Despite seeing their three-game winning streak come to an end, the Cleveland Browns are still right there in the AFC playoff picture. They’re 7-4 and have at least three games they should be favored in down the stretch. There are three others that could go either way.
In the end, that should be enough for at least 10 wins and a playoff berth as a Wild Card team. As much excitement as that should bring to Browns fans, there will still be some questions going forward. Here, we dive into this with the three biggest questions surrounding this team down the stretch.
3. Can the Browns stretch the field on offense?
It was really disappointing to see Dorian Thompson-Robinson exit this past game. Not only is it always tough in general to see a player suffer an injury, but he was also starting to fire on all cylinders. DTR just let Cleveland on a long touchdown drive, converting a fourth down to throw his first-ever touchdown pass in the NFL.
caught the whole defense slipping 😯#CLEvsDEN on FOX & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/YjYHji8Wig
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 26, 2023
He then found Amari Cooper in the end zone for a two-point conversion. That should have tied the game at 14, eliminating the 14-0 Denver lead. Unfortunately, Cooper dropped the pass and that left Cleveland behind 14-12.
Their defense held Denver to a field goal and Thompson-Robinson went out to try and take the lead. That’s when he was hurt and their chances were gone. But even before he left, there was one question left — can he consistently push the ball downfield?
Fans have been irate with the Browns for continuing to throw when the run is working but they’re trying to open things up and make it easier on everyone. Being able to push the ball downfield will back off the safeties and make running even easier. So far, they’ve struggled to make that work, but need to find a way if they want to make any noise in the playoffs.
There will be calls for Joe Flacco to take over, and he should start if DTR is unable to go due to his concussion. Having said that, the rookie is the right man for the job. He’s starting to find his confidence and has been solid in two-minute drills. Now, he just has to find a way to force the secondary to back off.
2. Will they be healthy enough for the playoffs?
At 7-4, the Browns still have the inside track to the postseason. They also still have a fighting chance of winning the AFC North but they’ll need some help there. Instead, their focus needs to be on taking care of business and locking up a Wild Card spot.
The only issue will be their health. Cleveland has been extremely unlucky this year when it comes to injuries. Jack Conklin, Nick Chubb, Deshaun Watson, and Jed Wills are all on the IR. They were also without Denzel Ward and Anthony Walker in Week 12.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Myles Garrett, Amari Cooper, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson were all hurt during the loss to Denver. Garrett’s injury has to be the most concerning since he’s by far the best player on this roster right now — but all can be significant for their playoff chances.
Cleveland has done an excellent job fighting through the injuries and this could help them down the road. It’s hard to win in the NFL but they’ve suddenly been getting it done primarily with backups. As much as that can help in 2024 and beyond, it still leaves them with some serious concerns this year as they approach the postseason.
1. Can the Cleveland Browns get out of their own way?
Throughout the season, and even dating back a couple of years now, the Browns have typically found ways to hurt themselves. Especially on offense. Whether it be an untimely turnover or a terrible holding penalty, they’ve often gifted their opponents games.
This happened back in Week 2 against the Steelers when Deshaun Watson threw a pick-six on the opening play. Despite this, they were still in control late until Watson was sacked and fumbled the ball deep in Pittsburgh territory. That also led to a defensive touchdown as the offense surrendered 14 points in a 26-22 loss.
In addition to the turnovers, they’ve had some questionable play-calling at the most inopportune time. While Kevin Stefanski takes far more heat than he should, it’s true that he tries to get too creative at times. We saw this when a reverse for Elijah Moore led to a 20-yard loss in their Week 4 loss to the Ravens. Then against Denver, another reverse resulted in a turnover when Pierre Strong couldn’t handle the toss from Moore.
Cleveland has the type of defense that they can win low scoring games. Yes, it would be ideal if they could start dropping 40 points but that’s hard to do with a backup quarterback. Until they can be content with keeping the game plan simple for 60 minutes, we have to wonder if they’ll ever learn to get out of their own way.