Browns to Face Possible Distraction While Pushing for Playoffs This Season
By Cem Yolbulan
The Cleveland Browns are hoping to take a significant step next season after overachieving in 2023 and making the playoffs despite suffering serious injuries all year. Against all odds, they made an impressive run to finish out the season and ended with an 11-6 record. Now, with their key starters returning, the Browns want to carry their regular-season success to the postseason.
However, in the most crucial stretch of their 2024 campaign, they will be dealing with an off-the-field distraction. NFL Films and HBO just announced that the Browns will be a part of a new in-season edition of Hard Knocks.
AFC North to Feature on Hard Knocks: In Season
For the first time, “Hard Knocks: In Season” will feature a division: the AFC North. It will debut Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO, stream on Max, and will air subsequent Tuesdays through the end of the NFL regular season and continue into the NFL playoffs in January 2025.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 17, 2024
For the first time in the program's history, an entire division will be featured. AFC North, which was the most competitive division last year, with all four teams finishing with a winning record, will have the cameras turned on them for the final six weeks of the season.
The series will debut on December 3 according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This coincides right before Week 14 when the Browns will visit the Steelers. In the final five weeks of the season, Cleveland plays all of their division rivals as well as the Kansas City Chiefs.
The cameras will be on the Browns as they attempt to make the playoffs in the final stretch of the season. The show will reportedly continue into the NFL playoffs in January.
It makes plenty of sense that the show will choose the AFC North for this experiment. The storylines, rivalries, and overall quality of all four teams should make fascinating TV. Whether it's the thing the Browns need right now is a completely different question.
Currently, the Baltimore Ravens (+140) are the favorites to win the division on FanDuel Sportsbook, followed by the Cincinnati Bengals. (+165) The Browns are behind them at +480 but anything can happen with this stacked group of teams.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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