Here is a summary of how the Cleveland Browns are viewed across mainstream media outlets in NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 7 of the 2021 NFL season.
CBS Sports - No. 14 (down 5 spots)
They got beat up good by the Cardinals at home. The talk of any Super Bowl has to be put on hold for now. They have issues with so many injuries.
ESPN - No. 12 (down 3 spots)
Week 1 confidence rating: 8.0
How it’s going now: 6.0Injuries are piling up offensively, and the defense is rapidly going in the wrong direction. Quarterback Baker Mayfield looks like he’ll be dealing with the injury to his left, non-throwing shoulder all year. Both running backs, Nick Chubb (knee) and Kareem Hunt (calf), are injured. Both offensive tackles, Jedrick Wills Jr. (ankle) and Jack Conklin (knee), are injured. The defense has surrendered 84 points over the past two tilts and now ranks 24th in efficiency. The Browns still have time to regroup. But this is not where they wanted to be six weeks into the season.
NFL.com - No. 13 (down 4 spots)
It’s tough to find any positives to take out of Sunday. The Browns weren’t particularly competitive in the 37-14 loss; the team’s last flicker of relevance came on a gorgeous Hail Mary heave by Baker Mayfield on the final play of the first half. It was all downhill from there for Mayfield, who accounted for three turnovers and aggravated his left shoulder injury enough to put his Thursday night availability against the Broncosin question. Cleveland also lost running back Kareem Hunt, who is expected to be sidelined 4-6 weeks by a calf injury. A disappointing .500 team through six weeks, the Browns are beat up and in danger of falling out of the AFC North race.
Sporting News - No. 13 (down 4 spots)
The Browns got singed against the Cardinals as their offensive line, wide receiver and running back injuries have caught up to them around Baker Mayfield. The defense has too much of a burden instead of being able to tee off, playing off rushing attack-based ball control.
Yahoo Sports - No. 11 (down 2 spots)
Baker Mayfield’s left shoulder seems like it’ll be a problem all season, and even though it’s not his throwing shoulder you have to wonder if it has caused his play to slip. The beat-up Browns now have a short week before playing Denver on Thursday night.
Bleacher Report - No. 13 (down 4 spots)
Here we go again in Cleveland. It’s not just a matter of getting stomped at home by the Arizona Cardinals in a game in which Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield turned it over three times while Cardinals counterpart Kyler Murray threw four touchdown passes.
That was bad enough. But there’s more. Mayfield was already playing with a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, and per Ben Axelrod of WKYC 3News, he dislocated that same shoulder in the loss. Mayfield said he expects to play through that injury, but the same can’t be said about running back Kareem Hunt, whom head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters is “likely” headed to injured reserve.
With star running back Nick Chubb already on the shelf with a calf injury, Hunt was carried and then carted from the field in the second half with one of his own. With the Browns playing on a short turnaround against Denver on Thursday night, it’s entirely possible Cleveland will be without its top two running backs as the team tries to avoid falling even further behind the rolling Ravens in the AFC North.
USA Today - No. 12 (down 4 spots)
It’s never ideal to have your entire offensive backfield torn up, but even less so when you’ve got to turn around and play Thursday night.
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 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 16 |
| ESPN | 11 | 12 | 6 | 15 |
| NFL.com | 11 | 13 | 5 | 16 |
| Sporting News | 10 | 13 | 7 | 14 |
| Yahoo Sports | 12 | 11 | 7 | 15 |
| Bleacher Report | 10 | 13 | 5 | 14 |
| USA Today | 13 | 12 | 5 | 18 |
| Average | 11.3 (up 2.3) |
12.6 (down 3.7) |
5.9 (up 1.7) |
15.4 (up 3.9) |
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