Is there a point where fans of the Browns should pack it in and wait for next season, and if so, have we reached it? We think that there are still some showings of skill and fierce determination, which could see the Browns do some damage in the tail end of this season.
It might be said that it isn’t over until the lady of questionable physical health sings, but that just means that fans of the Cleveland Browns are listening real hard for that song right now. The 2025 season has not been a good one for the Browns, who, at the time of writing, have only 2 wins to their name, no wins in their away games, and only 8 more games left in the regular season. Things don’t look great.
But while those who make NFL predictions have all but consigned the Browns to mediocrity and written off their season, should fans switch off and wait for next season? We think it might not all be for naught, not yet anyway. While hopes of a postseason run are, let’s face it, astronomically small, the Browns can still tighten up and focus on showcasing how good they are at the things they do well.
Let’s take a closer look at how the season has played out so far, what some of the issues the Browns are grappling with are, and what they’ve been doing, and should continue to do, right.
The Season So Far
While the numbers don’t show every up and down of the nine games the Browns have played, they do paint a sorry picture. With only two wins and no wins on the road, the Browns aren’t exactly at the bottom of the ladder, but they are at the bottom of their division, and close to the bottom of the ladder overall. It’s true that three of those losses were very close games, but close doesn’t count for much.
While some elements of the team have been playing at a decent level of consistency, with one of, if not the, best defenses in the league, other elements of their lineup have not been so consistent. Coupling this with some questionable and baffling trade and management decisions, it has been a tough season so far for Browns fans.
What Are the Browns Doing Right?
The season, as we said above, hasn’t been kind to them, but the Browns are still doing a bunch of things right. While you won’t get the best betting odds on them placing highly on the ladder or, let’s face it, winning many games, there is one point of pride that the Browns, and their fans, should embrace. That is their incredible defensive work.
We mentioned it earlier, the Browns have one of, if not the, best defenses in the league. Myles Garrett leads this defense, and he is one of the best defensive players the league has seen in recent years. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, and he’s been selected to the Pro Bowl six times and the All-Pro first-team 4 times, among a number of other honors. Garrett sets the tone for what the Browns are good at, and it’s stopping other teams from doing their thing with impunity.
In point of fact, the Browns allowed only 57.3 rushing yards per game in the first three games of the season, and are currently sitting at an average total yards allowed of 204.3 per game, the best in the league. John Breech of CBS Sports wrote that the Browns are only the second team to have given up fewer than 400 total yards but still start a season 0-2 since the Super Bowl era began in 1966, the other being the Cardinals in 1994. While this might not seem so great, especially the 0-2 start, it speaks to something that the Browns are doing uniquely well.
Will Playing to Their Strengths Be Enough?
Will playing to their strengths be enough to win through some games in the tail end of the season? In a word, no. There are some unanswered questions that need answering and some issues that the Browns need to fix in order to have any hope of leaving the season with more wins.
The biggest challenge currently facing the Browns is that they don’t have an offense to speak of. While it may be said that the best offense is a good defense, that doesn’t translate so well into the game of football where at some point in order to win, you need to score some points.
The Offense Issue Grows
There are a couple of issues with the Browns offense, which can be seen from their relatively low score line throughout the entire season, averaging well under 20. Key among those issues, is the quarterback question.
You would think a team that traded away two quarterbacks in a season would have had solid prospects and plans for their replacement. This seems to have not been the case. Worse, Joe Flacco was traded in-division, and despite not performing particularly well for the Browns, has been doing exemplary work as part of the Cincinnati Bengals lineup.
The Browns are currently working with two rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, with Dillon Gabriel as the starter. Despite Dillon’s recent poor performance, the coaching staff and Kevin Stefanski are refusing to change him out for Sanders, which speaks to faith in the young player and plans for his future development. Unfortunately, the Browns offensive line is also not performing at anywhere near the same level as its defense, which means that these young players are under enormous pressure to improve rapidly.
Final Thoughts
Is there much chance for the Browns to get a hold on the tail end of this season? Yes, we think they could definitely come back into it and finish the season with some level of form. Could they get a playoff spot? This is less likely, and might require a miracle.
Will the games be worth watching? Absolutely yes! While the team might be on the verge of needing a rebuild, they still have some of the best defense in the league and watching them shut down opponents should be something that every Browns fan relishes.
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