The best part of the NFL is the fact that if you lose a game, you get to try and right the wrongs a week later, and the Cleveland Browns, will look to do just that and erase the memory of the bizarre Monday Night Football game against the Steelers.
What could go wrong seemingly did for the Browns in the 26-24 defeat in Acrisure Stadium and now the team must regroup and get ready to host the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.
Both teams will enter the contest at 1-1 after the Titans were victorious at home against the Chargers. There's plenty of time for both teams, regardless of who wins, to correct what's plaguing their team from winning.
Here are the three big storylines when the Titans come to Cleveland in Week 3.
3. Can the defense remain dominant?
Andrew Berry did a tremendous job during the offseason in overhauling the defensive side of the ball, and after two games, the investments are paying off nicely.
Yes, it's only two games, but it is the only two games we have had to go off of, so it checks out. The same can be said for the offense, but we'll get to them momentarily.
With two divisional games in the books, the defense of the Browns has looked as dominant as advertised. The additions of Za'Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris, and Ogbo Okoronkwo have paired greatly with Myles Garrett.
The defensive unit ranks second in both yards allowed per game (198.5) and points allowed (14.5) - although they've only given up 16 points to the offenses — and also ranks third in both passing yards allowed per game (133.5) and rushing yards allowed per game (65).
The star of the early goings of this season has been safety Grant Delpit. In the first two games, he has a pick, a fumble recovery, a sack, two pass breakups, and 14 tackles, 11 being solo.
Derrick Henry is one of the best running backs in the NFL and could have a big imprint on this game, but the Cleveland defensive line has been stellar thus far. This will be the first true test and if they can bottle Heny up, the secondary can feast on Ryan Tannehill passes.
They are by no means perfect, and there are some issues to fix, but after the first pair of meaningful games, shows that it is the defense of the Browns that is carrying the load, and is a lethal threat to opposing offenses.
2. The running game adjusts to life without Nick Chubb
Browns fan's worst nightmare became a shocking reality when Nick Chubb was lost for the season after suffering a brutal leg injury. The outcome of the game seemed hollow and would have had Cleveland been the victor.
Now, the Browns will turn to second-year running back Jerome Ford, who showed promise on Monday night. He finished the game with 16 carries for 106 yards, aided largely by a 69-yard bolt around the edge on a play that looked like it would be nothing.
Ford caught a touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson in the game as well.
This was always going to be the worst-case scenario for the running back room, as only Pierre Strong was in the room with Chubb and now just Ford. Berry didn't waste time and connected with an old friend.
Cleveland brought Kareem Hunt in for a visit and then signed him to a one-year, $4 million deal that brought him back to The Land — after many thought we'd never see that again.
The reasons as to why the Browns wanted to move on from Hunt made a ton of sense, but now, Hunt is seemingly in great shape and already knows the offense.
Don't expect Hunt to play a factor on Sunday if he even plays at all. Ford showed that he could work with the offensive line and make it work. There's no way that Chubb could ever be replaced in any sense of the word, but Ford doesn't have to be Chubb.
Ford can have a productive day against the Tennessee, especially if Watson can get back on track. Expect him to see anywhere between 12 and 16 carries.
1. Can Deshaun Watson finally turn his play around?
Regardless of what the Browns gave up for Deshaun Watson or what they paid him, the quarterback hasn't played well in the eight games he's donned the brown and orange.
Watson looked lost or as if he was trying to avoid the boogeyman against the Steelers and for that night, Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt might as well have been Michael Meyers and Freddy Krueger.
It's perfectly fine to criticize poor performances, especially from the guy whom this team hitched its wagon to for the long haul. He even said he played poorly but used a more colorful word. Hint, it rhymed with city.
So is the Browns passing game a dead-end solution? Absolutely not. Two games out of 17 have been played. That means there are 15 games remaining to right the errors and be a competent offense.
Tennessee has a weak secondary, allowing 281.5 passing yards per game, so this is a matchup that Watson can exploit and get back on track. His receivers will be open, he just has to trust his feet and eyes and make the throw.
Too often we have seen Watson with happy feet in the pocket and indecisive eyes. It is eerily similar to when Baker Mayfield was the quarterback of the Browns. He can't afford to do that again this week as the Titans boast a powerful defensive line that has seven sacks on the young season.
It is not time for panic gloom and doom. The bottom line is that when Watson starts playing better, this team will be a real threat in what seems like a wide-open AFC. That starts this Sunday inside the confines of Cleveland Browns Stadium.