Browns are taking a risk heading into Week 2 against the Ravens with the same player who cost them big against the Bengals
The Cleveland Browns opened the season with an AFC North matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, and while they lost 17-16, it was a game that was right there for them to win. Missed kicks and turnovers haunted the Browns and allowed the Bengals to escape with the victory, despite Cleveland holding Cincinnati to under 150 […]
The Cleveland Browns opened the season with an AFC North matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, and while they lost 17-16, it was a game that was right there for them to win. Missed kicks and turnovers haunted the Browns and allowed the Bengals to escape with the victory, despite Cleveland holding Cincinnati to under 150 total yards. Even with the Browns leaving four points on the board due to missed kicks, they’re rolling the dice again as they head into Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Browns taking a big risk into Week 2 against Baltimore
Kicker Andre Szmyt is getting another chance in Week 2 after a rough NFL debut. The former Syracuse standout connected on a 45-yard attempt against the Bengals but missed an extra point and a crucial 36-yard field goal. Cleveland parted ways with Dustin Hopkins in the preseason and still had to pay him more than $2 million despite cutting him. The Browns let Hopkins go for the very issue Szmyt showed in Week 1: missing kicks.
Hopkins had a strong 2023 season for the Browns and looked like he would be their long-term kicker. He made 33-of-36 field goals in 2023, but that efficiency dipped to just 18-of-27 last season. The Browns are not a team built to win comfortably this year, so consistent kicking is going to be critical. When their defense delivers an elite performance, as it did against the Bengals, Cleveland needs a kicker who can reliably put points on the board.
The Ravens, meanwhile, lost a heartbreaker to the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, falling 41-40. Baltimore will be looking to bounce back at home, and the Browns will need touchdowns to keep pace with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. Still, Cleveland can’t afford to miss kicks and expect to have a chance. Week 1 made that crystal clear. Now, Szmyt has a chance to redeem himself against Baltimore.
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The Cleveland Browns’ offense was good enough to win in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but they lost the game 17-16. A missed field goal and a missed extra point were the difference, though two turnovers on passes that hit wide receivers in the hands played a role as well. Cleveland outgained Cincinnati 327-141 […]
