The Cleveland Browns suffered a bitter 17-16 defeat to Cincinnati in Week 1, dropping a game they seemed to control.
Cleveland dominated total yards and time of possession while their defense completely shut down the Bengals in the second half.
Joe Flacco delivered one of his finest performances in a Browns uniform, though two interceptions on his stat sheet tell a misleading story.
Both picks came off receiver miscues, including several costly drops that derailed promising drives.
Rookie kicker Andre Szmyt missed crucial attempts that proved decisive in the narrow loss.
Now, Cleveland heads to Baltimore searching for their first win, but the odds aren’t encouraging.
According to Browns reporter Brad Stainbrook, Cleveland carries just a 14% chance of victory while the Ravens hold an 87% probability to win.
A look at the odds heading into Sunday… pic.twitter.com/XiT4ceoBRH
— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) September 8, 2025
The Baltimore Ravens also stumbled in their opener, surrendering a dramatic 41-40 decision to Buffalo.
Baltimore controlled most of that contest, building a commanding 40-25 lead in the fourth quarter before everything unraveled.
The Browns also enter Week 2 with something to prove after squandering a winnable game.
Cleveland’s issues centered on offense and special teams, problems that can be addressed with better execution.
The defense sent a clear message that opponents shouldn’t take them lightly.
Having Myles Garrett anchoring that unit should provide confidence for the other phases to step up their performance.
The Browns outplayed Cincinnati for long stretches but couldn’t convert those advantages into points when it mattered most.
The Browns will need to turn those missed opportunities into results if they want to avoid a 0-2 start.
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