Dawgs By Nature
It is Week 15, and the Cleveland Browns fell 1.6 spots to 28.6 overall on average in this week’s power rankings. We only have four games left in the season, and last week’s loss to the Titans was a sour pill to swallow. The Browns have now twice loss games that seemed impossible to lose against the then-worse teams in the NFL, which were the Jets and Titans. Against the Jets, special teams were to blame. Against the Titans, special teams and the run defense were to blame. However, it’s also a unique situation that fans are still very invested in the final four games, despite the team’s 3-10 season. Why? Because everyone wants to see how Shedeur Sanders operates the offense, especially coming off of his four-touchdown effort.
Here is a summary of how the Cleveland Browns are viewed across mainstream media outlets in NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season.
Shedeur Sanders showed some good things in the loss to the Titans. But what in the world was that two-point play?
Most shocking statistical ranking: 24th in win probability added on special teams
The Browns’ special teams units were average last season — 16th in win probability added — but they have regressed to among the worst in the league. Every week seems to be a new issue: On Sunday, the Browns allowed the first blocked punt by the Titans since 2012. Cleveland has had several young players contributing on special teams, and their mistakes have played a part in losses.
Shedeur Sanders is still only completing 52.4 percent of his passes, and his stressed-out prayer throw into traffic — which was predictably intercepted — is the kind of play he’ll need to work out of his system as he grows into NFL quarterbacking. But Sanders has provided more high notes than lows to this point, adding a clever rushing touchdown, with two of his three TD passes being absolute beauties. He hasn’t done enough to be anointed anything after this season, but it’s very tough to say he hasn’t earned this shot to start for the rest of the year — and Sanders had nothing to do with the second disastrous two-point try that prevented the Browns from tying the game late. The defense’s failure to hem in the Titans’ run game was one of the stranger developments of the season. Then again, losing in disappointing fashion is old hat for these Browns.
The Browns should be pleased about Shedeur Sanders’ play but the rest of the team and the defense falling apart on the Titans isn’t the best for Kevin Stefanski.
The Browns didn’t truly “move up” in the rankings after...
