Back in 1989, the number one movie in America was Batman, not the one starring Christian Bale but the the one with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. Some of the number-one songs on the Billboard Top-100 in 1989 were Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire” and Poison’s “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn.”
Also that year, the then AFC Central Champions were the Cleveland Browns, the last time that this franchise has won its division.
Much has changed in the last 35 years. The Browns franchise left and came back, they were one of the few teams in history to miss the playoffs with 10 wins, they went winless, they went 1-32 over a two year stretch, but they have finally turned the corner to become a winning franchise.
Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry have steadied the ship and now. They have a legitimate chance to change the Cleveland Browns’ narrative and become a team that is a threat to sit atop the AFC for years to come.
What must go right in 2024 for Cleveland to earn an AFC North Championship in arguably the best division in the NFL?
First, the Browns need good quarterback play. We all know the story, this roster is loaded and it is going to come down to the way that Deshaun Watson performs in his third year with Cleveland. If he can play well, the Browns will have a chance, but that’s not all.
It is a must that the Browns go into Pittsburghand beat the Steelers on the road. Make no mistake, the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to have a really competitive football team next season. If they get a decent Russell Wilson, they will be a 9 or 10-win team. Taking care of business against that team is priority number one.
