CLEVELAND — For two weeks, the Cleveland Browns have heard all about the struggles of the team following their 2-4 start to the 2019 season, especially after surrendering a double-digit lead in a 32-28 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 13.
But with one win this week against an undefeated New England Patriots team at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the Browns would not only cure a lot of ills, but also, change the narrative into a positive one.
“It’s definitely a momentum builder,” Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said after Wednesday’s practice in Berea.
“They’re ranked one or two in the league and they move the ball as well as anybody. Their defense is playing with their hair on fire, so if we’re able to move the ball on them and stop them from moving the ball, it proves that we are for real and that we can put this thing together.”
Quarterback Baker Mayfield added, “It could be huge for us. Coming off the bye week and the momentum it could have for us going forward for the rest of the season and this long stretch we have, it could be huge for us.”
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Currently, the Browns find themselves tied for second place in the AFC North Division with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and both teams are 2.5 games behind the front-running Baltimore Ravens. The Browns have a win in hand over the Ravens with five AFC North Division games to play over the second half of the season.
Obviously wanting to improve their play and do away with the inconsistencies, the Browns are focused on being the best version of themselves, not putting together a perfect game.
“The biggest mistake that you can make is to put this in your mind that you have to be perfect because then, it’s like you’re playing to be perfect and to not make mistakes, not playing fast and free,” wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said. “I think it would be to eliminate as many mistakes as possible, play fast, do what you do.
“We’re going against a great team, there’s no other way to put it, but you can’t sit there like everything has to be perfect and this and that because as soon as one mistake happens, is the game over with? No, you’ve got to keep playing. We all know it’s going to be a challenge. They’re undefeated for a reason, win the Super Bowl pretty much every year for a reason, it’s just what it is.”
Should the Browns, a double-digit underdog, pull off the upset and change the narrative with a win over the Patriots, Beckham Jr. understands that means very little if the players do not follow it up with a renewed commitment in practice and solid showings in the games that follow.
“We all want to win every single game, but a win in New England would be huge,” Beckham Jr. said. “I hope if after we do win in New England, we don’t let that be like, ‘Oh, we beat New England,’ kind of like false bravado or anything like that.
“We want to continue that momentum. The goal is to win every game, I don’t care who we’re playing. We’re not going to the Patriots to play a good game and pat ourselves on the back and come back to Cleveland and keep working. We’re going down there to win, we’re preparing to win, there’s no way around it.”