BEREA, Ohio -- Going into last season's opener, the Cleveland Browns were arguably the most hyped team in the NFL. Las Vegas, in fact, took more bets on Cleveland to win the Super Bowl than on almost any other team in the league.
That hype, however, proved undeserved. The Browns lost their first game by 30 points, setting the tone for what became arguably the NFL's biggest disappointment.
Going into Sunday's opener in Baltimore, there's far less talk this time around surrounding the Browns. Unlike last year, few seem to be picking them to make the playoffs. Almost nobody sees them winning the AFC North.
On the heels of a chaos-laden, distraction-filled season, that seems to be just fine with the Browns.
"I like not having the noise around us," running back Nick Chubb said. "They can take it somewhere else. Let us focus on ourselves."
Flying under the radar doesn't mean the Browns aren't optimistic that they're finally equipped to snap the second-longest playoff drought in professional sports, now at 18 years.
Although it wasn't as scintillating as trading for star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., new general manager Andrew Berry quietly addressed Cleveland's biggest weakness from 2019. Berry signed the top right tackle on the free-agent market in Jack Conklin, then used the 10th overall pick on left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. The combination of that and coach Kevin Stefanski's new offensive system, which seems better suited for Cleveland's skill players, notably quarterback Baker Mayfield, could set the Browns up to be among the most improved offenses in the league.
"I feel good about it," Mayfield said Wednesday of an attack that will feature Chubb and Kareem Hunt on the ground to set up play-action pass opportunities to Beckham, Jarvis Landry and new tight end Austin Hooper. "It's an offense where there's a lot of accountability. You have to be where you are supposed to be and be there on time. The same goes for my reads."
That doesn't mean there might not be growing pains. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Browns didn't have the luxury of three OTAs and minicamp. Players had to learn all of the new schemes virtually, with just a shortened training camp to implement them. The Browns have been ragged at times in camp, as they've attempted to refine their timing offensively. But even as they prepare to face the defending AFC North champion Ravens, they aren't using the virtual offseason as a rationalization for any potential slow start.
"That could be an excuse if you wanted to use it, but we're not doing that," Mayfield said. "We know what we have to do. We've installed everything. We're putting together a good game plan, and we will have that ready to roll. Everybody just has to go out there and execute it. It's not about what's happened and the adversity. It's about how you can handle those things. That's just our motto."
On the other side of the ball, there are plenty of built-in justifications for the defense to struggle, at least to begin the season.
The Browns likely will play Baltimore without four starters -- linebacker Mack Wilson (knee), nickelback Kevin Johnson (liver), cornerback Greedy Williams (shoulder) and safety Grant Delpit (Achilles) -- because of injuries they suffered in camp.
But as with the hype and the noise, the Browns aren't interested in the excuses.
"I don't think anybody wants to hear them," Stefanski said. "And we're so focused on 2020."