Cleveland Browns Slammed With Brutal Take In New Rankings

The Cleveland Browns looked awful in Week 1, and these latest power rankings have taken them to task.

Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) walks off the field after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The 2024 NFL season has not exactly gotten off to a great start for the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns were hammered by the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, Deshaun Watson is in legal trouble again and injuries are ravaging the roster.

To make matters worse, Josh Kendall of The Athletic posted his most recent NFL power rankings heading into Week 2, and Cleveland was dead last.

Kendall even opened up his piece by saying "the Cleveland Browns should just stop playing now."

Not surprisingly, he then zeroed in on Watson, going over the financial ramifications if the Browns were to cut the embattled quarterback at the end of the season.

Watson went 24-for-45 with 169 yards, a touchdown and a couple of interceptions in the 33-17 loss to the Cowboys, posting an abysmal passer rating of 51.1.

Cleveland exhibited more problems than just Watson, though.

The Browns were penalized 11 times, their No. 1-ranked defense from a year ago looked very mortal and their offensive line remains banged up.

While it's important to remember that this was just one game, there seems to be a bit of a different feeling around this Cleveland squad right now.

The Browns can only really be Super Bowl contenders if Watson resembles his old Houston Texans self. He obviously did not look the part in the season opener, and now, he has this new lawsuit hanging over his head.

We'll see if Cleveland can rebound when it heads on the road to battle the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday.