After suffering two losses in a row on the road, the Cleveland Browns are ready to get back to Northeast Ohio. They're about to hold a two-game homestand and have three of their final five games in Cleveland Browns Stadium. That's excellent news for a team that's 5-1 at home this year and looking for two-to-three more wins to make the playoffs.
Right now, they're 7-5 and are still in line to make the postseason. Fortunately, the loss to the Rams didn't do anything to their playoff chances. But they do need to start winning to make sure things don't unravel. With that being said, here's a look at their remaining games as well as a prediction for each.
• Week 14: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns
• Week 15: Chicago Bears @ Cleveland Browns
• Week 16: Cleveland Browns @ Houston Texans
• Week 17: New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns
• Week 18: Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals
Week 14: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns
The loss in Week 13 was bad for the Jaguars but what was worse were the injuries suffered by Trevor Lawrence and Christian Kirk. Kirk is done for the year and right now, it feels as though Lawrence is going to miss the Week 14 showdown with the Browns. That means it will potentially be C.J. Beathard against Joe Flacco.
Cleveland is very good at home, entering this week 5-1 on the shores of Lake Erie. Their defense has been struggling over the past two weeks but being at home should help. Also helpful is the fact that they’ll likely be facing a backup. Beathard isn’t a bad player by any means, but this defense can handle him.
The offense will just need to do its part. Considering what Jake Browning just did to the Jacksonville defense, that shouldn’t be an issue. They end the losing streak with a huge — and comfortable — win at home.
Final Score: Browns 24, Jaguars 13
Browns Record: 8-5
Week 15: Chicago Bears @ Cleveland Browns
After getting their eighth win in our previous prediction, the Browns will now host the Chicago Bears in Week 15. The last time these two teams played, Cleveland held the Bears to just 47 yards total. They averaged 1.1 yards per play during a historical defensive performance.
This year, the Browns defense is even better than what we saw in 2021. Even if players such as Myles Garrett aren’t back to 100 percent, or if Denzel Ward is still out, this is a game Cleveland will handle with no problems. They’ll be able to pressure the Bear's quarterback, Justin Fields, and while he’s mobile, there’s more than enough speed on the edge and at linebacker to keep him from taking over the game.
Chicago has been able to move the ball at times and they’re more productive on offense this year with D.J. Moore at receiver. Having said that, there aren't enough weapons for them to make the Browns pay for focusing on shutting down Moore. This should be another lopsided one as Cleveland gets their ninth win at home. They might need another win, maybe two, to get into the postseason but this would be enough for a winning record which is huge given the adversity they’ve faced.
Final Score: Browns 27, Bears 6
Browns Record: 9-5
Week 16: Cleveland Browns @ Houston Texans
Earlier in the year, this one felt like a win. The Houston Texans weren't very good in 2022 and they were going to be starting a rookie quarterback while also being led by a rookie coach. On top of that, it appeared as though they didn't have very many playmakers on offense to help C.J. Stroud.
Now heading into Week 14, they're one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Houston is 7-5 and has won four of their past five games. They even just defeated the Denver Broncos, the same team Cleveland was unable to outlast in Week 12.
Stroud has been everything they hoped for and he's also been elevating the players around him. Through 12 games, he has 3,540 yards with an impressive 20-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He's been throwing the ball to everyone as well with Nico Collins leading the way with 991 yards and six touchdowns, followed by Tank Dell with 709 yards and seven touchdowns, and Dalton Schultz with 455 yards and five scores.
Going forward, they won't have Dell who suffered a fractured fibula against the Broncos but they've been able to get others involved as well. Noah Brown has had a few huge outings and has 439 yards on 21 receptions. Plus Robert Woods is there as well with 326 yards on 30 catches. With all those weapons, this offense proves to be too much for Cleveland, who is nowhere near as good on the road in recent weeks.
Final Score: Texans 34, Browns 20
Browns Record: 9-6
Week 17: New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns
This one will continue to come down to whether or not Aaron Rodgers suits up for the New York Jets. Lost to an Achilles injury in Week 1, Rodgers was expected to miss the entire season. Despite this, he remained adamant that he could be back by the end of the year — and has begun to practice which is a huge feat in itself.
His bounce-back has led to some questions about the severity of his injury and in all honesty, it might not be wise to bring him back. Achilles injuries are no joke for anyone especially a player who is over 40. Perhaps if there’s a shot at a title, the Jets should risk it but this team is 4-8 and not going anywhere — especially in the AFC where there are several teams in play for the final Wild Card spots.
Perhaps some would think it’s best to get Rodgers some reps with this team but the risk seems to outweigh any reward. That’s why this prediction will consider him a no-go for Week 17. If so, the Browns should win easily. The Jets have a good defense but this offense isn’t going to do enough to keep pace. Especially at Cleveland.
Final Score: Browns 23, Jets 10
Browns Record: 10-6
Week 18: Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals
Jake Browning had the best game of his life this past weekend as he continues to play well in relief of Joe Burrow. A former Washington standout, Browning was undrafted in 2019 and began his career with the Minnesota Vikings where his first offensive coordinator was Kevin Stefanski.
Cleveland's head coach knows Browning well, so he might be one of the few people who aren't surprised by his early success. While they did lose in his first start against the Steelers, Browning still played well and is now completing 75.6 percent of his passing attempts for 649 yards with three touchdowns and a pick. That should be enough for them to potentially knock off the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings but then he will be tested.
Cincinnati finishes the year with a two-game road trip to Pittsburgh and then Kansas City. They do return home for Week 18 and will host the Browns, the same team that handed them a loss in Week 1. That 24-3 victory came with Burrow under center but he was still hampered by a calf injury. This means Cleveland should expect more than three points but they are also more than capable of getting the win.
Look for the defense to be fired up as they hope to enter the playoffs on a high note. Throw in the fact that Stefanski knows Browning very well and that's another reason to believe in the road team. It will be closer than we would like to see but in the end, the defense makes a huge stop and gives Cleveland an 11-6 campaign as well as a playoff berth.
Final Score: Browns 21, Bengals 20
Browns Record: 11-6