Browns look like a contender, and now they face the Steelers

The Browns are 4-1 for the first time in 26 years

It’s been a long time since the Cleveland Browns were a real contender in the NFL. After topping the Indianapolis Colts 32-23, Cleveland improved to 4-1 on the season, the first time they have started this hot since 1994 when a young Bill Belichick was their head coach.

This may be a true post-hype breakout for the Browns, who entered 2019 with heavy expectations after a big offseason makeover only to miss the postseason. New head coach Kevin Stefanski has brought a more focused attitude to the Browns, who made heavy investments in their offensive line over the winter that have paid big dividends.

Stefanski has emphasized running the football, which Cleveland did to good effect on Sunday, running 33 times for 124 yards against a solid Colts’ defense. The strong ground game takes a lot of pressure off of Baker Mayfield, who isn’t being asked to do it all himself like he was at points in 2019.

The Browns’ defense has also stabilized after a rough first few games and harassed Philip Rivers today, picking him off twice and holding the run-first Colts to 68 yards on 18 carries. That strong defensive effort is a big key for Cleveland which has a chance to make its first playoff appearance since 2002 thanks to an expanded playoff field.

This game sets up a fascinating AFC North showdown for Cleveland next week when they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who remained undefeated by topping the Philadelphia Eagles today. There will certainly be bad blood in this game as it is the first time Myles Garrett faces the Steelers after he swung his helmet at Mason Rudolph at the end of a primetime win last season.

Even if they lose to the Steelers, Cleveland has a manageable schedule with winnable games left against both New York teams, Jacksonville, and Cincinnati yet to come. If the Browns can continue to follow their new winning formula it could be a very fun year for the long-suffering Cleveland fans.