ESPN’s Mike Greenberg believes the Cleveland Browns are the biggest threat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC heading into the 2021 season.
On Wednesday’s edition of “Get Up,” Greenberg, along with analysts Ryan Clark, Mike Tannenbaum and Jeff Darlington made their predictions for which team will win the AFC North.
“There is every reason to believe the Browns should be better this year than they were a year ago,” Greenberg said. “So I’ll take it this step farther, I believe the Browns are the single biggest threat to Kansas City in the AFC going into this season and that’s inclusive of Buffalo and absolutely everybody else.
“Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. What do you think RC [Ryan Clark]?”
"I believe the Browns are the single biggest threat to Kansas City in the AFC going into this season, and that's inclusive of Buffalo and absolutely everybody else."
😳 @Espngreeny pic.twitter.com/mLhkiS1xjr
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 5, 2021
On Wednesday, Clark was the only other “Get Up,” panelist to pick the Browns to win the AFC North this upcoming season.
“Early on in this offseason, I took a lot of heat for putting [the Browns] No. 2 in the AFC, and they’ve just have gotten since,” Clark said. “Great minds think alike, Greeny, and like you said, we will not be appreciated until we are gone.”
Darlington picked the Steelers to win the AFC North, whereas Tannenbaum picked the Ravens.
Oddsmakers consider the Ravens as the favorites to win the division at +120.
It means if the Ravens won the AFC North, a $100 wager on them would win $120 for a net payout of $220.
The Browns are second favorites at +150, followed by the Steelers at +400 and the Bengals at +2,000.
Odds Shark has a betting calculator for anyone still confused.
Oddsmakers favor the Ravens and the Browns to make the playoffs this upcoming season, whereas the Steelers and Bengals are not.
The Browns, Ravens and Steelers made the playoffs last season.
NFL Playoff Odds ~ AFC North Edition
Will the Ravens make the playoffs?
Yes -300
No +240Will the Browns make the playoffs?
Yes -190
No +155Will the Steelers make the playoffs?
Yes +145
No -175Will the Bengals make the playoffs?
Yes +375
No -550— BetOnline (@BetOnline_ag) May 5, 2021
SportsBettingDime.com shows the Chiefs as the favorites to win the AFC at +233 with the Buffalo Bills listed at +550, the Ravens at +550, the Browns at +800 and Denver Broncos at +850.
The Chiefs beat the Browns 22-17 on Jan. 19, 2021, in the AFC Divisional Round.
The Browns are set to enter the second year under head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry.
In the offseason, the Browns made several upgrades to their defense, which includes selecting Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II and Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
It also includes the signings of defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, safety John Johnson III, defensive tackle Malik Jackson, defensive tackle Damion Square, defensive end Takk McKinley, linebacker Anthony Walker and cornerback Troy Hill.
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I listen to their predictions this morning and Darlington’s was like my wife’s prediction in that she’s heard of the Steelers with a long history of winning so she’d just assume that’s their birth right.