The Cleveland Browns are in a win-now mode. Either way, the 2023 season is a turning point for the franchise. There’s a lot of potential and a lot of question marks for the team. Though most pundits peg the team’s potential win total around 9, the spread is wild, fluctuating anywhere from six to 11.
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So where will the team land four months from now?
Predicting the 2023 Cleveland Browns Record (Part 2 of 2)
In the first half of this analysis, the Cleveland Browns were pegged with a 5-3 record by the season’s midpoint. With the 10th easiest schedule in the league, which is also frontloaded with tough matchups, a 5-3 record would be a huge win for the team.
Third Quarter Finds the Team Away from Home
Though the schedule lightens up for the Cleveland Browns on the back nine, it does feature more road trips. The team kicks these off with the short hop to Baltimore. Like the Browns, the Ravens have a lot of offensive question marks. Can Lamar Jackson settle into a new passing offense? Will he gel with his receivers? It’s far too early to answer these questions. That said, the Ravens are always tough, and a season sweep seems unlikely.
A similar analysis could be made for the next week’s game, at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Barring injury, QB Kenny Pickett should be progressing. Regardless, the Steelers always have a tough defense and solid running game. It would be remarkable for the Browns to take both games against Pittsburgh.
Following the two division matchups, the Browns travel west for two consecutive games. The first comes against yet another franchise with passing game questions: the Denver Broncos. The Broncos gave quarterback Russell Wilson Deshaun Watson-type money last year, and so far, have not received anything close to a return on their investment. Enter new head coach Sean Payton. In a tough division, the Broncos could be competitive by now. Or… not so much.
The Cleveland Browns stay out west to take on the Los Angeles Rams, just a season removed from their Super Bowl win. The Rams flamed out spectacularly last season and are expected to spend 2023 in rebuilding mode. This is likely the most winnable game in this portion of the season.
Easier Schedule, More Question Marks
The Ravens, Steelers, and Broncos are in the midst of rebuilding their passing games in 2023. By this point in the season, either things will be humming for these teams, or they’ll start eyeing 2024 and perhaps ship off pieces of their roster for picks by the trade deadline.
Facing back-to-back division rivals is always a tough ticket for any team. Regardless of how good any of these teams are, expect the Browns to drop at least one loss there and also split the West Coast swing.
2-2 in this frame would bring the Browns to a 7-5 record. However, on paper, this is the easiest part of the team’s schedule. If the team hopes to truly be competitive come playoff time, they should win at least three of these four matchups.
Coming Down the Home Stretch
After a middle part of the schedule with a lot of road games, the Cleveland Browns get to come home for three of their four crucial December matchups. The first of these is the hardest, against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars are expected to build on their playoff appearance last season. Adding WR Calvin Ridley will augment the continued development of QB Trevor Lawrence. The Browns will get some help from home-field advantage, however: No team from Florida will enjoy playing on Lake Erie in mid-December.
The Cleveland Browns then play two consecutive must-win games against the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. The teams had the two worst records in 2022. Though both have undoubtedly made improvements, a playoff team can not lose to either of these franchises coming down the home stretch.
Cleveland’s 2023 home slate wraps up the following week against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. The Jets have pushed their chips to the table with Rodgers, not only trading significant draft capital for him but also bringing in his favorite receivers. Like Cleveland, New York has a rebuilt offense but unlike the Browns, it’s rebuilt around an aging superstar. The Jets are expected to get nine wins with one of the league’s toughest schedules, but in the highly competitive AFC East, could well be out of the competition by this point. The Browns will also be looking for revenge for last season’s disastrous Week 2 loss.
Finally, the Browns wrap up their season as it started: against the Cincinnati Bengals. Barring injuries or disasters, this game could well determine who wins the AFC North division and potentially host a home playoff game the next week.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
The Cleveland Browns consider themselves a serious playoff contender. By the final quarter of the season, that potential should either be fully realized, or a lot of people will be updating their resumes.
All five of these games are winnable. Even against the division-rival Bengals, the Browns defense matches up well with Cincinnati’s anemic offensive line. But that game largely depends on the circumstances: Will either team be resting starters for the playoffs? Will one team already be out of competition and saving it for 2024?
The Cleveland Browns must pick up wins against the Texans and Bears. If they bring a 7-5 record into the season’s final frame, that would leave them at 9-8, realizing the predictions of many pundits. A win against either the Jaguars or Jets gives Cleveland a 10-win season and an outside shot at the AFC’s bottom wildcard slot.
A win against both would bring the Browns to 11-5 heading into the season’s final week against the Bengals. With Cinninati projected to get 11 wins, that would make for an exciting Week 18.
Time will tell. For now, the Cleveland Browns take on those same Cincinnati Bengals to kick off the 2023 season on Sunday.
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