Colin Cowherd gave his assessment of the Cleveland Browns 2021 schedule released on Wednesday.
🚨🚨 IT’S HERE! ⏲️ NO MORE WAITING! The 2021 Schedule is HERE! https://t.co/GVBJTjk9q4 >> View Now and and tune in to "Schedule Release '21" on NFL Network at 8 p.m. for a full breakdown. pic.twitter.com/4hLjlsEpuA
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 12, 2021
Though Cowherd sometimes has radical opinions about Browns and Baker-related topics, he actually makes sense with his assessment of the schedule.
Before we talk about his/over prediction, here are his overall observations about the Browns schedule.
1. Week 1 Against The Chiefs Is A Bad Matchup
Cowherd believes Andy Reid is hard to beat after bye weeks and the offseason.
Add to that he lost the Super Bowl in February and the Chiefs have improved their offensive line in the offseason, and according to Cowherd, the Browns are in trouble in Arrowhead.
2. Weeks 2 Through 5 Favor The Browns
Colin Cowherd doesn’t believe in the notion of strength of schedule when it uses last year’s teams’ winning percentages.
As he points out, the coaches, coordinators, and players change so what he looks at are organizations in chaos, rookie or uncertain quarterback situations, and rookie coaches.
Opponents during his stretch are the Texans, Bears, Vikings, and Chargers.
This stretch favors the Browns.
3. Raiders and Steelers Are Later In The Season
Cowherd gives the Browns an advantage because the Raiders lack depth and tend to lose steam later in the season.
The Browns play the Raiders in Week 15, the week before Christmas.
He also thinks the Browns have the edge with the Steelers game in Week 17 citing Ben Roethlisberger’s age and overall conditioning which now needs to withstand 17 regular season games.
4. The Two Ravens Games
Many have scratched their heads wondering why the Browns have the Ravens in Week 12, a bye in Week 13, and the Ravens again in Week 14.
Colin Cowherd says the Browns getting a bye week between those Ravens games is a plus.
He compares the Ravens schedule where they play the Browns, Steelers, and Browns during that stretch and believes the Browns will be fresher after the bye then the Ravens will be in Week 14.
Cowherd’s Assessment
All of that analysis leads Colin Cowherd to taking the over on the over/under Browns winning 9.5 games.
He has previously said the Browns should have a great season given the offseason free agents and draft picks the Browns have added.
Cowherd predicts that injuries and Baker Mayfield are what could hold the team back.
“There’s only two things keeping this Cleveland Browns team from getting to a Super Bowl. (One) injuries, which absolutely nobody can predict, and the quarterback. I can think of about eight, nine, ten quarterbacks that if you gave these edge rushers to (they’d win a title)… This a championship team and only two things can stop them — Baker or injuries. And so far, both are hard to predict.”
This is why we play the games because nobody knows what will happen on any given Sunday, but Cowherd does raise some valid points about the strength of schedule calculation and some of the Browns games on the schedule.
Colin is like a tabloid. He lack substance so much that he has to target people to make himself stand out. If he really knew what he was talking about he would analyze like most sports announcers.
Who cares what Colin Cowflap thinks about what the Brownies are going to do this season. He babbles incessantly and and makes as much cents as a $3;00 bill
Colin is absolutely right in his assessment of injuries and Baker being the only thing that might stop the Browns from winning a super bowl. Yes, we have a lot of new players, that will need to get acclimated, but these are high quality veterans that know how to adjust and compete.
If Baker has a bad or mediocre year, hopefully management will move on from him as our starting QB. Think of it this way… How man of the other 32 teams needing a QB would sign Baker to a long term high priced deal? His skillset is highly replaceable. I’d argue Keenum would be just as good or even better than Baker.
“I’d argue Keenum would be just as good or even better..” – I invite you to actually make that argument.
Ok!! Look at what Keenum did utilizing Stafanski’s offence when they were in Minnesota together. Dude had a career year! There is a certain segment of people that are high on Baker Mayfield and it isn’t because of his football skills.
Buddy had a 63% completed percentage. Threw horrible throws, that the receivers (rb’s te’s wr’s) are not getting the credit deserved for making the catch.
The Browns won despite Baker. Not because of him.
Your kidding me right? So you think Keenum is that much better than Baker, or for arguments sake just as good? Have you even compared stats between the two? Compare how many years both have been in the league first, how many starts each have had comparatively. Now throw in individual stats for games individually. Now add into the mix how much stability Keenum has had with coaching staffs vs the multiple staff turnovers Baker has had to deal with. This will be the first time in Bakers career he has had the same staff back without having to learn and install a new playbook…. Add all of that together and it’s pretty clear Baker has way more upside than Keenum. Your delusional at best to say the Browns won despite Baker. He did a fine job with what he had with limited to no practices on the account of Covid, zoom practices, constant losing players to injury or being quarantined. The list goes on. I can think of plenty of other QBs that you could insert last year that would of not of had much to any success without having a playoff run. With all due respect the only thing you should be concerned about is people finding out your actually not a real Browns fan after writing that idiotic dribble above.
YES
Fantastic response!!! Very thoughtful and intelligent!!! Great putdown job buddy!!!
And you call yourself a Browns fan. Baker is going to make you eat your words. Then you can post what a dumbass you are
Appreciate an intelligent voice who obviously has actually watched the games and realizes Baker had 4 Head Coaches in 3 years! He still managed to break records & got the Browns in a playoff game. Stefanski & Callahan seem to actually be giving Baker good training & he will be expanding on his plays rather than having to learn a whole new playbook for the 1st time since he’s been in the NFL. Keenum knows the playbook & Stefanski; he’s there to help Baker learn the new system & provide backup if needed. He’s good for that.
Colin is an idiot constantly baiting Baker with his criticism of him (going back to OU), the Browns, the owners & even the fans. Think Baker figured out if he responds, it just builds Colin up. Have no idea how he is even still given a public voice.
Just worried about Odell coming back after not working out with Baker … again. Injuries or not, they can’t build chemistry if they don’t have repetitions together. Baker is at his best when he can sling the ball to whoever is open.
colin cowturd has a different view on every thing he says every day. What it comes down to is ,of all the morons on the tele cowturd is the worst. He and Baker had a showdown on his show before Mayfield had made a throw in the NFL. Baker tore him a new one. Cowturd has never recoverd from that day. It has gotten so bad that he has attacked the entire city of Cleveland.So when Cowturd says anything about the Browns it is total nonsence.The herd should be viewed as a parade of a sports show. It is a comedy show and should never be taken seriously.