3 Reasons Cleveland Browns will beat the Panthers in Week 1
By Greg Newland
![Browns, Nick Chubb. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fdawgpounddaily-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2018-2F08-2F15337452-850x560-ff20caf3cd99c6105920966fef9e67bef72624562e0db109422213159f622a88.jpg "Browns, Nick Chubb. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]")
Much of the NFL will be awaiting the rematch between the Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield. Here are 3 reasons the Browns can win on Sunday.
With the first full weekend of college football behind us, we now anxiously await the start of the NFL season. The Cleveland Browns will be without their starting quarterback for the first 11 weeks, but they open with a winnable game in Carolina.
The NFL schedule makers were on top of their games with this one, with rumors floating that Baker Mayfield would be headed to the Panthers, this opening matchup was announced. There will be a lot of familiarity on each side, but the Browns biggest goal will be starting the season off 1-0 and moving on to the next game.
There’s truly no such thing as an easy win in the NFL. These are professional athletes, and any one team can beat another on any given day. For years when the Browns were awful, it seemed like one of their four or five wins was against a top team in the league. Here are three reasons why Cleveland can come out victorious on Sunday.
Reasons the Browns will beat the Panthers in Week 1
3. Long-term memory
While we haven’t heard much from the Cleveland side since the departure of Mayfield or even the addition of Deshaun Watson, these guys don’t forget. I personally loved what Mayfield did for Cleveland over a four-year span, but he also created a ton of unnecessary drama.
The “underdog” mentality wears thin quickly, especially when you won the Heisman Trophy and were picked No. 1 overall in the NFL draft. There’s a fine line between using a chip on your shoulder as motivation and letting it be the detriment to your downfall.
Let me be clear, I don’t blame Mayfield one bit for being frustrated or slightly pissed about the way things ended in Cleveland. But don’t for one second think Kevin Stefanski won’t use all the nonsense from the past to get his team motivated to play their best football. The pressure is on everyone now, and that will be a big part of getting the win on Sunday.