New Orleans Saints vs. Cleveland Browns: Series history and predictions The New Orleans Saints host the Cleveland Browns this afternoon in the second game of the 2018 season for both teams. The Browns surprised some by tying their division rival Cheap Connor McGovern Youth Jersey , the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the season opener by a 21-21 score. It was their first non-loss since December 24, 2016, ending a streak of 17 consecutive losses. (Well, sort of). New Orleans had perhaps the more surprising result of the opening weekend, getting upset at home by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a 48-40 score. This will be the 18th meeting between the two franchises, with the Browns holding a 13-4 advantage all-time, and an 8-2 record in games played in New Orleans. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images In their last meeting, a week two game during the 2014 season played in Cleveland, the Saints lost, 26-24, on a last second field goal that would wind up being a microcosm of their disappointing year. Cleveland and New Orleans first met during the Saints inaugural season of 1967. On October 1 New Orleans Saints Nick Easton Jersey , 1967, the Browns defeated the Saints by a score of 42-7 in Tulane stadium. The game would mark the largest margin of victory by either team in the series, along with the most points scored by the winning team, and the least amount of points scored by the loser. The two teams were actually in the same division together for one year in 1968, the NFL's Capitol Division. That year, the Browns defeated the Saints in the season opener, a 24-10 win in New Orleans, and won the rematch later that year in Cleveland, 35-14. Cleveland won the first eight meetings between the two franchises, with the Saints not emerging victorious until a 16-14 win in Cleveland on October 28 of the 1984 season. That was the first of three straight victories by New Orleans in the series, including their first home win against Cleveland, on opening day of the strike-shortened 1987 season by a score of 28-21. The Browns do hold a slight edge in games played in the Superdome (4-2) Cheap Nick Easton Youth Jersey , site of today's game, but New Orleans hasn't beaten Cleveland from the confines of home since a 25-20 win on October 14 of the 1990 season. One of the most embarrassing moments in Saints franchise history took place on October 31, 1999. The Browns, who had been inactive as a franchise since 1995, re-entered the NFL as an expansion team in the ‘99 season. After beginning their first year back 0-7, they came into the Superdome on Halloween and defeated the Saints 21-16 on a 56-yd. Hail Mary touchdown pass from quarterback Tim Couch to wide receiver Kevin Johnson on the final play of the game. The last meeting in the Superdome between these two took place on October 24, 2010. The Browns won that match up, 30-17, on the strength of 4 New Orleans turnovers, including two interceptions of Drew Brees that they returned for touchdowns. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesThe first regular season game of the Drew Brees/Sean Payton era was in Cleveland against the Browns on September 10, 2006. The Saints won that game, 19-14 Youth Mark Ingram Jersey , a game that helped springboard them to a playoff berth less than one year after the team, and the entire Gulf Coast region, was thrown into disarray by the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. Despite the Browns' dominance over New Orleans in this series, the games are normally very closely played contests. Ten of the last thirteen games played between the two have been decided by seven points or less, and the average score of the six games played in the Superdome is Cleveland 23.3 compared to New Orleans 19.5. Photo by: Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesGregg Williams, currently the Browns defensive coordinator, served in that same capacity with the Saints and Sean Payton from 2009-12. The two coaches split during the "Bountygate" scandal, causing both Payton and Williams to be suspended for the entire year, and a reported rift to begin between the two (something both men have always denied). When Williams was defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams in 2016, Payton was accused by some of running up the score in a 49-21 New Orleans win, where the Saints coach was incredibly demonstrative along the sideline. Regardless of the relationship between the two, it is undeniable that each coach knows the other's system and tendencies. The Saints continue to be without the services of Pro Bowl running back Mark Ingram Mark Ingram Jersey Stitched , who is serving a four game league suspension, but have one of the league's most productive passing games. The Browns, who have won just 4 of their last 45 games, will be without the services of wideout Josh Gordon, along with promising defenders Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Kirksey in this one. New Orleans was viewed coming into the year as having one of the league's most balanced rosters. The pride of a defense that showed great improvement last season is stung after such a poor showing against Tampa Bay, something that the team's leaders vowed would not happen again. If the Saints are truly a championship contender, then this is almost a must-win situation for them at home. Saints 34Browns 21 Get your beignet-flavored popcorn ready.According to the , Judge Nicole Sheppard has ruled that Commissioner Roger Goodell and three game officials can be questioned under oath in the lawsuit filed regarding the blown pass interference call in the Rams-Saints NFC Championship game. The depositions will occur, barring a successful appeal, in September.Late in the fourth quarter of a game the Rams won in overtime, L.A. defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman wiped out Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis near the goal line before a pass arrived. The non-call relegated the Saints to a field goal. If a flag had been thrown, the Saints would have been more likely to score a game-clinching touchdown.Attorney Antonio LeMon filed the lawsuit Youth Marcus Davenport Jersey , which seeks only $75,000 in damages in order to avoid the removal of the state-court proceedings to federal court. He said Monday that any proceeds will be donated to former Saints special-teams standout Steve Gleason’s charity promoting ALS research and supports ALS patients.The difference between state and federal court decisions can be significant and, in many cases, outcome-determinative. State-court judges are elected; federal court judges are appointed for life. What better way for a Louisiana judge to ensure re-election in Louisiana than to exercise discretion in a way that supports Louisiana interersts?The mere fact that federal law permits certain cases to be removed from state court to federal court acknowledges this reality of state-court home cooking. One of the two paths to federal court relies on the presence of exclusively out-of-state defendants and an amount in controversy of more than $75,000. By capping his potential recovery at $75,000, LeMon ensures that the case will remain in state court.The NFL surely will pursue all avenues to appeal the ruling. Business executives like Goodell usually make for bad witnesses, especially when they have no legal training. They aren’t used to submitting to authority, they resent when they are required to, they get impatient and frustrated when asked tough questions, and they believe that they can talk their walk out of any jam.The end result often is a swordfight that the witness thinks he’s winning until he realizes he’s been dismembered.
