The Patriots roll into Cleveland still carrying last season's AFC crown, while the Browns are using this one to figure out who's actually throwing the ball.
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FRI AUG 28 · 8:00 PM ET
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Patriots
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New England knows its quarterback. Drake Maye just finished second in MVP voting, threw the Patriots to a 14-3 record, and got a shiny new toy this offseason in A.J. Brown. Cleveland can't say the same. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been trading first-team reps all offseason, and while Watson reportedly still holds a slight edge, Sanders closed the gap enough during minicamp that nothing is settled heading into this one. The two teams meet Thursday, August 27 at 8:00 PM ET with New England's superstar situation the exact opposite of Cleveland's audition.
Neither camp is fully healthy. New England is still sorting out its tight end room after Julian Hill's season-ending knee injury left Hunter Henry as the lone established option, and the offensive line has a few pieces working back from spring dings. Cleveland's camp questionable list is longer and scarier — corner Denzel Ward, defensive tackle Mason Graham, running back Quinshon Judkins and receiver Jerry Jeudy have all been limited, which matters plenty for a team trying to answer real questions before Week 1. None of that screams marquee betting spot, but it does shape who's even on the field for this one.
Cleveland spent its offseason trying to fix the trenches, bringing in Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins up front, and it shipped Myles Garrett to the Rams for a package of future picks — a defense-first franchise suddenly betting its future on offense. Whether any of that shows up against a Patriots roster that's simply been through more real football together this year is the actual story here.
New England Patriots
Cleveland Browns
New England closed last season 4-1 in its final five outings before running into Seattle in Super Bowl LX, a 29-13 loss that still stings. Cleveland's final five looked rougher on paper — three straight losses to Tennessee, Chicago and Buffalo before back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh and Cincinnati salvaged a 5-12 finish. That late two-game stretch is about the only thing Browns fans can point to as momentum heading into a new era under Todd Monken.
New England Patriots
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Fully healthy — no injuries to report
Cleveland Browns
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Fully healthy — no injuries to report
This is preseason, so don't expect starters to play deep into the game — Mike Vrabel has shown no hesitation pulling his guys early. But for Cleveland, every rep here doubles as a scouting report for a coaching staff that genuinely hasn't picked a starting quarterback yet, and that alone makes it worth a look even without the stakes of a real regular-season game.
