The Cleveland Browns 2020 schedule was released on Thursday night and one of the biggest takeaways was their week 1 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Vegas Insiders have the Browns as 9-point underdogs for their Week 1 contest in Baltimore.
That seems a bit harsh after what Cleveland did this offseason, but Baltimore did go 14-2 and win the AFC North last season.
Cleveland will have one of their hardest games of the year as their first contest in 2020.
Browns vs Ravens
The Ravens did go an NFL-best 14-2 last season, but one of those losses was against Cleveland in Baltimore.
Cleveland pulled off a victory in Week 4, 40-25 over the Ravens last season in M&T Bank Stadium.
It was a huge win for Cleveland, but sadly the momentum didn’t carry over for long.
Cleveland fell well below expectations going 6-10 and missed the playoffs for the 17th straight season.
The Ravens got the best of Cleveland the next time around, beating the Browns 31-15 during their next meeting in December.
The two sides have been battling it out since the 1999 season, but one team has a big advantage in the win column.
Both teams have played each other 42 times, but the Ravens are currently leading the series 33-11.
At one point, the Browns had lost 11 straight contests versus Baltimore from 2008 into the 2013 season.
It’s been fairly lopsided for quite some time, but Cleveland appears ready to turn it around in 2020.
Browns 2020 Offseason
The Browns are ready to send a message to the league after they struggled to meet high expectations last season.
They’ve added Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper along with right tackle Jack Conklin through free agency.
Cleveland also added left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and safety Grant Delpit in the draft.
The @PFF Draft Board ranks of the Browns draft picks:
11. Jedrick Wills Jr.
15. Grant Delpit
23. Jordan ElliottOnly team to take 3 top-25 players on our board
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) April 25, 2020
Both players are expected to make a significant impact in the organization right away.
They also have Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and Nick Chubb returning to this stacked offense
The Browns hired a new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, who is the former offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings.
He is expected to give this team a new scheme that he used in Minnesota to turn around their offensive unit.
Could the Browns Win in Week 1?
Well, it sounds like Las Vegas does not believe the Browns can pull off another win in Baltimore.
It’s never easy to win a road game in the NFL, especially against one of the best teams in the AFC.
The Ravens are out to make a statement in 2020 after getting bounced from the Divisional Round by the Tennessee Titans last season.
Both teams have something to prove after the Browns disappointed fans after an exciting offseason last time around.
The Browns could very well earn another win in Baltimore, but it won’t be easy.
It’ll be Stefanski’s first regular-season game as a head coach in the NFL.
It could take some time before the Browns have fully adjusted to Stefanski’s scheme.
However, the Browns were able to pull off the win in Baltimore last season, so maybe they can do it again in 2020.
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