If even a fraction of the Browns preseason hype comes to fruition, then Cleveland will rock harder than it has in quite some time. Lebron James and the 2015-16 Cavaliers finally ended the city’s long suffering championship drought, and for that they’ll always have a special place in the hearts of fans.
However, this is a Cleveland Browns town first and foremost, and nothing fires up the denizens like football. That city, state and region of the country loves the gridiron game above all other sports, and by a wide margin.
And this could be the year that the Browns finally return to relevance.
They haven’t been to the playoffs in 16 years, nor won the division in three decades, yet here they are significantly favored over a team that has gone 9-7 the last three seasons.
The Cleveland Browns improved from 0-16 in 2017 to 7-8-1 last year, and hey, if these trends continue! The Browns are probably the NFL’s longest suffering franchise, and if they actually establish a resurgence, it’s not just an Ohio story, it’s a national narrative.
When a move was made about the NFL Draft, it’s no surprise that it centered around the Cleveland Browns. After all, draft day has been their Super Bowl for the longest time. No fanbase consumes mock drafts as much as the Browns supporters do.
Perhaps this season they’ll be focused on the playoffs first. General Manager John Dorsey has built a solid roster that mixes youth and experience, established veterans and young players with sky high potential.
Odell Beckham Jr. was the free agent signing of the silly season, and now we’ll see how he pairs with former Heisman winner and #1 overall pick Baker Mayfield. There’s so much talent here that on paper they can’t lose.
However, paper doesn’t convey fit and chemistry and the season’s course will be determined by how good a job Head Coach Freddie Kitchens does in managing the egos.
There are a lot of leading man kind of personalities on this team, and they need to be balanced by the role players.
It all starts Sunday, and perhaps the key to that game, one of the marquee match-ups on the slate this kickoff weekend, is the browns defensive line vs. the Titans offensive line.
Tennesse, without their best OL Taylor Lewan due to suspension, could struggle to protect starting quarterback Marcus Mariota.
The Cleveland Browns will throw Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon at the Tennessee’s weakened OL, and despite Mariota’s noted mobility, these specific match-up battles could be the difference.
Look for the Mayfield to Beckham connection early and often, and expect the former Sooner to win this match-up of former Heisman winning QBs.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.