFC North. The gang in Cinncinati have done a great job, on paper, building around Joe Burrows. They’ve built a nice corp in the 2020 NFL DRaft with Burrows, Tee Higgins, and Logan Wilson. Then they added to it with Ja’Marr Chase, and a few linemen in the draft with Jackson Carman, D’Ante Smith, and Trey Hill.
The Bengals are hoping to look like the 1999-2001 Greatest Show on Turf Rams squad. They have Chase, Higgins, and Tyler Boyd ready to run and gun with the younger superstar-in-waiting quarterback. Their big issue offensively is Joe Mixon, who isn’t the reliable running back NFL pundits keep proclaiming him to be. He’s mostly been a below-average runner in his career, posting a yar-per-carry of 4.1 or lower in three of his four years. Maybe he bounces back with a better offensive line, but unlikely.
The Bengals have gone all out to improve the defense as well, signing former Browns player Larry Ogunjobi, and former Giants/Saints/Panthers cornerback Eli Apple to help out. They also drafted Joseph Ossai and Cameron Sample to improve their defensive line. They’re not going to be the early ’00s Steelers or Ravens right off the bat but they’re going to be productive.
They also helped themselves by hurting the Steelers when they signed cornerback Mike Hilton. The defense should be much improved. It’s going to come down to how fast and how many of the rookies from the last two seasons improve, develop and turn into impactful contributors.
Expectations: The expectations for the Browns in 2021 are high. They’re behind high. For a bit of spoiler, the Browns should win four, if not five wins in the division alone. The big question mark is going to be the Bengals. The Steelers and Ravens are both going through some big identity issues, and the course of their franchises will be changed forever during and after the 2021 season. Fans and experts know what they are, what their strengths are, and what their weaknesses are. The Bengals are an unknown commodity. They could be one of the teams that sneak a win over the Browns during the 2021 season.
Week 2 -Texans (Home)
There’s an old saying that some people use to express doubt over a given circumstance. Granted, there are many, but for this specific entry, the one we’re going with “…eat my hat.” As in, if Deshaun Watson ever plays again for the Houston Texans, I’ll eat my hat; and folks, I have a baseball cap collection. So I have the hats to eat. Watson’s troubles are just beginning, and even if he’s not formally charged, which seems to be impossible at this point with the mounting accusations, it’s hard to see the NFL not taking a stand somewhere down the line.
So the odds that Watson is even on the team, let alone not suspended by Week 2 remain pretty high. The Texans are as much of a one-man team as anyone in the NFL can be, and if Watson isn’t there, the team has no shot of beating the Browns. Even if Watson, the Texans are anything but a team on the downturn.
The Texans were a top 13 team in total yards gained last year with 6,006, but of that 5,267 were directly a result of Watson. They may have upgraded their running game significantly though. They added David Lindsey and Mark Ingram. Unfortunately, they’re still very weak on the offensive side of the ball.
The team already had a hard enough time scoring points (19th in the league), and if Watson isn’t on the team, then what does that leave you in Houston? Defensively they were among the league’s work, top three in most yards given up. They brought in Shaq Lawson, Christian Kirksey, and Tavierre Thomas to help out, but they seem like stopgaps at best and not very consistent ones either.
Expectations: You have to feel bad for David Culley, it feels like the Texans knew Deshaun Watson was going to fun afoul along the way and hired Culley as a one-season stop gap until they can draft his true replacement. The Browns better not lose to this depleted team.
Week 6- Cardinals (Home)
This one may be a hassle. The Cardinals are on the rise. They were a top-10 offense last year and a top-13 defense and they only got better. They secured A.J. Green for the offense, giving Kyler Murray another target to throw to besides DeAndre Hopkins while improving the offensive line with long-time Raider and three-time Pro Bowler Rodney Hudson.
Defensively is where they really stepped up. Drafting Isaiah Simmons wasn’t the home run many thought it would be as a rookie, so the Cardinals protected themselves by drafting Zaen Collins in 2021. They also brought back Markus Golden to help secure the defense. The big get of the offseason, however, was signing J.J. Watt. The Cardinals should be a 10+ win team in 2021 and a team that could seriously beat the Browns, even if the Browns are much improved on defense and stay consistent on offense.
The Cardinals will succeed if Kliff Kingsbury is the right guy. He went from five wins in 2019, to eight wins in a very difficult-to-prep-for 2020 season. Now with a third year, and a better idea of how to implement his schemes with the new players, the Cardinals should be much improved.
Expectations: The Cardinals are going to be a tough out. The issue comes down to a pass-happy offense against a rebuilt defense, all in the midst of fair weather still. If this were November or December in Cleveland, the Cardinals would have a rough time trying to score points with the wind, rain, and snow. This is going to be a battle if everyone is mostly healthy.
Week 10 – Patriots (Away)
The Patriots seem a year away from returning to dominance. That is if they’re able to get anything out of recently drafted quarterback Mack Jones. The Patriots still have Cam Newton, though his arm is shot and he struggled to move the ball in 2020. Offensively they finished just 27th in the league in yards and defensively they were barely top-15 in the league.
The offense will be more different than ever before. It’ll be the first season in some time that Julian Edelman isn’t on the team. His departure and the addition of Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry will make the Patriots a two-tight end team far more often than not. This may help Cam Newton more, as the Patriots won’t have to throw deep as often this year compared to last.
Defensively they’ll look different as well, having brought back Kyle Van Noy from a short stint in Miami, and signing Ravens linebacker Matthew Judon. The team brought back a lot of pieces on both sides of the ball but they will have a new look. Plus they drafted Christian Barmore who may be playing out of position as a nose tackle.
Expectations: This falls directly on Cam Newton. How is he doing, health-wise? Has his arm returned to form somewhat or is he still going to try and carry a team with his legs? Maybe the issue was that he never got fully acclimated with the offense in 2020 and that held him back. Either way, the passing won’t be deep in nature, but it could be super-efficient if Newton can find a semblance of his old self.
Seasonal Expectations
Quite honestly, the team could be 15-2 or 14-3 very easily this year. The Kansas City Chiefs could be a problem, as will the Arizona Cardinals and I think the Bengals take the last game of the year. This may be the best regular-season team the Browns have ever fielded, at least in the modern era. Now granted, these are lofty expectations, but looking at where the other teams are that the Browns are facing, it’s not like it’s a stretch to think most of these are winnable games.
They are, they absolutely are.
The Chiefs seem like a loss only because they’re bringing back most of the talent that bested the Browns last year. They’re not rebuilding, just reloading. Plus, Patrick Mahomes is probably the best quarterback in football and has the wherewithal to do things on the football field that few have ever seen.
The Bengals seem likely for two reasons. One, they seem like a team that’s going to be able to outpunch other teams. Not out-box, mind you but outpunch. They’re going to be the team that relies on big plays and gets them often; at least offensively. Plus, the Browns should have locked up whatever seed they’re going to be by the final week of the season, and depending on how the playoffs break, the Browns may find themselves with a bye week.
As for the Cardinals, they’re just going to be really good I think. They’re a young team but they have a dynamic head coach with a fast and smart quarterback. The right kind of player who can make that offense work to his benefit.
Essentially, the Browns are probably going to go 14-3 this year. That may seem like a lofty goal, but with the new 17 game format, it seems possible the Browns finally break the 14 win mark.
Of course, this is all predicated on if the defense gels, the new players mesh well in the system, the offense remains as good (or gets better) and there are no major injuries.