After the Browns’ win on Sunday, everyone was saying the same thing

Such moments have been rare for Browns fans over the past decade. Mid-October usually brings talk of draft position, coaching changes or which young players deserve more shots. This year the conversation sounds completely different. After Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens, everyone in Cleveland was talking about the same thing: The Browns are No. 1.

The 13-10 victory moved Cleveland to 4-2 and in first place in the AFC North. It’s the first time the Browns have peaked this late in a season since 2014.

The house was where it happened. The Browns are 3-0 at Huntington Bank Field and all 3 of those wins have come by 3 straight points. Two of those were scored by Andre Szmyt in the closing seconds, including Sunday’s 37-yarder as time expired.

Because of how the Browns got there, the division carries an additional burden. They have wins over both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ravens, giving them a 2-0 record in the AFC North and a head-to-head tiebreaker over Baltimore.

There are still reasons to be cautious. The Browns led by 16 points on the season and each win came on the last possession. Mason Graham, Quinshawn Judkins and Carson Schwesinger are among the players the team is monitoring, and injuries have also been rampant.

For a franchise that has never won the AFC North and hasn’t claimed a division title since 1989, sitting on top in October means something. It gives Browns fans a reason to believe and Andrew Berry a reason to be aggressive before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.

First place in October doesn’t guarantee anything in January. But after years of watching other teams fight for the division crown, the Browns are finally the team everyone is rooting for, and that’s a feeling worth savoring.


NEXT:
Deshaun Watson adds to the NFL’s leading clutch

Leave a Comment