The Cleveland Browns and their fans know all too well what it’s like to deal with adversity. As one of the NFL’s most beleaguered franchises, even when the good times come, they don’t seem to last for very long.
This year, the Browns were one of the surprise teams in the league, with a 5-2 record putting them in first place in the AFC North. But one ugly loss to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers may have changed everything for the worse.
Analyst Ken Carman is afraid that the drama now surrounding the Browns is starting to feel all too familiar, with another lost season seeming inevitable.
“You know what it’s starting to smell like. I’m getting that whiff in the air man, and they’re 5-3, and I hate. If they were 3-5, it’d be a strong whiff, you’d be like, ‘Okay, this is normal.’ I know it’s only November 6th, but it’s starting to smell like December in Berea man,” Carman said.
“I know it's only November 6th, but it's starting to smell like December in Berea man.”
➡️ @KenCarman & @SportsBoyTony on why the drama surrounding Jared Verse and the #Browns is starting to feel all too familiar, despite Cleveland's 5-3 record. pic.twitter.com/on4FZgLDVh
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) November 6, 2026
Everything seemed to be going the Browns’ way, with five fourth-quarter rallies showing that they may be turning the corner under head coach Todd Monken and rejuvenated quarterback Deshaun Watson. But defensive end Jared Verse spoke out a little too much, and his words have pushed Cleveland off course.
First, Verse trash-talked the Steelers leading up to their Week 8 rematch, which seemed to highly motivate Pittsburgh toward its 27-6 win. Then, in the aftermath, Verse expressed disappointment that his teammates didn’t back him up during the game.
On top of that major locker room issue, Watson wound up with concussion symptoms this week, after being removed from the previous game but being allowed to go back in. So, in addition to his lengthy injury history reemerging at the worst possible time, it puts Shedeur Sanders into the starting role against the New Orleans Saints, which is notable as the final game before the NFL trade deadline.
Entering the Pittsburgh game, Cleveland was in first place later than it had been since 2014. In that season, the Browns lost six of their last seven games, including the final five, to finish 7-9 and out of the playoffs under first-year head coach Mike Pettine.
Now, if the Browns are not careful, they could suffer a similar fate again, which sadly would be in line with so many other seasons.
NEXT: Browns Get Surprising Injury Update On Deshaun Watson
