4. Cleveland Browns

Current record: 4-6
2019 record vs. winning teams: 2-4
Number of upcoming winning opponents: 1

With the Browns, it’s only half a question about who can beat them. The other half of the equation is whether the Browns will beat themselves. Last Thursday’s fiasco cost them the services of defensive end Myles Garrett for at least the rest of the 2019 season, as well as defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi for one game. One never knows which version of Baker Mayfield will show up, and Cleveland has racked up the NFL’s most penalties this season with 112, and they’ve lost a league-leading 347 yards on those penalties. The defense will obviously take a hit without Garrett, and outside of Denzel Ward, the secondary has been inconsistent.

That said, the Browns can play up to the level of just about anybody, as they proved in wins over the Ravens, Bills, and Steelers. They have the Ravens again on December 22, and that will be a very interesting rematch.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

Current record: 4-7
2019 record vs. winning teams: 2-3
Number of upcoming winning opponents: 3

The Chargers haven’t lost a game by more than a touchdown all season, and they’ve had the usual number of heartbreaking late-game meltdowns that brought them to their current 4-7 record. In their last two games, losses to the Raiders and Chiefs by a combined nine points, the obvious issue was Philip Rivers hurling the ball all over the place, especially in ultimate crunch time. Per Sports Info Solutions, Rivers has four interceptions in the last two minutes of games this season — no other quarterback has more than one except for Dak Prescott, who has two.

The Chargers have an above-average defense, a good group of receivers, and a strong running game with Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler. Their situational awareness has been nightmarish all season, but they have enough in the tank to make things interesting for the Vikings, Raiders, and Chiefs in the last three weeks of the regular season… if Rivers can get his bearings for a while.