By: Andy Davies

Last season, the Cleveland Browns earned their first playoff appearance since the 2002 campaign and their first postseason win since New Year’s Day in 1995. 

As a result, they went into the 2021 season with plenty of hype. However, it hasn’t worked out like this. The team’s current record is 5-5 and they are in a division where every team has at least 5 wins. 

So, what has gone wrong for a team that many had down as AFC North division winners? Is there still a chance to win it?

Inconsistent Division

The short answer is yes, they can. The AFC North is fast becoming one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL, but no team has managed to get some sort of consistency. Baltimore Ravens fans will certainly tell you that. 

They had a 5-1 start, which included a 46-35 win over the reigning AFC Champions Kansas City Chiefs. The week after beating the Los Angeles Chargers 34-6, a team that many have as a Super Bowl dark horse, they lost 41-17 to division rivals the Cincinnati Bengals. On Thursday night, they lost 22-10 to the Miami Dolphins, who were 2-6 before the game. More worryingly for the Ravens, the Dolphins appeared to show the entire league the blueprint as to how to beat them. 

The Cincinnati Bengals were briefly top of the division just a matter of weeks ago but now sits in 3^rd place. We have seen the excitement of the Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase partnership but have equally seen the defense allow at least 34 points their last two games as they suffered defeats to the Browns and New York Jets.

There was a difficult start made by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite the surprise 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week One, they lost their next three games to go 1-3. However, they have not lost a game since and now sit 5-3-1. Head coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, but they still have to face the Chargers, Ravens twice, the current AFC number one seed in the Tennessee Titans as well as Cleveland.

Cleveland themselves have to also play the Packers on Christmas Day and the rest of their AFC North rivals, but also get to play a 0-8-1 Detroit Lions and an inconsistent Las Vegas Raiders. Their schedule is fairly favourable, but they have to cut out their own erratic performances if they are to succeed.

Sorting Out Their Own Inconsistencies

The Browns have really struggled for consistency this season. They won three straight games after their opening day loss to the Chiefs but have failed to win consecutive games since. 

If a team is to win championships, then they have to win games consistently. Whilst is it more important how you play in January than how you play in October or November, but you have to make sure you play in January past the regular season.

What have the great New England Patriots sides done in the past? Gotten a consistent run of good form down the stretch. This is exactly what the Browns need to do as runs like this help build momentum and confidence in the crucial postseason games.

The Baker Conundrum

Quarterback Baker Mayfield is easily one of the more polarising players in his position. There are some that feel he is the guy. There are others that view him as nothing more than a ”˜game manager’. 

So far in 2021, he has 1,990 yards, 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. This has him projected to finish the campaign with just under 3,980 yards but crucially just under 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. This would have him at around his career best in terms of yardage but his worst season when it comes to touchdown passes.

His career so far has defined patchy. He had amazing seasons in both the 2018 and 2020 campaigns but has been poor in 2019 and 2021. He will be expecting a good season in 2022 judging by how his time as a pro has gone, but there is no guarantee he will earn his new contract. This ends after the conclusion of the 2022 season, which may see him raise his game. He has to be careful that he doesn’t suffer a further dip in form. 

Quarterbacks such as Jimmy Garoppolo and Tua Tagovailoa may be available that would fit into the game manager role and allow the excellent run game to flourish. He will have plenty of suitors due to being the number one overall pick in 2018 and the two excellent seasons he has had but he will want to succeed in Cleveland. This is clear to see. One thing that hasn’t helped is the broken-down relationship with wide receiver OBJ.

The OBJ Dilemma

Say what you want about Odell Beckham Jr, the dynamic around him and Baker’s relationship cannot have helped things in Cleveland. Throughout Beckham’s time in Ohio, the talk of a lack of chemistry between the pair has been a constant talking point.

There is substance to this, with the fact that the Browns made the playoffs last season with Odell injured. 

The loss of running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to injury hasn’t helped, despite the best efforts of D’Ernest Johnson. The one-two punch of both backs reduced the need for Baker to throw to ball to. Instead, these injuries have meant Baker has had to throw to ball to. This can be seen by his stats, with Baker projected to throw for career highs in completed passes and his second highest total in attempted passes. 

OBJ’s dad has posted videos on social media of the amount of times Beckham has been open and not received the ball. There is clear frustration from the Odell camp. Now that he has gone, along with the return of Chubb and Hunt, will help ease the tension at the franchise. Should the struggles ease, with such a good plethora of offensive and defensive talent, this should see head coach Kevin Stefanski guide them to another playoff appearance (or two). Should things further unravel, then Baker will be vastly looking over his shoulder at Free Agency and the 2023 draft quarterback prospects.

The post Looking at the Browns Inconsistent 2021 Season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

Jadeveon Clowney had the worst year of his career since his rookie season when he appeared in only four games. A knee injury knocked Clowney out of his first and only season with the Tennessee Titans. After signing with the Cleveland Browns this off-season, Clowney wilh have a chip on his shoulder and be prepared to show that he can still be one of the top defensive players in the NFL. The Browns will also be looking to build on a strong 2020 season and Clowney will be thrust into a big role with this team. Here are three reasons why he will have a career season.

Good Health

Injuries have plagued Clowney since he entered the NFL. This upcoming season, that should no longer be a problem. After missing half of last season, Clowney has had time to prepare his body and be ready for the 2021 season.

The Browns having such a deep defense should also allow for Clowney to not have to overexert himself, like he has potentially had to in the past. A healthy Clowney could easily be a top-5 defensive player in the NFL. 

Strong Defense

The Browns have assembled one of the top defenses in the NFL and were also able to return a majority of the starters from last season. The Browns strong draft will also help with this. 

In the first round of the draft, the Browns selected Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II. Newsome paired with other corners, Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, and Troy HIll plus safeties Grant Delpit, John Johnson III, and Ronnie Hrrison Jr, this secondary will be a terror for opposing wide receivers.
As offenses struggle to get past this secondary, Clwoney will be fighting to get into the backfield. The longer that the secondary can lock down the offense, the more opportunity that Clowney will have to make a big play. 

In a potential bigger draft selection, the Browns selected linebacker Jeremiah Owosu-Kormamoah. This linebacker out of Notre Dame has proven that he can get into the backfield and disrupt plays.  During his two seasons at Notre Dame, he accounted for 24.5 tackles for loss. He is able to consistently get into the backfield and while only having 7.5 career sacks, is still able to impact both on run and pass defense.Clowney should benefit from Owusu-Koramoah, who opposing offensive lines will also have to scheme for. The defensive unit had 38 total sacks last season. The defensive line themselves accounted for 20.5 of these sacks. WIth the addition of Clowney, this unit will account for even more.

Myles Garrett

The biggest reason for Clowney having the biggest season of his career will be the guy lining up down the line from him. Myles Garrett has proven to be one of the best defenders in the NFL. Garrett accounted for 12 sacks last season in only 14 games played. He is a dominant force that can do almost anything he wants on the field. His ability to make plays forces defenses to prepare for him constantly. He is consistently double teamed and it is just an overall nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators. 

Clowney has proven that when there is another star on the defensive line, he can be even more disruptive. While J.J. Watt and Clowney weren’t able to share the field often in their five-year run together, the one season where they were able to was a strong year for both players. The 2018 season saw both Watt and Clowney play at a high level. Watt recorded 16 sacks while Clowney added another 9. The two also combined for 34 tackles for losses. 

In this same 2018 season, Myles Garrett had a career high in sacks with 13.5. Garrett also has the upside of age so this duo, if all goes well, will be able to perform together for some time. 

So now add Clowney into the conversation and see what happens. Clowmey played some of his best football when playing alongside J.J. Watt. And Watt received treatment just like Garrett. Clowney should be able to reap the benefits of having Garett double teamed and being the central focus. In the least, his stats will look good. The potential for both of these players to have double digit sacks is very real. 

The post 3 reasons why Clowney could have a career season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Football fans caught a glimpse into the 2021 NFL season with last Thursday’s draft. Fan bases watched and reacted to a new batch of players to help bring their team to glory. 

Many teams felt they walked away from the draft with “a steal” in a specific round. But the Browns stunned fans with their second-round pick. 

The Cleveland Browns drafted Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the second round. Many analysts, including myself, believed Koramoah would be a first-round pick. Health concerns brought down his draft stock. 

The Browns capitalized on the declining draft stock. He is the missing piece that the defense needed to make a serious playoff push in 2021. His mixed ability to defend the pass and rush the pass gives that boost Cleveland needed. 

What makes Koraomoah so unique?

In the 2020 NFL Draft, there was an astronomical amount of hype around Isaiah Simmons. His ability to rush the QB and cover the pass grabbed analysts’ attention. However, it did not work out.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is a different story. 

He stands six feet and one inch tall, weighing 216 lbs of pure muscle. The safety-turned linebacker has become a significant problem for opposing offenses. He has the speed of a defensive back but the build of an EDGE rusher. How do you game plan for that?

The NFL comparison that best fits Koramoah is Kam Chancellor. It may be a very bold comparison, but hear me out. 

The first example is in his pass coverage ability. Koramoah creates problems for opposing quarterbacks with his ability to read their eyes. He locks in on the QB, forcing him to make a mistake or even turn over the ball. Kam Chancellor is one of the best safeties of all time due to his ability to anticipate the quarterback’s next move and break up or potentially intercept the pass. 

Another aspect is their ability to blitz the quarterback when they least expect it. Koramoah pops in a quarterback’s line of vision at the last possible second. Before he can react, the QB finds himself buried into the ground. Being run over by a car hurts less. 

Finally, Koramoah hits ball carries with superhero strength. He reads the play in front of him, then sprints towards the ballcarrier to beat them to a spot. Once he has the advantage, it is like being hit by a semi-truck. Balls pop loose. Passes knocked in the air. Koramoah is a playmaker. 

The Cleveland Browns have turned over a new leaf, with Kevin Stefanski leading the charge. Koramoah could not have fallen into a better situation. His style complements the defense well, especially with Myles Garrett and newly signed FA Jadeveon Clowney on each side of the line in front of him. 

The Browns made a smart draft choice. It is Koramoah’s time to prove it. 

The post Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: The Browns missing piece appeared first on Pro Football Mania.