087 – Browns Schedule Game, NBA Update — Andy & Jarid, Cleveland & Beyond
May 10, 2020Game of Thrones: Baseball is Coming
May 11, 2020It’s only early May, but it’s never too early to talk about the upcoming NFL season, right? The NFL Draft is over so that discussion has somewhat quieted, but with the NFL releasing the schedule for the 2020 season, it’s time we discuss what might take place this fall. While COVID-19 has certainly put a halt to sports (and life in general, at least for the most part), sports fans and players alike hope sports are back sooner rather than later. Especially by the time football season kicks off.
So, with the NFL releasing the schedules for all 32 teams in the league, it’s now time that we hope that the football season does happen, let alone begin on time. NFL fans everywhere love to play ‘The Schedule Game’, trying to predict how their team will do, both in terms of their final regular-season record and how they will fare in each of the 16 games of the season. Without further ado, some of the WFNY crew is here to play their own Schedule Game, discussing their favorite (and least favorite) part(s) of the schedule, along with other aspects of the season as well, and last but certainly not least, predicting the Browns’ final record once Week 17 is over. Whether it’s beginning the season with a tough Week 1 matchup in Baltimore against the Ravens, the home opener being a Thursday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals, back-to-back games in New York during the week of Christmas, or a Week 17 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, there are so many things to discuss..and predict:
https://twitter.com/Browns/status/1258539792100450305
While starting the season in Baltimore is certainly tough, that seems like a good time to play the reigning AFC North champs given that there are so many questions about training camp, etc. Do you agree?
Bode: The Browns have only won a single Week 1 game since 1999. So, having a game on the schedule that was a likely loss anyway? Yeah, that’s fine. Not to mention it is the most likely game to drop off the schedule if the NFL cannot figure out how to mitigate COVID-19. Then again, that single win was against Baltimore. Hmmm.
Scott: I don’t think there will ever be a good time to play the Ravens this season. The Browns figured out a way to punch them in the mouth so quickly last season; it’s tough to see any sort of repeat. That said, for my sanity and what appears to be a long week of “analysis” to follow, I wish they could have landed the Bengals or Washington in Week 1.1
Poloha: Might as well get one of the toughest games of the season done in Week 1. The Browns have struggled in the season opener ever since 1999, so, I guess a loss is expected and anything better than that will just be a bonus, especially in Baltimore? I mean, I’ll take it, I guess.
Craig: I think it’s a good time, but if the Browns are afraid of Baltimore, I don’t know what to tell you. I know everyone is scared to have a prediction about this team after a year with Freddie Kitchens at the helm, but on paper, there’s no reason not to be confident. As fans and media adjacent, I understand not wanting to be out front, but this team has all the pieces to be dominant. That’s why last year was so frustrating, right?
Gilbert: I do think it is at a good time as any to face the Ravens. As shown by the early matchup win last season, it takes time to get into a groove and become the full version of yourself as a team. So, yes, if I had to choose, Week 1 is a nice spot for the Browns to face off against the Ravens.
Which game are you most looking forward to?
Bode: Preseason Week 1? The Hall of Fame Game in July? It will just be nice to have week-to-week sports back; assuming they are. Otherwise, the Cowboys game in Week 4 should be a fun game to see where the roster stacks up from a talent level in the league.
Scott: Steelers, Week 6. If we assume Baltimore is the runaway winner of the North, I want to know how close this team is to No. 2. That Week 6 game will provide the answer, with a possible outcome being much closer to No. 4. It’s a true barometer.
Poloha: Bode brings up a really good point. I just want sports back, whether it be basketball, baseball, or football. That said, football is my favorite season and I need that to happen. Looking at the schedule though, the games against the Steelers, Ravens, and former Ohio State Buckeyes are the ones I’m looking forward to the most.
Craig: I’m looking forward to the final game against the Steelers. I hope it means nothing because the Browns are firmly in grasp of a playoff spot. I hope that we’ve got sports and society at least somewhat back to normal. I hope the only thing that isn’t normal is the Browns heading to the playoffs and beating the crap out of the Steelers. Maybe retiring Ben Roethlisberger? Dare to dream.
Gilbert: I am really excited to play the Pittsburgh Steelers this season and especially the first matchup in Week 6 at Pittsburgh. I think the Browns have a chance to finally get the rivalry back after all that went on last season. The emotions will be high on both teams this year and it will be a good measure of where the Browns are in their quest of building a championship team.
Which game are you least looking forward to?
Bode: The Titans were everything the Browns were not last year, and playing a team that physical late in the year when injuries tend to be piling up is not fun.
Scott: Bengals, Week 2. I don’t like having to play a Home Opener at night on a short week with one possible outcome being losing to what was the worst team in football a season ago. I’m not saying they’ll lose in this spot, but the angst from a loss here would undoubtedly outweigh the potential joy from a win. It’s a tough spot.
Poloha: Yeah, the home opener being on a short week *and* just five days after the season opener in Baltimore isn’t ideal. The schedule gods weren’t on the Browns’ side on that one.
Craig: I’m with Bode. I don’t want to play the Titans, mostly because I don’t want the narrative that we know will dominate the entire week about how the Browns were punched in the mouth by them a year prior.
Gilbert: I would probably say the New York Giants game is the game I am least looking forward to this season. And, it has nothing to do with the game or matchup, but just the media runup to it given it will be the first game Odell Beckham Jr. faces his old team. The media talk will likely be intolerable by the time the game begins.
What’s your favorite part of the schedule, whether it be when the bye week occurs, a certain stretch of games, or something else?
Bode: Tend to get more national talk during the week and more highlights when we play the NFC East.
Scott: I do dig having the bye smack in the middle of things. Seems like a solid place. I’d say the NFC East slate as we only get that once per presidential term, but for the sake of originality, I’ll say Week 12 against Gardner Minshew and the otherwise nondescript Jaguars. I presume the end zone pool will still be open, and the Browns will be about a 6-point road favorite during a key stretch of the season.
Poloha: This seems like a lousy answer, but all 16 games? Like I previously said, I just hope we get a football NFL (and college) season. The fact that the bye week is right in the middle of the season certainly helps as well. If I had to pick a specific stretch though, I’d say Weeks 13-17. A Monday night game in Cleveland against Baltimore, back-to-back games in New York, and then the regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a potential playoff spot on the line? Sign me up.
Craig: Playing the Giants and Jets in New Jersey in back-to-back weeks could be really fun, especially if the Browns sweep. The whole New York media market thing could be fun if the Browns haven’t wet the bed by that point in the season.
Gilbert: I like the stretch from Week 4 to Week 6. The Browns will be facing three teams who will likely be playoff contenders this season. It will be a nice early season test for the Browns to see who they can truly be this year.
The Browns have two primetime games as of right now: Week 2 at home against the Bengals (Thursday night) and Week 14 at home against the Ravens (Monday night). If you could pick one other game to be in primetime, which would it be?
Bode: Wish we had that Thanksgiving Day game against the Cowboys. Someday, maybe.
Scott: Neither are great spots for reasons described earlier. Very akin to the Rams-Niners slate early in ’19. Very Browns, honestly. That Cowboys spot would have been perfect, be it on Thanksgiving or not. I feel like you could also market Baker against either of the young New York QBs, but late-season-scheduled contests based purely on marketing tend to end up with 34-7 wins over the Andrew Luck Jacoby Brisset-led Colts. With the Browns littered with uncertainty, their best chance for a primetime game is actually being compelling and being flexed into one late in the season.
Poloha: Week 17 against the Steelers at home would certainly be fun. If there is a playoff spot on the line, that rivalry game could certainly be flexed to primetime.
Craig: I’m just going to copy Bode. I want a Thanksgiving game. That would be so much fun.
Gilbert: Yeah, I am with the others. I wish we were playing the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
If you could go to any game, which one would it be?
Bode: Dallas again to see JerryWorld. I won’t… but that would be the one.
Scott: I feel like Dallas is the only answer. The Raiders would have been a potential response, but that’s at home.
Poloha: Give me Jerry World. I’ve never been but have heard that it’s out of this world.
Craig: I’m going to go with the first home game against the Ravens. Given everything we’ve been through in the past year, if there’s a way that we could all safely go watch the Browns in the stadium, I want to be there for the first one.
Gilbert: I have season tickets, so if fans are allowed to go, I will be going to every home game. But, of all the games on the schedule, I would love to go to the Cowboys game in Jerry World. That would be awesome.
Last but certainly not least, what’s the Browns record at the end of the regular season and will they make the playoffs?2
Bode: Hahaha. Predicting records in May with a new coaching staff, new OL, unknown offseason, and crazy amount of unpredictable global events from now until September?
Scott: I was on the low end last season with 9 wins, and even I got proven wrong. This will prove to be a fool’s errand, but I’ll go with the always compelling 8-8, but squeezing in as the vaunted seventh seed. On a whim, I’ll say Chiefs, Ravens, Bills (someone has to win that division), Steelers, Titans, and the Phil Rivers-led Colts get in as well. The pivotal games will be those against the AFC South as the Titans, Texans and Colts could all be in that 7-10-win range.
Poloha: 8-8. I’m not jinxing anything here.
Craig: 16-0. Browns sweep the season. I’m a fan too, remember?
Gilbert: Ask me this in a couple of months before the season begins. I am not there yet on making predictions given the uncertainty of when the season starts and whatever else can happen before the season begins.