Cincinnati Bengals: Ranking the AFC North entering Week 2
By Steve Rivera
The biggest bust in all of Week 1 across the whole NFL universe and certainly in the AFC North is a professional football franchise known as the Cleveland Browns. Under Freddie Kitchens and Baker Mayfield, the division favorite laid a colossal egg in their season opener, getting drubbed at home, 43-13. Against the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland looked undisciplined and overrated in every category possible.
They looked bad. Real bad.
The chatter on Overreaction Monday is whether the Browns were as bad as they looked. Seeing as it was Week 1, they probably aren’t. But to find a silver lining is near impossible. A bad offensive line, something Cincinnati Bengals fans can relate to, had Mayfield running for his life. He was heavy on picks, and light on anything positive. In a season where all eyes were on the Browns and especially on Baker, Week 1 was a disaster any way you slice it.
It doesn’t get easier in Week 2. Cleveland heads to New York for a Monday Night Football matchup against fellow second-year quarterback Sam Darnold. The Jets lost to the Buffalo Bills after racing out an early lead, losing 17-16.
Next. Bengals: 4 things learned in Week 1 loss at Seattle. dark
It’s way too early to say the Browns are in trouble. Mayfield is a good quarterback who will have better days, and absolutely needs one in Week 2. Most troubling is how sloppy they looked. For all the hype in the preseason, the criticism was warranted and fair after a blowout loss on Sunday.