Jacoby Brissett: What number of video games does he have to win as Browns QB?

CLEVELAND — “The Schedule Recreation” is a sports activities radio subject sometimes reserved for Might, when hosts and callers alike do their finest to mission how their respective NFL groups’ season will play out.

However on Thursday, Cleveland Browns followers discovered themselves working via their second — and even third — spherical of the sport, following the information that the NFL and NFL Gamers Affiliation (NFLPA) have agreed to an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine for Deshaun Watson following his violation’s of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.

Barring an acquisition on the place within the coming weeks — Jimmy Garoppolo, anybody? — Jacoby Brissett is presently slated to start out at quarterback for the primary 11 video games of the Browns’ 2022 season. What number of video games does Cleveland want Brissett to win to maintain the Browns in rivalry earlier than Watson returns? Let’s have a look.

Between Watson’s rust and the issue of the ultimate six video games of the season, it is most likely sensible to assume {that a} 4-2 run to shut the 2022 marketing campaign is Cleveland’s best-case state of affairs. In consequence, the Browns seemingly have to go not less than 6-5 with Brissett within the lineup — though 5-6 may not less than maintain hope alive.

Cleveland’s first 11 video games, 5 stand out as being clearly harder than the remaining. The Browns’ season opener in opposition to the Carolina Panthers, nonetheless, isn’t a type of video games, which means that Cleveland will seemingly need to beat its former quarterback, Baker Mayfield, and win its first season opener since 2004.

There aren’t many video games on the Browns’ 2022 schedule that seem simpler than their Week 2 house opener vs. the New York Jets, who might be with out beginning quarterback Zach Wilson. If Cleveland goes to remain on monitor forward of Watson’s return, it will want to select up the simple wins the place it will probably get them — and this needs to be one in all them.

Divisional video games are hardly ever straightforward and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ monitor report vs. the Browns speaks for itself. Nonetheless, Cleveland is presently favored to win this recreation, which will likely be performed in primetime on Thursday Night time Soccer at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Regardless of being a divisional contest, this seemingly is not as a lot of a must-win because the video games in opposition to the Panthers and Jets are. But when the Browns lose to the Steelers at house, they will seemingly have to make up for it by beating one of many remaining groups they are not favored in opposition to.

Even with Watson sidelined, there is a good likelihood that Cleveland will likely be favored to win its first 4 video games of the season. Even with this recreation being on the street, the Brissett and the Browns will both have to beat the Atlanta Falcons or make up for a loss someplace else on their schedule.

A stylish preseason Tremendous Bowl choose, the Los Angeles Chargers are presently slated to be the primary crew to be favored over Cleveland on its 2022 schedule. Regardless of the sport being performed at FirstEnergy Stadium, that is one the Browns can afford to lose — though a win would give Cleveland a bigger margin for error elsewhere on its schedule.

Even within the post-Tom Brady period, the New England Patriots are hardly a walkover — and sportsbooks presently mission the Browns to be underdogs on this recreation. This is not a recreation Cleveland wants to win, however it might behoove the Browns to not less than cut up their two-game homestand vs. the Chargers and Patriots.

This was initially going to be Watson’s Browns’ debut, earlier than the NFL appealed the six-game suspension that former U.S. District Choose Sue L. Robinson initially issued. With the Baltimore Ravens presently favored to win the AFC North, it is a recreation that Cleveland can seemingly depend on dropping — though it is all the time helpful to a division recreation.

A recreation on Halloween in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night time Soccer was shaping as much as be probably the most extremely anticipated dates on the Browns’ 2022 schedule. However with out Watson on the sector, it will likely be more durable for Cleveland to out-duel Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense.

This is not a recreation the Browns needs to be anticipated to win, however it’s one that might profit them vastly in the event that they did. Ideally, Cleveland would not less than cut up its first video games in opposition to the Ravens and Bengals, though it may afford to lose each of them.

Popping out of their bye week, the Browns will head to South Seaside to face the Miami Dolphins, in what may show to be one in all Cleveland’s most necessary video games of the season. Whereas Caesar’s Sportsbook presently lists the Dolphins as a four-point favourite, that is the form of recreation that Cleveland might want to win to remain on monitor — particularly contemplating the 4 opponents this recreation is sandwiched between.

Of all the video games on the Browns’ 2022 schedule, a street recreation in opposition to the present Tremendous Bowl favourite Buffalo Payments with Brissett at quarterback seems to be the least winnable — as evidenced by Cleveland presently discovering itself a ten.5-point underdog. The one means this recreation turns into a must-win for the Browns is that if they’ve misplaced to different opponents they have been relying on beating.

The ultimate recreation that Brissett is presently slated to slate comes in opposition to his former Patriots teammate, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Whereas this recreation needs to be extra winnable for Cleveland than the earlier week in opposition to Buffalo will likely be, it can nonetheless enter the competition as an underdog with the earlier 11 weeks figuring out how a lot the Browns will want one other win earlier than Watson takes over.

If the Browns are going to provide Watson an opportunity to cause them to the playoffs within the remaining six video games, a 4-0 begin to the season may show crucial for Cleveland. From there, the Browns would profit vastly by not less than successful one in all its two video games in opposition to the Chargers or Patriots.

Assuming Cleveland can do not less than that — and that might show to be an enormous ask — that would depart the Browns in want of yet one more win to amass a 6-5 report earlier than Watson’s return. Again-to-back division video games in opposition to the Ravens and Bengals will likely be powerful and if Cleveland cannot win not less than a type of, then all eyes will shift to the Browns’ Nov. 13 date vs. the Dolphins.