Predicting Browns 2025 by Schedule (Final 2025 Team Prediction

Zak Drapeau
Aug 21
7 min read

by Zak Drapeau 8/21/2025 Sportz Nation

Team Overview

The Browns have had if nothing else another tumultuous Off season with plenty of publicity around their team. Starting with trading down from the #2 pick and drafting Shedeur Sanders in the 5th round to the ongoing legal problems and contract dispute with 2nd round pick Quinshon Judkins, this team has a lot going on.

Nevertheless everything they're going through is very "Browns". Similar to most teams, they're whole roster revolves around the Quarterback position where they have FIVE different men vying for the top spot. Deshaun Watson is still dealing with his torn achilles and should miss the first few weeks of the season. Free Agent signing Kenny Pickett has gotten some first team reps but has seemed to under-impress so far in camp. Draftees Dillon Gabriel and Sheduer Sanders seemingly are the future of this franchise but need plenty of time until they're NFL-ready and 17-year veteran Joe Flacco has been named the Week 1 starter.

On the other side of the ball the Browns have stayed very good between their two stars in Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward. The unfortunate fact that this defense doesn't get any help from the offense and would actually suffer from the Browns' league-leading 34 turnovers last season. We also saw the Browns bring in 2 more very impressive rookies in DT Mason Graham and LB Carson Schwesinger to bolster the unit and especially their run defense.

At the end of the day this team will only go as far as whom ever is starting at QB. Joe Flacco certainly is the best of the group right now, (which is not saying much) but I'd say either Sanders or Watson hold the most potential if the Browns want to actually compete. Behind Kevin Stefanski this team legitimately has a chance to get to the 7-9 win area every season but this season seems like more of a wash than some based on their unpredictability at the position. Can the Browns ride one of these men to their first playoff appearance since Baker Mayfield left or will they continue to dwindle at the bottom of the league? Let's find out as we go through their schedule, game-by-game.

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Week 1: vs Bengals

Starting the year off strong at home, the Bengals-Browns matchups have been one-sided over the past few years but that could all start changing. Thanks to the defensive shortcomings in Cincinnati, the Browns are able to keep the game at a slow pace and actually steal a win over the Bengals before they even realize what happened.

Prediction: Browns 23-20

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Week 2: @ Ravens

The huge upset win to start the season will carry some momentum but not nearly enough to knock off the Ravens. The defense will do their part in keeping this game close but Lamar and the Ravens' offense will easily outduel the Browns as it comes to the 4th quarter.

Prediction: Ravens 28-20

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Week 3: vs Packers

The Packers have some glaring holes the Browns could really take advantage of in their O-line and secondary. Unfortunately about this time is where we see Flacco make some bonehead throws and no matter how great the Browns' D plays, they will be victims to turnovers and not hold the Packers down enough.

Prediction: Packers 20-17

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Week 4: @ Lions

The sad truth is that the Lions' roster is much too good for the Browns to do anything here. In Detroit, I have the Browns actually grabbing 7 points and that might be generous. This game's demolition is where we might see Kenny Pickett come in to replace Flacco as the QB carousel of the season truly begins.

Prediction: Lions 17-7

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Week 5: vs Vikings (NFL Europe Game)

Travelling to London for this one, the Browns are 0-1 in their franchise's history in international games when they lost to the Vikings back in 2017. Fast forward 8 years later and history repeats itself as the Browns again turn the ball over too much and watch this game slip away in the 4th.

Prediction: Vikings 26-17

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Week 6: @ Steelers

The Steelers and Browns couldn't be farther apart in roster build with the Steelers being ultra-conservative to the frantic-style of the Browns. Around this time I believe Shedeur Sanders will get a chance to start if not in the Europe game and I could see the offense being invigorated because of this, but nowhere near enough to stand a chance in Pittsburgh.

Prediction: Steelers 27-13

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Week 7: vs Dolphins

Back at home and with Shedeur at Quarterback, the young gun should be accurate enough and have a dink-and-dime game plan that can actually be effective against the Dolphins. With the Fins' secondary on the downtrend this year, I'll give the Browns the win here to stop a 5-game skid.

Prediction: Browns 19-17

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Week 8: @ Patriots

After a huge win the Browns travel to New England where the defense is much better and should give Shedeur some fits. Nonetheless, the Browns' defense stand their ground and if Shedeur can limit turnovers like I believe he can, the Browns will be in this one until the very end where I will take the better QB Drake Maye to win it.

Prediction: Patriots 24-19

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Week 9: BYE Week

Standing at 2-6 in their midseason BYE Week, the Browns have likely brought Shedeur to starter at this point and have seen turnovers go down slightly from his accuracy. Deshaun Watson will also start practicing around this time to add more competition for the rookie. On the other side of the ball the defense has been pretty good this season and as long as the offense can minimize turnovers in future weeks, could give this team a real chance to start winning some games.

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Week 10: @ Jets

This will not be one of them however. In New York against this defense, I'd be shocked if any of these Quarterbacks don't make a few mistakes. In Browns-fashion it should stay a low-scoring affair that goes deep into the 4th but eventually the Jets will separate themselves and win.

Prediction: Jets 20-10

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Week 11: vs Ravens

Trying to get some revenge for their Week 2 loss, the Browns are back at home but run into more of the same problems. Not all their fault, the Ravens might have one of if not the best secondaries in the league this year and definitely have one of the best offenses. If nothing else, keeping this game to within one-score chould actually be taken as a win to this team.

Prediction: Ravens 21-13

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Week 12: @ Raiders

One of the weakest defenses they've seen all season will give the Browns some hope in this one but unfortunately that defense is all the way across the country and being coached by Pete Carroll and Pat Graham. In a game that could see multiple turnovers from both teams, I'll have to take the Raiders who are just a step ahead in their rebuild at this point.

Prediction: Raiders 27-20

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Week 13: vs 49ers

These 49ers are good but not as good as we've seen in previous years and actually present an interesting matchup to the Browns. A very incomplete O-line and secondary means that if Shedeur (or whoever's starting) doesn't turn the ball over, the Browns could really put up some points and I'll even take them in a huge shocker in Cleveland.

Prediction: Browns 26-23

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Week 14: vs Titans

A matchup between two of the bottom-4 teams at this point, this one will go very far to actually determining the #1 draft pick scene at the end of the season. With a potential Shedeur-Cam Ward matchup, I'll take the Browns defense as the deciding factor especially at home to get the W and a first 2-game streak for the Browns.

Prediction: Browns 20-17

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Week 15: @ Bears

One of the worst offenses in the league versus my pick for one of the best, this game will get away from the Browns. In a road trip to Chicago, the Browns will be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of playmakers that are just too good even for their defense but will keep it competitive until the 2nd half.

Prediction: Bears 28-17

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Week 16: vs Bills

Another matchup that is just too out of reach for the Browns, they should be happy with keeping the Bills to 21 points. This will probably be latest we see a Browns-QB change to even see Dillon Gabriel by chance so the Browns have a full look at all of their young guns.

Prediction: Bills 21-10

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Week 17: vs Steelers

In a much better showing than their Week 6 loss, the Browns keep it very close and have a good game against the Steelers but are still outmatched. With the Steelers' defense, Quarterback and coaching among the very best in the entire league, they are too much and win this game in the 4th.

Prediction: Steelers 24-20

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Week 18: @ Bengals (TBD)

At 3-13 the Browns travel to the 7-9 Bengals as both teams play for pride. In another air tight matchup, the Browns do a good job to keep their offense in the game by limiting Joe Burrow but eventually are too outmatched and the better team walks out the victor.

Prediction: Bengals 27-24

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Photo by Nick Cammett/ Diamond Images via Getty Images

The Browns finish this exercise at 4-13 with a 4-4 record at home and a 1-5 record in the AFC North.

I genuinely believe that Kevin Stefanski is a great coach and an even better play caller but this might be the season where his 6-year tenure in Cleveland comes to an end. After an abysmal 2024 (and predicted 2025) after the whole Deshaun Watson-debacle, this could be the final straw.

In 2025, the Browns saw their future QB Shedeur Sanders have flashes of accuracy in a methodical offense. They'd also see fellow rookies Graham, Schwesinger and even RBs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson have good seasons as the youth in Cleveland took over. While this team is still multiple seasons away from really competing again, this season saw a changing of the guard. With Ward and Garrett still locked up fro a few years, this team has a lot to build around for who ever comes in as their next head coach.

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