The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Meeting expectations a newfrontier for Browns
Remember how excited fans were after the Browns beat the Jets last year, and not just because winning triggered those Bud Light victory fridges around town to open? Of course you do.
The reaction and overreaction will be just as strong, only the opposite way, if the Browns don’t beat the Titans in the opener Sept. 8 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns are listed as 5.5-point favorites to win a season opener for the first time since 2004.
Not only did beating the Jets, 21-17, in the third game of the season end a 19-game winless streak.
It turned rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield into an instant legend. Mayfield entered the game late in the second quarter with the Browns down 14-0 to engineer the victory. The Browns were 1-1-1 after beating the Jets and 6-7 the rest of the season.
The 2019 Browns are better because Mayfield is in his second season and they added wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. plus defensive end Olivier Vernon via trades.
They signed defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson in free agency.
So now it’s finally show time. The mantra from Browns players has been consistently the same: Block out the all the hype and get to work.
“Nobody’s done anything yet, so I would say everybody’s starting from the same square one,” Mayfield said. ‘I would say it’s pretty hard to live up to any hype if you’re listening to the outside. None of that really matters,
so I think we have a bunch of guys who have bought in to what’s going on in this building and the standards we’re setting. To us, that’s all that matters.”
The offensive line starting against the Titans is the same line that did not protect Mayfield well in the preseason game in Tampa Aug. 23. This will be the first game they’ve played together since then.
Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry plus running back Nick Chubb and tight end David Njoku did not play against the Buccaneers. All four will start against the Titans.
“We didn’t really have a chance to play with everybody in the preseason,” guard Joel Bitonio said. “It was cool at practice the last few days to really get in the groove with everybody. It’s going to be exciting
to see what we do Week 1.
“Tennessee, they have a good front, though. They have some guys that can get after the passer, and we’re going to have to protect our butts off to really keep things safe up there, and let Baker get the ball out to the playmakers.”
The Browns defensive line, the strength of the team, according to head coach Freddie Kitchens, is facing a Titans team with a weakened offensive line. Left tackle Taylor Lewan was suspended four games for using PEDs. Dennis Kelly, an eightyear veteran who started five games at right tackle last season, will start at left tackle in the opener and face Browns Pro Bowl end Myles Garrett. Right guard Kevin Pamphile is listed as questionable with a knee injury. His backup
is second-year player Jamil Douglas.
“We have the guys and we have the talent,” Vernon said. “We have a great group of guys on our defensive line and on defense. It doesn’t really mean anything if you don’t work together, aren’t communicating
out there and executing the way Coach (defensive coordinator Steve) Wilks wants us to execute. As long as we get that down pat, we’ll be all right.”
Garrett and the defensive line could set the tone for all of 2019 in the season opener.
Predicting 2019: The Browns will win the AFC North, the Patriots the East, Chiefs the West, Texans the West. The Steelers and Chargers will be the AFC wild card teams.
The Vikings will win the NFC North, the Cowboys the East, the Rams the West and Saints the South. The Panthers and Bears will be the NFC wild card teams.
The Saints will beat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Offensive Player of the Year: Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
Defensive Player of the Year: Browns defensive end Myles Garrett
Coach of the Year: Andy Reid, Chiefs.