The Cleveland Browns are a betting favorite for the first time this season, and arguably for good reason. Even though their Week 7 game is on the road, it is against the Tennessee Titans, who have just one win and look well on their way toward a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
That was where many people expected the Browns to be at this point, but they have been one of the most surprising teams in the league, with a 4-2 record that has them in first place in the AFC North. Now, they can’t afford to let a winnable game get away.
Bleacher Report analyst Brent Sobleski has revealed the key to the Browns’ matchup against the Titans, and that is for Cleveland to rely on its stout defense against Tennessee’s disappointing quarterback.
“The pressure is off the Titans after winning their first contest this past weekend, which is fortunate because quarterback Cam Ward will likely have a difficult outing against the Browns defense. Cleveland’s defense may not be ranked highly from a statistical standpoint, but the unit has played with an aggressive and opportunistic approach all season. If the first six weeks have been any indication, the Titans offense isn’t prepared to handle a quality opponent,” Sobleski wrote.
The Browns rank 13th in yards allowed per game, but they are tied for fifth in points allowed per game, having given up fewer than 20 in four of their six outings. The Titans are last in yards gained and points per game, and have not scored more than 20 points on offense in any of their six outings.
Cleveland needs to be on guard for a “trap game,” which is a lesson it has already learned this season. Coming off an emotional Week 4 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns lost to the New York Jets on the road in Week 5, possibly looking ahead to playing the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6.
The Browns defeated the Ravens in that game on a last-play field goal, and have the Steelers coming up again in Week 8. So the Titans are sandwiched in between two big divisional games, just like the Jets were.
Tennessee’s best unit is its defense, so quarterback Deshaun Watson could be in for a tough challenge that might go well into the fourth quarter again, so Cleveland has to show a little bit more on offense to make sure it can secure this victory.
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