Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Cleveland Browns Week 5 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2023 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Below you will find a Week 5 roundup for the Cleveland Browns in our consensus 2023 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 11

Biggest issue on defense: Forcing turnovers

Despite being No. 1 in the NFL in defensive efficiency, the Browns have continued to struggle to force turnovers. They are tied for 24th with just three forced turnovers, including only one interception. Last season, Cleveland finished 20th with 20 forced turnovers. The defense is obviously much improved this year and playing as well as any unit in the league. Still, the lack of turnovers remains. It's early, and the Browns are creating plenty of pressure on the quarterback (11th in PRWR, 48.7%). Maybe the turnovers will come. So far, they haven't. -- Jake Trotter

NFL.com -- Rank: 11

It's hard to put too much stock into a team losing with a backup QB getting his first real NFL action, but that doesn't negate the fact that Cleveland was flattened by Baltimore at home, as even the Browns' vaunted defense couldn't stop the runaway train. The Ravens led 14-3 four minutes before halftime, and the game essentially was over. Could Deshaun Watson have done anything to change the result? That's a tough question. He played well in Week 3, but before that? Meh. The funny thing is that the Browns clearly need Watson to win, but his play is also often ripe for deserved criticism. That cloaks the entire operation while Cleveland tries to regroup on bye and gear up for hosting the 49ers in Week 6.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 14

They had to play without Deshaun Watson against the Ravens, and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson found out what regular-season football is all about. The defense wasn't as good, either. The bye comes at a good time after that loss.

USA Today -- Rank: 13

Week 5 byes are rarely desirous, but the timing is pretty good for a Cleveland team that needs to get DE Myles Garrett and QB Deshaun Watson healthy.

The Athletic -- Rank: 15

With starting quarterback Deshaun Watson out Sunday because of a shoulder injury and star running back Nick Chubb already out for the season, what had been the NFL's best defense crumbled against the Ravens. The Browns expect Watson back after their bye week, and it's going to be up to him to prove he's worth all the chaos his signing brought to Cleveland when he returns.

FOX -- Rank: 13

It's hard to judge the offense too harshly when it was revealed Sunday morning that Dorian Thompson-Robinson would have to start in place of Deshaun Watson. With a rookie facing bad situations all day, the defense just couldn't hold up. Cleveland was bound to allow some points eventually, but giving up 28 after their hot start is tough to stomach.

Yahoo! -- Rank: 10

When the Browns traded Joshua Dobbs in late August, it made sense. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson looked good in preseason. Cleveland got a fifth-round draft pick for Dobbs and a seventh-round pick. But since then, Dobbs has looked pretty good for Arizona and when DTR was pressed into a start Sunday, he struggled and the Browns lost a big divisional game to the Ravens. Maybe the Browns wouldn't have won with Dobbs at quarterback, but they might have regret sending him away for a late-round pick.

PFT -- Rank: 17

They badly need this bye week, on both sides of the ball.

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