CLEVELAND — Four weeks ago, the Cleveland Browns opened their season by getting smacked 34-10 in Jacksonville. It looked like the beginning of another very long year.
Three straight wins later, the conversation has changed entirely.
Cleveland enters Week 5 at 3-1, tied with Baltimore atop the AFC North and coming off a 27-24 victory over Pittsburgh in its first division game of the season. It is the Browns’ first 3-1 start since 2021, and while nobody should start planning a parade route down Euclid Avenue, there is finally reason to believe this team might be considerably better than many expected, including your humble narrator.
The most encouraging part has been how Cleveland is winning.
The Browns have not suddenly turned into an offensive juggernaut. They have been outgained through four games, their running game has struggled to control games consistently, and the offense has produced only eight touchdowns. Cleveland also owns a minus-1 turnover differential.
Yet when games have reached the fourth quarter, the Browns have found ways to finish them.
They beat Tampa Bay 23-19, Carolina 21-18, and Pittsburgh 27-24. Three consecutive victories, all by four points or fewer, show that Cleveland has repeatedly made enough plays late to survive games that could have gone either way.
The Pittsburgh win was the clearest example.
Deshaun Watson threw for 268 yards, the defense recorded five sacks and forced two turnovers, and Andre Szmyt drilled a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining to give Cleveland the lead. Grant Delpit then intercepted Pittsburgh on the following possession to finish it.
That is the type of game Cleveland has lost plenty of times over the years.
Watson deserves some credit as well. He has not played flawless football, but he has thrown for 855 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 127 rushing yards. More importantly, he helped direct the late drive against Pittsburgh that put Szmyt in position for the winning kick.
There are still legitimate reasons for caution.
Cleveland has allowed more yards than it has gained, opponents have produced 88 first downs compared with the Browns’ 68, and the defense is allowing 4.6 yards per rushing attempt. The running game has not provided nearly enough help offensively, with Quinshon Judkins leading the team with only 177 yards through four games.
Mason Graham’s MCL and ankle sprains are another concern for a defensive front that has been one of Cleveland’s biggest strengths.
Those are not small problems, and a three-game winning streak does not erase them.
But 3-1 changes the standard. Furthermore, it raises the ceiling for what this team could ultimately become.
The Browns no longer need to be discussed as a team simply trying to prove it is competent. They are tied for first place in the AFC North, have already banked a division win, and have shown they can survive close games.
Now comes the part that determines whether the first month was a pleasant surprise or the beginning of something legitimate.
Cleveland visits the New York Jets on Sunday before returning home to face Baltimore in Week 6. The Browns have given themselves an opportunity few expected them to have this early in the season.
What they do with it is now the story.
