3 Biggest Trap Games on Browns' 2024 Schedule

Coming off an 11-6 season, the Cleveland Browns have every reason to believe they can return to the playoffs.

But every season comes with games teams shouldn’t lose, and sometimes those hard-to-swallow losses make all of the difference between making and missing the postseason.

Cleveland’s schedule has a few of those games built in, and we’ve highlighted the top three games that could catch the team off-guard. 

1. Week 5 @ Washington Commanders

It’s hard to have a trap game in the opening weeks of the season since teams haven’t yet established their record and are generally fresh and healthy.

However, the Browns could be caught sleeping in Week 5. 

One of the toughest parts of their schedule begins in Week 6 against the Eagles and carries on to Week 7 (Bengals) and Week 8 (Ravens). 

Not only will the Browns be looking ahead to these tough matchups, but it’s also likely that they’ll have their guard lowered after facing two teams down on their luck (Giants in Week 3 and Raiders in Week 4). 

The Commanders were just 4-13 last season, but could be a sneaky-good team if rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels can live up to the hype.

Considering the stretch of games coming up after Week 5, this is a game that Cleveland can’t afford to lose.

2. Week 9 vs. Los Angeles Chargers

One of the most obvious trap games of this season comes against the Chargers.

There’s a couple of aspects at play here.

First of all, this game comes after a BRUTAL stretch against the Eagles, Bengals and Ravens.

No matter what happens against Baltimore, there’s a chance the team is riding an emotional high or an emotional low after this game. And there’s also the chance that they could be exhausted or injured by this point. 

Then, you must consider that this game comes before a bye week. It’s easy to see how players’ minds could be elsewhere at this point in the season and they could overlook a Chargers team that went 5-12 last season.

Equipped with a new Jim Harbaugh-led coaching staff, the Chargers could be a better team this season, and this matchup is tough timing for the Browns.

3. Week 13 @ Denver Broncos

Many teams will probably be sleeping on the Denver Broncos this season, especially after they went a middling 8-9 last year and parted ways with Russell Wilson. 

Bo Nix probably has a ways to go until he’s a capable NFL quarterback, but he might be starting to figure things out by this point in the season. 

And the timing is pretty unique as well. 

Cleveland has two crucially important divisional games against Pittsburgh sandwiched around this game against Denver, and it’s easy to see how it could have its attention on a Steelers rematch rather than the Broncos.

Denver was scrappy last season and handed Cleveland a 29-12 defeat. The Browns shouldn’t be overlooking the Broncos here, but the timing – and quarterback change – makes that entirely possible.

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