The Cleveland Browns schedule is set for 2020 as the team looks to rebound after immense disappointment last year. Picking every game for this season.
At this point of last offseason, you couldn’t turn anywhere without hearing talk about the Cleveland Browns. As Baker Mayfield was coming off of a 27-touchdown rookie season (in 14 games no less), the team added Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon to a young cast. New head coach Freddie Kitchens was also garnering buzz as he was pegged as the reason for the Browns’ offensive turnaround at the end of the 2018 season.
If you need to know how things turned out, Kitchens is gone and it seems as if everyone is back to the “same old’ Browns” mentality entering the 2020 season. Mayfield regressed, OBJ struggled through injuries, the offensive line was a trainwreck and Myles Garrett was suspended for using his helmet as a weapon. So yeah, things went pretty poorly in 2019.
With former Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski taking over, however, there should be optimism about Cleveland. He’s far more proven than Kitchens and has so much talent to work with.
Mayfield is still a player I believe in, especially with Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills Jr. now anchoring the offensive line. Meanwhile, Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Austin Hooper, Nick Chubb and David Njoku comprise an impressive cast of weapons while the defense has a boatload of young talent. Garrett is the star but Larry Ogunjobi, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams are all high-upside talents.
But can the Browns prove to be a team that the general public was simply a year early on anointing? With Cleveland’s 2020 schedule released on May 7, let’s go through all 16 games and predict how this season plays out for the Browns through each week.
Week 1: at Ravens
Despite the Browns’ immense struggles in the 2019 season, they actually played the top seed in the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens, exceptionally well. In fact, Cleveland handed Lamar Jackson and Co. one of their only two regular-season losses.
Nick Chubb will be a critical part of this game as he gashed Baltimore in that win for the Browns. However, I don’t see Cleveland being able to start the season on the road with a new head coach against a team of the Ravens’ caliber with a win.
Prediction: Loss
Week 2: vs. Bengals – Thursday Night Football
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In the Browns’ hope-opener for the 2020 season, they get their first look at another No. 1 overall pick at quarterback, Joe Burrow. Burrow has some weaponry to work with in Cincinnati and the Bengals might be a better team than some might expect. However, the offensive line remains a bit of an issue, even getting Jonah Williams back. The Browns will take advantage of that and a questionable defense to move to 1-1.
Prediction: Win
Week 3: vs. Redskins
There is renewed hope in Washington now that the regime has changed and Ron Rivera is in at head coach. Moreover, the team believes that Dwayne Haskins is the future while the defensive front is loaded with first-round talent. As a whole, however, the Redskins aren’t ready to compete with the better teams in the NFL, which I believe Cleveland should be this season.
Prediction: Win
Week 4: at Cowboys
Obviously it’s a bit of a different set of circumstances but the Dallas Cowboys can likely relate to the coaching woes the Browns had last year. This team was held back by Jason Garrett but now has a new leader on the sidelines in Mike McCarthy for the 2020 season.
Dak Prescott has a loaded group of weapons that will put the Cleveland defense to the test for 60 minutes. And while there are some defensive question marks for Dallas, they have enough there to let their offense carry them to victory, especially at home.
Prediction: Loss
Week 5: vs. Colts
Because Philip Rivers had a down year by his standards in the 2019 season, many people seem to be sleeping on his addition to the Indianapolis Colts offense. But behind one of the league’s best offensive lines and with an improved cast of weapons, this team could be dangerous. Having said that, the Browns at home for this one works in their favor, as does facing a secondary that I do have some concerns about.
Prediction: Win
Week 6: at Steelers
It feels pretty safe to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be highly motivated when they face off with the Cleveland Browns in Week 6 in the Steel City. While they did meet for one game after the Myles Garrett-Mason Rudolph brawl, the Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger. With Big Ben back in front of what is likely to be a highly raucous crowd, Pittsburgh is going to win the first meeting of 2020 between these two teams.
Prediction: Loss
Week 7: at Bengals
The all-Ohio matchup between the Browns and Bengals gets the second meeting of the two clubs done before the midseason mark, which is a bit of an oddity. Having said that, these two AFC North foes will have a different feel in Week 7.
By this point, Burrow should have his feet wet at the NFL level and could be more dangerous. Even with that, though, I’m not sure Cincinnati has the goods on defense to handle the weapons that Cleveland can throw at them on offense, nor is their offensive line capable of standing up for 60 minutes.
Prediction: Win
Week 8: vs. Raiders
For my money, the Las Vegas Raiders are a better team than they’re getting credit for heading into 2020. Jon Gruden has proven that he can still effectively coach in the modern NFL, even with limited talent, and the roster is notably better than it was a season ago. However, I’m not sure this offense is complete and the defense is still growing. With that and Derek Carr‘s question marks, the Browns get another home victory heading into their Week 9 bye.
Prediction: Win
Week 10: vs. Texans
Deshaun Watson is unquestionably one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. And that’s one of the reasons that you have to feel bad for him that he’s on a team being run by Bill O’Brien. The GM/head coach has traded away virtually all of the Texans’ draft capital and DeAndre Hopkins to build a roster that leaves a lot to be desired, specifically in the secondary and on the offensive line. Frankly, this could be a game where the hot seat gets excruciating for O’Brien in Houston.
Prediction: Win
Week 11: vs. Eagles
The Browns are quite fortunate that their offensive line will have nine games prior to meeting the Eagles so that they can start to gel as a unit. Philadelphia’s defensive front is deep and immensely talented and could cause any team problems. Moreover, the secondary is improved as well.
At the same time, there are still questions about Carson Wentz‘s durability at quarterback and, though they drafted Jalen Reagor, the wide receiver group still has questions. This should be a great, close game but the Browns will fall just short as the offense will get caught up just a bit.
Prediction: Loss
Week 12: at Jaguars
Coming off of the loss to the Eagles at home, their first predicted home loss of the 2020 season in this exercise, the Browns go on the road to Jacksonville. And the Jaguars are a welcomed sight. The Jags are in the midst of a rebuild and, while Gardner Minshew showed some impressive things as a rookie and while there is young talent on defense, they aren’t on the same level as Cleveland.
Prediction: Win
Week 13: at Titans
The first sign of trouble in 2019 for the Browns came in Week 1 when they were absolutely decimated by the Tennessee Titans. As fate would have it, the two teams will meet again as Cleveland tries to kill the demons of last year. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happen.
Ryan Tannehill may be a prime candidate to regress but Derrick Henry proved he’s a viable bell-cow running back that can devastate opponents. As the Browns have questions at linebacker, I see that being the case here, especially with this game in Nashville.
Prediction: Loss
Week 14: vs. Ravens – Monday Night Football
Looking to avenge their season-opening loss to the Ravens, the rematch with Baltimore will take place on Monday Night Football. And as they did last season and like they should in Week 1, the Browns have the right type of personnel to push the Ravens. At the end of the day, though, the talent that the Ravens have on both sides of the ball will be too much for Cleveland to handle again as they’ll get swept by their division rivals in this game.
Prediction: Loss
Week 15: at Giants
After two straight late-season losses, the Browns need a break. Though they have to go for a two-game New York road trip in Weeks 15 and 16, the opponents that they draw for those matchups are exactly what Cleveland needs at this point.
Daniel Jones was far better than expected as a rookie but the weapons outside of Saquon Barkley for the Giants are still a concern. More importantly, the defense still has question marks on every level, meaning this should be a comfortable win for the Browns.
Prediction: Win
Week 16: at Jets
Now taking on the Jets to complete their road slate for the 2020 season, the Browns should have the advantage again. I like what New York has done this offseason to try and aid Sam Darnold and Le’Veon Bell on offense, fortifying the offensive line and adding some new weapons in the passing attack. However, the Jets pass rush is among the worst in the league on paper and their inability to create pressure will allow Cleveland to move the ball at will.
Prediction: Win
Week 17: vs. Steelers
Sitting at 9-6 coming into this matchup, it’s safe to say the stakes will be high for Cleveland no matter who they were playing. The fact that it’s against the Steelers at home only makes this season finale that much juicier of a matchup.
Considering what the Steelers did despite horrendous quarterback play last season, they could be in line for a big, big year. But at the same time, I’m a believer in the Browns. And with a new mentality truly instilled in this team, they’ll come up in the clutch and secure a double-digit win season.
Prediction: Win
Final Record and Analysis
After going through all 16 games on the Cleveland Browns schedule, we have them finishing the season at 10-6. With the NFL Playoffs being expanded to seven teams from each division under the newly ratified Collective Bargaining Agreement, you have to believe that will be enough for Stefanski’s club to make it into the postseason.
With Stefanski at the helm and with the host of talent that’s on this roster, there is no reason that the Browns shouldn’t be a 10-win team. They can attack on every level when they have the ball, especially with the new head coach’s proven ability to establish the run and what that could mean for Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
However, the simple truth about the Browns is that their season hinges on Baker Mayfield actually being a franchise quarterback. He certainly showed those flashes as a rookie fresh off being named the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft. But that he threw 22 touchdowns to 21 interceptions last season has brought all of that into question.
Make no mistake, the talent at all of the skill positions, strong defensive infrastructure, new coaching staff and the upgraded offensive line leave Mayfield no excuses. If he’s the guy, he has to show it this season. And if he doesn’t, then this team is going to hover at .500 or below.
Full disclosure though, Mayfield was my top-rated quarterback in the 2018 draft class and I still believe in him. I don’t think you can overestimate how much the porous O-line and Kitchens stunted his development. With the right pieces now seemingly in place, I expect him to progress as he should and the Browns to finally have their hope heading into the year not be met with disappointment.