Tag: Browns vs. Bengals

Browns early Sunday updates: New starter and two defenders likely to play

Early Sunday injury update has that three questionable players, including a new starter, should be good to go today:

The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals square off in an AFC North matchup today. For the home team Bengals, it is a chance to put another blemish on a division rivals record and continue to prove themselves worthy of being in the playoff discussion. For the visiting Browns, it is a chance to move on from a chaotic week.

After a shocking loss to the New York Jets in Week 8, Cincinnati sits a half game back of the Baltimore Ravens at the top of the division. After losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8, Cleveland sits a game and a half back in the division but only a half-game back in the chase for a wild card spot.

A lot could change with today’s matchup.

For the Browns, one change is certain: Odell Beckham Jr. will no longer be on the team. As expected, Donovan Peoples-Jones is likely to get the starting nod returning from missing two games with an injury. Cleveland is also expecting to have two important defenders, according to Ian Rapoport, for today’s game:

With Bengals QB Joe Burrow leading a high-flying offense, Ward and Clowney could be vital for the defense. With Joe Mixon leading the home team’s balanced rushing attack, Clowney’s strength, length and speed at the line of scrimmage will be important.

If those three are able to play, Cleveland still has a few questionable players that could miss the game including Takk McKinley. Official word will come about 90 minutes before game time.

2021 Cleveland Browns schedule: Times and dates announced

The full 17-game week-by-week schedule

The Cleveland Browns are coming off the most successful season for the franchise in over 25 years. That building momentum now has a schedule for the upcoming season.

The NFL released the full 2021 regular season schedule on Wednesday night. It’s the first season with 17 games and 18 weeks, an adjustment that will take some getting used to for sure.

Here is the Browns’ week-by-week schedule and posted game times, when available.

 

Week Date Opponent Time
1 9/12 @Chiefs 4:25 p.m.
2 9/19 Texans 1 p.m.
3 9/26 Bears 1 p.m.
4 10/3 @Vikings 1 p.m.
5 10/10 @Chargers 4:05 p.m.
6 10/17 Cardinals 4:05 p.m.
7 10/21 Broncos 8:20 p.m. (Thursday)
8 10/31 Steelers 1 p.m.
9 11/7 @Bengals 1 p.m.
10 11/14 @Patriots 1 p.m.
11 11/21 Lions 1 p.m.
12 11/28 @Ravens 8:20 p.m. (Sunday night)
13 Bye
14 12/12 Ravens 1 p.m.
15 12/19 Raiders TBD
16 12/25 @Packers 4:30 p.m. (Saturday)
17 1/3 @Steelers 8:15 p.m. (Monday night)
18 1/9/22 Bengals TBD

All times are ET and subject to change

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Browns still big favorites to beat the Bengals

The Browns are 6-point favorites in their home opener

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No NFL team had a worse point differential in Week 1 than the Cleveland Browns. Yet the 32-point loss in Baltimore didn’t do much to alter the Browns’ status as big favorites for the Week 2 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Browns remain 6-point favorites to beat the Bengals as of 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday at BetMGM. The over/under for the game is set at a low 43.5 points, meaning the oddsmakers at BetMGM believe the Browns will prevail at home 25-19 or 24-18, depending on your preference of over or under.

Cincinnati also lost in Week 1, falling at home to the Los Angeles Chargers, 16-13. Rookie QB Joe Burrow impressively rallied the team late but WR A.J. Green was called for offensive pass interference on the potential game-winning touchdown and then kicked Randy Bullock shanked the game-tying field attempt.

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2020 Browns schedule: Cleveland gets just 2 primetime games

The Browns saw their primetime dates cut in half from 2019

After a year of being the media darlings, the 2020 Cleveland Browns will be much less conspicuous on the national scene. The schedule features just two primetime games for Kevin Stefanski’s Browns.

That’s a sharp contrast to last year. The buzzy Browns had four games on the national primetime schedule, projected as rising stars with trendy young standouts like Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett, Odell Beckham Jr. and Nick Chubb. Freddie Kitchens and his staff couldn’t handle the spotlight and weren’t ready for primetime.

Losing some luster off the national profile can only help Stefanski in his rookie coaching season. His Browns are more under the radar, not the chosen buzzworthy team. The Browns play just once on Thursday Night Football and one Monday Night Football date.

Week 2 will be the debut of Joe Burrow on the national stage. The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft leads his Bengals into FirstEnergy Stadium for Thursday Night Football on Sept. 17th. That’s right — the attention in Cleveland’s first primetime game won’t even be focused on the Browns.

The Monday Night Football home date with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14 could be a huge game. Lamar Jackson vs. Baker Mayfield. The Browns’ star-studded supporting cast against the Ravens’ relative no-names around their MVP star. That game is an easy sell even if the Browns, or the Ravens, fall well short of expectations.

Another game could get flexed into primetime in Weeks 15 and 16. Hopefully these Browns will be deserving of getting flexed into those situations instead of being moved out.

Check out game-by-game score predictions from around the NFL Wires network:

Buf / Mia / NE / NYJ // Bal / Cin / Cle / Pit // Hou / Ind / Jax / Ten // Den / KC / LV / LAC //// Dal / NYG / Phi / Was // Chi / Det / GB / Min // Atl / Car / NO / TB // Ari / LAR / SF / Sea

These 6 games will make or break the Browns 2020 season

These 6 games will make or break the Browns 2020 season

The NFL has released the 2020 schedules and with all that is going on in the world, anticipation is at an all-time high. The Cleveland Browns are entering the season with a ton to prove with yet another new coaching staff trying to find their way to success and this schedule provides us a road map on how it’s possible. Here are the four most important games on the slate.

Week 2: September 17 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Thursday Night Football) & Week 7 October, 25 at Cincinnati

Cleveland opens the season up against the defending AFC North Champions, Baltimore Ravens, but their week two contest against the Bengals is far more important. The Week 2 contest is on prime-time in front of the entire country and Cincinnati is a team the Browns need to win convincingly against early.

No one is going to expect a first-time head coach with a team in transition to kick the doors down on the Ravens so early in the season, but Cleveland needs to keep the Bengals in the cellar and they need to double down in Week 7 as well.

Week 10: November 15 vs Houston Texans

Despite not being a divisional game, this game is still extremely important, because it will be Kevin Stefanski and his staff’s first opportunity to showcase how good they are off a bye week and Houston is no joke.

By the time Week 10 rolls around, we will have a solid idea of how good this team is. If the Browns can provide a beatdown to a playoff-caliber team like the Texans, it’s a good sign.

Week 11: November 22 vs Philadelphia Eagles

Right after playing Houston, Cleveland gets to stay at home and take on another extremely well-coached, playoff-caliber team in Philadelphia. With the tumultuous offseason the Texans have faced, it’s difficult to predict them being a good team again in 2020, but all signs point to the Eagles being better this season. Philadelphia is a difficult midseason test for the Browns.

Week 1: September 13 @ Baltimore & Week 14: December 14 vs. Baltimore Ravens (Monday Night Football)

Cleveland needs to show that they belong in the top tier of the AFC and they need to get one win against Baltimore and I think most agree it would be ideal if they got the win at home late in the season in prime-time on Monday Night Football. Beggars can’t be choosers and if they can somehow steal the win in Week 1 — I’m all for it — but that seems like a taller task.

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