Predicting the Cleveland Browns record without Deshaun Watson

What’s the rest of the schedule look like?

When Chris Fedor tweeted out that this was a lost season, I was hesitant to agree. What did the schedule say? It says “yeah, you’re boned”. So, he may have a point. I don’t think the tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt is going to be all that effective. Hunt isn’t the same player he once was in Kansas City, people can keep saying he is, but ya know, stats don’t lie.

Chubb is someone that I adore, but he keeps getting injured, and older and those are concerning trends that are coupled together. If Chubb misses two or three games, are the backups really going to be able to help the dink-and-dunk passing offense produce touchdowns?

I have doubts. I also have doubts about the center and safety spots. If those doubts are unjustified during the season, let’s revisit this. If they are justified, well, you already know how it’s going to go. One bad player on the line kills a line. One bad member of the secondary kills the secondary. We’ve seen this play out several times over the last five years.

We know this is true.

What about the team once Watson comes back?

I see the Browns going 4-2. I don’t see them being a good enough team against the Ravens or Bengals, but assuming Watson does play the rest of the season, I don’t see the Commanders, Steelers, Saints, or Texans being able to keep pace with this team.

I do think it’s possible that the Browns will just shut Watson down at this point and not risk injuring him. If the team really is 3-8 heading into the last six weeks, there’s really no point in playing him.

For the final season record, I have the Browns going 7-10. Just so we’re clear, if Watson were playing (or heck, even Baker Mayfield), the Browns’ record would be 12-5. Even though this team isn’t a “great” team, in my opinion, the schedule really does benefit the Browns.

But, unless they make a hailmary trade for someone so smart that he can learn the playbook in a week, the Browns are just going to have a bad season.