After a season marred by injuries last year still produced a playoff-caliber team, Cleveland entered the 2024 regular season with aspirations of making a return trip to the postseason that would produce a deep playoff run.
The start of this season has not gone according to script, however, as many of those injured players have not returned – or at least returned to the form they showed before suffering their injury.
Cleveland is 1-2, having lost last week to a New York Giants team that oddsmakers pegged as the inferior squad.
Now, the Browns face another opponent – the Las Vegas Raiders – in a matchup sportsbooks have Cleveland favored to win for the third time this season.
Analyst Bruce Drennan has a message for the Browns organization heading into the pivotal matchup where only one team can emerge with an even record.
Drennan explained that the team does not have any excuses left to use and needs to take care of business on Sunday.
𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗧-𝗪𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦?🏈
After their disastrous 1-2 start, the #Browns now have no excuses in their week 4 matchup with the Raiders.Will they take care of business on Sunday?
𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙁𝙍𝙀𝙀: https://t.co/Ag5PaVPBge pic.twitter.com/ze3shsTxv6
— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) September 28, 2024
Drennan pointed out Cleveland was favored in its two home games, losing both of those games at home after going 8-1 inside Huntington Bank Field last season.
The analyst expressed his frustration with this iteration of the Browns as Cleveland continues to lose to teams the AFC North squad “is supposed to beat to get to the playoffs.”
Against the Giants, Cleveland attempted to come back after allowing New York to dominate the first half of that contest, Drennan said.
In the end, that rally attempt fell well short and produced a must-win game for the Browns early in the season.
NEXT: Browns Need To Focus On Running Game To Defeat Raiders
