Four Games of Interest for Browns Fans Today
With the Cleveland Browns, and quite a few top level teams, on their Bye Weeks today we want to highlight four games that Browns fans should pay special close attention to. The Browns, and their fans, expect to be competitive this year and scoreboard watching is a part of what happens when your team competes. It isn’t something fans are overly used to doing but starting a habit early is important to get it fully ready when needed later in the year.
Game 1
Buffalo Bills Vs. Houston Texans
A game of surprising 2 and 1 teams that will both face the Browns this year. Browns fans can get a look at how the Bills are using Sammy Watkins, who many fans wanted in Cleveland, as well as what improvements that E.J. Manuel as made. With the Texans Bill O’Brien is in the midst of installing his brand of football in Houston. BOB was a coach many thought could be connected with the Browns this off-season. The Texans are missing Jadeveon Clowney but still employ J.J. Watt as a disruptor on the defensive side of the ball.
Browns fans will root for the Texans here, and all future Bills opponents most likely, due to the NFL Draft implications. The Browns own both the Bills 1st and 4th round picks next year. The more losses for the Bills the higher that pick is. In a draft that could include 3 high profile quarterbacks, giving the Browns leverage in future trades, a Top 5 pick from the Bills could be huge.
Game 2
Carolina Panthers Vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Panthers and Ravens are both 2 – 1. This game is most interesting given Steve Smith moving from Carolina to Baltimore. Browns fans learned last week how big of impact Smith can have on a game, and he wasn’t even angry then. The Ravens will be without their left tackle Eugene Monroe which could cause problems against a tough Carolina Front 7.
As a division rival, who has already beat them once, the Browns are rooting hard against the Ravens. This has been true for years but even more so as the Browns hope to compete in the division.
Game 3
Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Not a game that is expected to be good. The Bucs have been bad given their off-season expectations while the Steelers have held it together and sit with a 2 – 1 record. It is possible that the Bucs start to put it all together after a few weeks but facing the veteran Steelers team makes that notion unlikely. Mike Glennon will likely start for the Bucs today. The second year player was benched for Josh McCown but can lay claim to the starting spot by pulling off the upset.
Unlikely but Browns fans are rooting for the Bucs today. Anything is possible in the NFL and Doug Martin’s likely return, against a defense that the Browns ran on most of the second half, is an encouraging development.
Game 4
Tennessee Titans Vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Browns square off against the Titans next week so this game has some important implications for the near future. Take a look at how the Titans do with Charlie Whitehurst at QB instead of Jake Locker who is hurt. Could Whitehurst spark the Titans offense that has struggled during the start of the season? More likely Whitehurst will struggle and Andrew Luck and the Colts will have a easy day.
For Browns fans two people that used to be connected to the team square off today in this game as well. Ray Horton, former defensive coordinator, and Trent Richardson, former #3 overall pick by the Browns, will face each other. Horton’s defense was exciting but under performing while Richardson has done his best to redefine what a bust looks like.
Which game will you pay the closest attention to? Are you in the habit of scoreboard watching division foes or is this something new?