16. Cleveland Browns
Last week: 16th
After falling just short against the New Orleans Saints, I’m considering putting myself in the “completely out” category with the Cleveland Browns.
There are things to like about this team, but how much of their success earlier this season was lightning in a bottle? I don’t think we can accurately call it a “mirage” because the Browns were playing some good team football, they were executing, and they were finishing some games.
You won’t win every one-score game in the NFL, but the Browns really needed this one against the Saints. They will be taking on CJ Stroud and the Texans in Week 10 before a bye in Week 11, and while it might be early for these, that is really a “must-win” game for them.
Cleveland is still just one game back from the Bengals and Steelers in the win column, so we won’t write any premature obituaries, but if they are for real, this next game is going to be the time to show it.
15. New York Giants
Last week: 15th
The New York Giants are, in some ways, the NFC version of the Pittsburgh Steelers right now. They are a team that just keeps winning, but you can’t really put this team in a true “contender” status as of right now.
John Harbaugh has his guys playing some inspired football. They had a really great plan for defending against Joe Milton, who was making his first start of the season for the Philadelphia Eagles.
That Giants defense is tough. Arvell Reese is a star in the making. He’s going to be credited with a “strip-sack” on Joe Milton in this game, but anyone who saw that hit knows it was more like a wrecking ball causing a forced fumble than a ball being slapped out of Milton’s hand. He may not have been hit that hard in his playing career.
Reese had 3 sacks against the Eagles on Sunday and is making his case for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
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