Here is a summary of how the Cleveland Browns are viewed across mainstream media outlets in NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 7.
CBS Sports - No. 20 (no change)
At 2-4, the heat is on this group, especially for coach Freddie Kitchens. They need to turn it around quickly or all that hype was nothing but hot air.
ESPN - No. 19 (down 1 spot)
The Browns top the league in penalties (57), penalty yardage (506) and interceptions (11). They are tied for second in red zone turnovers (3) and are fourth in drop rate (4.7%). With those numbers, it’s actually rather remarkable that they even have two wins, with chances to win in two of their losses as well. The schedule gets easier for Cleveland after the upcoming bye, but the Browns are going nowhere unless they eradicate the bevy of self-inflicted mistakes first.
NFL.com - No. 23 (down 2 spots)
Seven days, two losses and infinite ammunition for those who believed the Football Cognoscenti were far too hasty to pump up this Browns team as an AFC power player during the summer. On Sunday against the Seahawks, Cleveland jumped out to a 20-6 lead, fell behind in the second half, then jumped back ahead by three points with 9:06 left to play. This was the time when the defense needed to get the stop and send the Browns into their bye at 3-3. Instead, Russell Wilson marched Seattle 79 yards on nine plays for the go-ahead score. When it was Baker Mayfield’s turn to answer, he threw his third interception of the game and league-worst 11th of the season. It was a frustrating loss that neatly encapsulated Cleveland’s season as a whole. Hope. Flashes of greatness. Disappointment.
Better from Baker, OBJ and the Browns, but still not enough. The offensive line is leaky and got exposed by a great Seattle front. The bye should be a good opportunity to recalibrate expectations that were too high to start the season.
Yahoo Sports - No. 25 (down 3 spots)
I’m kind of baffled by Baker Mayfield. Robert Griffin III had a similar drop from Year 1 to Year 2, but he also had injuries. I don’t know of another player who’s fallen this far after a very good rookie season, unless it was health related. There are reasons for Mayfield’s struggles but make no mistake: He is a bad quarterback right now.
Bleacher Report - No. 21 (down 3 spots)
In retrospect, the idea that these Cleveland Browns were ever considered a playoff contender or ranked inside the top 10 in these power rankings seems laughable. The Browns raced out to a 20-6 lead Sunday against the Seahawks, but this Browns team has yet to see a mistake it doesn’t like, so it didn’t hold. Baker Mayfield threw three more interceptions in Week 6. Two occurred in plus territory. For the second week in a row, one happened around the end zone. The Browns committed four turnovers total and piled up nine more penalties for 83 yards.
Good teams do not continually commit unforced errors. But game after game and week after week, the Browns shoot themselves in the foot. It’s all but certainly going to get worse before it gets better. After a Week 7 bye in which the Browns will somehow commit six more penalties and turn it over twice, Cleveland travels to Gillette Stadium to face the undefeated Patriots. That’s not going to end well.
Associated Press - No. 21 (down 1 spot)
Listed below is a summary table of where teams in the AFC North are ranked this week.
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| Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers | |
| CBS Sports | 31 | 20 | 7 | 19 |
| ESPN | 30 | 19 | 9 | 20 |
| NFL.com | 30 | 23 | 17 | 19 |
| MMQB | 30 | 19 | 9 | 21 |
| Yahoo Sports | 31 | 25 | 14 | 20 |
| Bleacher Report | 31 | 21 | 9 | 20 |
| Associated Press | 31 | 21 | 10 | 19 |
| Average | 30.6 (down 1.5) |
21.1 (down 1.5) |
10.7 (up 3.0) |
19.7 (up 6.0) |