This Sunday, the Cleveland Browns take on the Tennessee Titans. Below, we analyze a few advantages, disadvantages, or general thoughts about the two teams before getting to our predictions for the game.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 24: Myles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns talks with Andre Dillard #71 of the Tennessee Titans after the Browns defeated the Titans 27-3 at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) Getty Images
Last week, I was hoping that the Browns could rally together and pull off an upset due to the weather conditions against the 49ers. However, I had noted that, ‘Unless special teams screws things up, both teams should be very even in this game.’ Not only did special teams screw it up, they did it again, and again, and again, and again. Sure, the defense also failed on third down in those short field situations, but the bulk of the blame goes on special teams. If special teams wasn’t a factor, I still think the Browns could have been in a game where they’re trying to win it or seal it on the final possession.
Such is life where there is a different league of teams, though. I didn’t look at the 49ers and see a team that blew Cleveland away, but they make less overall mistakes and have better coaching, which allows the 49ers to come out on top or pull away in those types of games, whereas the Browns will crumble. This week’s opponent, the Tennessee Titans, fall into the league of teams that Cleveland belongs in: bottom of the barrel right now. This game should be very similar to the one that the Browns pulled off against the Las Vegas Raiders a couple weeks ago. The Titans can’t protect Cam Ward too well, and their defense is nothing to write home about. Cleveland should win the field position battle, and then we could see Quinshon Judkins in some of those Wildcat plays again down in the red zone.
However, the Titans have a dangerous punt return unit, so that could always present the X-Factor scenario that the happened when Cleveland lost to the Jets. That Jets game was one that Cleveland should have won in a cakewalk, but you just can’t predict special teams playing a factor like that when making predictions, even though it’s happened time and time again. So here we are again, with me expecting Shedeur Sanders to get his first home win in comfortable fashion.
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz talked about the defense allowing touchdowns instead of field goals off of short fields last week:
“Yeah, that was probably the biggest thing in that game. We did a lot of really good things in that game. Like we held them to less than four yards, I think it was like 3.8 yards of play, which is really good. You know, (Christian) McCaffrey, the leading scrimmage yards, I think he had like 75 yards on a lot of touches. He was like 2.8 a touch, which is obviously what you got to do with those guys. I think really that that game, in, whatever the crucible, whatever you want to call it, was the third downs, particularly in the red zone. You know, like, get a chance to hold those to three and be able to get off the field, and you’re not going to make every one, I mean, that’s a talented group. That’s a group that can do a lot of things, but that was probably the tale of the tape in that game. We need to do 50% better job on third down. Half of those completions or half of those conversions, and none of them were like big plays. It was just, you know, you got a short field, and two yards means an awful lot or, you know, the ability to convert in some of those. So that’s the biggest thing I was disappointed in that game is it was frustrating in our ability to knock it off the field on some of those third downs, especially in the red zone. Again, that’s a good group. We think we’re a good group. We got to find a way to be in little bit better in there and then holding them to field goals there. You know, we can keep that game at least manageable within a score. It was two scores, I think, with about seven minutes left or something like that. But obviously that goes a long way. You know, that’s where we failed to get the job done on Sunday.”
Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was asked about Shedeur Sanders not letting it rip as much as he’d like to:
“Yeah, there’s certainly some opportunities he probably wants back, and that’s going to happen with a young player. You’re seeing things, and things are moving quicker than you’re used to. And every rep he gets, every opportunity he gets, he’s going to get more and more comfortable. There’s always going to be plays you want back. I think we had some things there that you felt like you had some opportunities to hit, and those are coachable moments for a young quarterback. Those are opportunities to point out, like, ‘hey, this is what open looks like’, or ‘this is the defender that our eyes need to be on’, and trust that you’re going to make this throw. And in the same vein, he makes a lot of those plays too. So, it’s building comfort across the game plan, across the concepts, across the coverages he could see to make sure that we can maximize all the opportunities we have. But he’s done a nice job, throughout the week, of communicating and seeing things, and ‘hey, I need another rep of this because I want to see it again’. All those points are really positive and moving in the right direction.”
Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone talked about the hot and cold nature of his unit, and how it compared to when he was a player here:
“Yeah, I think…I mean, I think a lot of things factor to it. I think just the continuity within the group that having, like, a mixed bag of a lot of young players paired with some veterans that haven’t had as much experience doing it. There’s something to be said about just being able to be comfortable playing in the kicking game. I just remember, like, when we had our best units when I played here in 2009 and ’10, we obviously had a really good returner, but we had a group of core players that had played together and were very comfortable, like me, Blake (Costanzo), (Jason) Trusnick, Nick (Sorenson). Like, we had Kaluka (Maiava). We had a group that was, like, very just…we just played well together. You just play off of each other. And I think we’re just trying to get to that level, you know, because of how we’re built. And you have a lot of young guys that are playing out there. So, I think that in time, and I’ll say this, too, like I don’t know any other way than to just keep pushing these guys to work. Like, just keep working, just work at it. Just keep working at it. And the more reps we get, the better that we’re gonna get, you know, now and on down the road. But I believe in the guys we have, and I think that we continue to just keep working and get better.”
Some other notes to look forward to:
Shedeur Sanders’ performance last week, upon further review, was just ok. He delivered some nice throws, but then when you look at more of the tape, he’s still too slow at recognizing at what could have been some more open routes. I know the offense in general has been bad this season, but there really is something to be said about where the Browns would be if they had a good quarterback situation. Sanders’ window is closing: he needs to know that for him to stake a claim on the Browns’ starting job potentially for next season, he needs to light it up and show that his flaws are quickly covered up. It’s a gamble, but if he plays the same way he has, even if it might sometimes be the right thing to do to protect the football, he’s going to be sitting on the bench next season, wherever that may be.Maliek Collins being out will be a big blow to the defense. However, we’ll get a closer look at the youngsters in Mason Graham and Mike Hall, two high draft picks that need to show they can deliver.
Here are predictions from multiple staff members at DBN:
Chris Pokorny: “Will Myles Garrett break NFL records this week with a big performance? Jim Schwartz will keep this defense motivated, and I think Cleveland will work to directionally kick the ball out of bounds and believe Tennessee still won’t be able to move the ball. The Browns will have a couple decent drives, and we might see a shutout.” Browns 17, Titans 0
Jared Mueller: “Is the Titans game going to be like the ones against the Dolphins and Raiders or like the one against the Jets? At this point, it seems more likely that it will be the former with adequate play from Shedeur Sanders IF the offensive line doesn’t have a huge step back without Wyatt Teller and (likely) Jack Conklin. Cam Ward will likely have a rough day as his OLine and penchant for holding on to the football should lead to multiple sacks, even without Maliek Collins.” Browns 23, Titans 17
Thomas Moore: “This week brings a battle of rookie quarterbacks as Cleveland’s Shedeur Sanders faces Tennessee’s Cam Ward in their first career meeting. The temptation is to say the first of many, but we all know that is not true, and with the holiday season upon us, this is no time for telling tales.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, there was the misguided belief that Ward and Sanders would be the first two selections, which turned out to be correct as Ward went No. 1 overall, but Sanders slid all the way to the No. 144 overall pick. Let’s call this one a “chip on the shoulder game” for Sanders, and a quick bit of math reveals that 144-1 = 143.” So, therefore, Browns 14, Titans 3. (Hey, it’s as good a method as any to pick this clunker of a game!)
Barry Shuck: “Do not for one second believe that players/coaches/front office are looking to “tank” games. This is absolutely a made-up thing. Not a single team does this. They do not care for one millisecond about next spring’s draft. For one, they are professional athletes. They are built to win. Losing is nothing anyone wants to be part of at any juncture. Lose at Uno? No, sir. Playing 21 basketball with your kid in the driveway? He will learn how to lose. Jenga with the fam? Will cheer when they get beaten. Jobs will be saved or lost during losing seasons. And besides, a high draft pick means it could be your position they select, and you, as a starter, begin your descending clock. All this being said, the Browns are currently in the #5 draft slot. The Titans have the first overall draft pick. Cleveland would love to move down into the teens and get away from that first overall pick as much as possible. Drafting in the Top-5 means, as Rob Schneider’s character in “The Water Boy” states, “Oh no! We suck again!”” Browns 27, Titans 10
Curtiss Brown: “All bad teams aren’t the same. The Titans put up a decent showing against the Seattle Seahawks but followed it up last week with a no show against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cam Ward was someone I wasn’t high on pre-draft but despite being in a terrible offensive infrastructure, he’s shown flashes of being potentially good in the future. He’s going up against a Cleveland defense at home against Myles Garrett chasing a sack record. I don’t know how this game is going to go but Ward will show why the Titans took him 1st overall. Will it translate to a win? I don’t know but the Browns offense was able to move the ball consistently last week but couldn’t finish drives.
This game will come down to which doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot, it’s all that matters. A win wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for the Browns but it’s not a guarantee they win this game, losing to the Jets proves that. Maybe they win this week, I don’t know.” Browns 20, Titans 19
Who do you think will win, Browns fans? Let us know in the comments section below.