Cleveland Browns (o8.5 -121/u8.5 +100) 2020 Preview
The Browns have had 12 consecutive losing seasons. Hugh Jackson and Freddie Kitchens (the coach, not the mobster) were their two most recent head coaches. Their play has made Odell Beckham look human. They have started 30 different quarterbacks since their NFL rebirth in 1999. They play in Cleveland. This is not a good franchise. Arguably, the Browns are the saddest franchise in the major American pro sports (the argument is the Jets, the Jets are worst). But here we are in 2020, the strangest year of our lifetimes. So strange in fact, that I think the Browns are a good team.
Shedding Kitchens for new head coach Kevin Stefanski, the Browns will look to use his run-first strategy. And why not? They have the best 1-2 punch at running back in the league. The tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt is going to run wild, and catch free, all over the NFL. The offensive line will look better this year. It is being led by Bill Callahan, one of the best O-line coaches, and have added Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills (1st round pick). Not to mention, the team is absolutely stacked with talent. OBJ, Jarvis Landry, Austin Hooper, David Njoku, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, Greedy Williams…
Now, the inevitable question will be, how will Baker Mayfield do. He was the first overall pick 3 years ago and he absolutely regressed last year under Kitchens’ god-awful play calling. Well, that’s the beauty of hiring someone like Stefanski: you don’t have to solely rely on Mayfield to do it all. He will be shielded by those two great running backs and will probably be in “12” sets a lot with the two talented TEs. Oh yea, I expect them to play big with the two TEs – Njoku requesting and then backing away from being traded says it all. On the defensive side, they are young but should take a leap this year. We all know Garrett is a beast and Olivier Vernon is a good complimentary piece at this point in his career. I also expect Sheldon Richardson to have another solid year, as he finally finds consistency playing on the same team for at least two years for the first time in 3 years.
Did I mention the Browns have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL? They play Cincy twice, Jacksonville, the terrible NFC East (Dallas at Dallas will be tough) and the Jets. Their main problem will be their own division, the AFC North. They always play Baltimore tight, even when they were bad (look it up). They could absolutely split with the Steelers. And honestly, we don’t know how Big Ben is gonna look after a year off. I think the Browns have 9 wins in them. The books see it that way too, as the juice is lined to the over 8.5 wins (-121). I think the Browns are a dark horse to win the division. They are the perfect post-hype sleeper. My hesitation on them to win the division (+500) is centered around the new coaching staff and the team’s adjustment to them when there is limited practice time and no pre-season. Stefanski seems like a professional and I think they will be humming on all cylinders come midseason. Give me the Browns of Cleveland of Ohio to win more than 8.5 games.
Browns over 8.5 wins - 121.