Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders Preview and Prediction

At 1-3 on the season the Browns are desperate for a win as they head to the nations capital for Week 5

Sep 29, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) celebrates with team mates after scoring a touchdown off a Las Vegas Raiders fumble during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

A game that appeared to be a penciled in win for the Cleveland Browns back when the schedule first dropped suddenly feels like an uphill battle for a 1-3 team that can't seem to get out of its own way.

The Washington Commanders have been the darlings of the NFL through three weeks, with a rookie quarterback who has taken the league by storm in Jayden Daniels. The No. 2 overall pick has registered the highest completion percentage (82.1%) through a player's first four games in league history. That's on top of the fact that he's second in that same span in rushing yards by a QB and first in rushing touchdowns.

Led by Daniels, Washington's offense is the reason the team is 3-1 on the season. Its sixth in total offense. Third in rushing offense. 12th in passing offense. Third in points per game. And first in third-down conversion percentage. Conversely, the Commanders defense however leaves much to be desired and may present the perfect opportunity for Cleveland's offense to figure itself out.

Will the Browns get back on track or will the losing streak continue? Our team decides.

Anthony Moeglin: Browns 24, Commanders 21

There is no reason to believe that the Cleveland Browns should win this football game. They have the worst offense in all of football, the defense hasn't been as sharp as anyone expected and the injury bug running rampant through this team yet again. On the other side, the Commanders are one of the hottest teams in the entire league. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is off to an incredibly efficient start and they look like a force to be reckoned with.

But, the NFL can be finicky at times and when a game looks so obvious, sometimes it goes the other way. This is what I am hoping for on Sunday. The Browns will patch a couple of drives together and will finish the game with a takeaway to take a tight 24-21 win in the nation's capital. 

Cole McDaniel: Commanders 26, Browns 22

The 2024 edition of the Cleveland Browns is nothing short of an utter disappointment.

Sure, the season is still young but this team lacks an offensive identity and defensively isn't playing like last year. Unless something drastically changes quickly, this team is in for another awful week.

The Commanders on the other hand have been punching up while rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels impresses. Just by looking on paper, Cleveland should win this game. They should have against the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders as well though.

It is hard to pick the Browns in any game until the team can play one respectable second half of a game.

3 offensive starters designated as questionable for #Browns ahead of Week 5 matchup with #Commanders https://t.co/2omJ3eKg3n

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) October 4, 2024

Dylan Feltovich: Commanders 28, Browns 14

The Browns will unfortunately take on a red-hot Washington Commanders team this week after a heartbreaking loss in Week 4.

Even though the Commanders defense has struggled this season, Cleveland’s offense has hit rock bottom. The offensive line had one of its worst performances against the Las Vegas Raiders despite quarterback Deshaun Watson having one of his best games with the organization.

Offensive Rookie of The Year front runner, Jayden Daniels has been dealing this season. Daniels thrives against cover one and two, which defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has dropped into 50 percent of the time through Weeks 1-4. The Browns will have to limit the rookie quarterback if they want a shot this week.

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Spencer German: Browns 23, Commanders 21

I don't know if I have some sort of hard hitting analysis or a secret stat to backup my case this week. In reality the Browns haven't given anyone any reason to pick them on a weekly basis anymore. For some reason I just feel like this is the week they play a sound football game.

Jayden Daniels has obviously been fantastic to start the season, but rookies always have growing pains in this sport and the Browns have a defensive line that when they're on, they can make life very miserable for even the most experienced QBs. Conversely, Washington has become the darling of the NFL because of Daniels and its offense, but their defense is a weakness.

With all that in mind, Sunday feels like the perfect stage for a get-right game. For the defense. For the offense. For everyone. Cleveland finally eclipses 20 points in a game and the Browns get back on track.