The Cleveland Browns have once again began the season 0-8, doing so for the second consecutive year. While the team had only finished 3-13 and 1-15 in the past two years, there was real hope that the organization was about to turn a corner this season. They retained Head Coach Hue Jackson from last season, a respected mind in the league. Furthermore, they acquired young talent during the draft, notably the first overall pick defensive end Myles Garrett. They also drafted a promising quarterback, DeShone Kizer, who won the starting job for the team this season. To be clear, no one expected the Browns to be a playoff team, but I at least thought this team might approach five or six wins.

With another abysmal season in the works, it’s time to ask the question of whether or not the Browns will win a game at all this season. Fans have to be proud that the team is making their second run at regular season futility and attempting to tie the Detroit Lions all-time record of zero wins and 16 losses. While it is certainly not the most admirable feat to be in the NFL record books for, Browns fans will take what they can get at this point.

With eight games remaining in the season, is there any team that the Browns have a realistic chance at beating? Their next few weeks pit them against teams like the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars. These two teams have been playing really well the past few weeks and have been jockeying for playoff positioning in their respective divisions. Traveling to Cincinnati during the end of November to face the struggling Cincinnati Bengals might be an opportunity for the Browns to seize on.

Things only look worse from there however. With teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens in the coming weeks, the Browns will be tested on the offensive side of the game as all three teams bring strong defensive units. Furthermore, even a Packers team without Aaron Rodgers has a more stable quarterback situation than the Browns currently do.

The final two weeks of the season put the Browns against the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Bears current record only sits at 3-5, as usual the Steelers are the premier team in the division. The only situation that I can see unfolding would be if the team already won the division and was simply resting starters to get ready for the playoffs.

With the Browns potentially being 0-15 at that time, the team would put in their best effort in the final week of the season to pull out that elusive victory. Even that is no guarantee of a win. Last season, the Browns faced the Steelers backups in the season’s final game and lost in overtime.
Eventually, things are going to get better for the organization. After multiple years of receiving the top picks in the draft, the talent will certainly be in the organization.

The responsibility now falls on the coaches to develop the young talent and effectively and bring back the winning mentality that used to exist in Cleveland so many years ago.