After making the Wild Card round last season, the Cleveland Browns have expectations of making another playoff appearance and a deeper postseason run in 2024.
Oddsmakers see their fortunes differently.
Most sportsbooks have the Browns’ over/under win total set at 8.5 wins for the 2024 campaign, suggesting Cleveland is projected as a nine-win team at best for the upcoming campaign.
The 33rd Team analyst Dan Pizzuta sees the Browns falling short of that mark.
In an article Pizzuta penned for the outlet, the analyst took the under and projected Cleveland would finish with a losing record this year.
Pizzuta believes the team will experience a decline defensively this year in the team’s second season under veteran defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
“Jim Schwartz is great at sparking a defensive turnaround in Year 1 but those defenses have a history of falling off in the following seasons,” Pizzuta wrote.
Pizzuta explained the Browns – who have the hardest schedule in the league based on their opponents’ 2023 record – suggested the team’s defense will struggle to maintain its top ranking this year even without the expected year-two dropoff.
The analyst further pointed to the offense as a weakness for the Browns.
Pizzuta’s reasoning was Deshaun Watson cannot return to his elite play level, something Cleveland is banking on after making a change to the offensive game plan to include more three- and four-receiver sets this year.
“His last good season was now three years ago,” Pizzuta said of Watson, adding, “Bringing in Ken Dorsey to add more Buffalo elements to the passing game could help, but also has the potential to disconnect the run and pass games.”
