# "Bend Over for the Trojan" - The 0-16 NFL Season Thread (2017 ed.) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 19, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692 "2017-09-19T05:06:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/81 "2017-11-27T22:53:20Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > LOL. Can you imagine a kid choosing to stay in school just to avoid being drafted by the Browns? Eli Manning was willing to sit out a year rather than play for San Diego, so anything can happen. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/82 "2017-11-27T23:50:26Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > LOL. Can you imagine a kid choosing to stay in school just to avoid being drafted by the Browns? I mean, yeah, I can imagine it; the odds are really against you as QB Browns. On the other hand, though… whatever QB does finally come in and win a Super Bowl for the Browns is going to become an instant legend in Cleveland. If you were really confident in your own talent and wanted to bet on yourself, boy, that’d be some payoff. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/83 "2017-11-28T00:14:34Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > On the other hand, though… whatever QB does finally come in and win a Super Bowl for the Browns is going to become an instant legend in Cleveland. If you were really confident in your own talent and wanted to bet on yourself, boy, that’d be some payoff. You don’t get Cleveland-level bad because you’re short a quarterback. As a college QB, you have to have some hope that they make bigger institutional changes than drafting you, no matter what confidence you have in your abilities. That said, I don’t see many college guys sitting it out. Pass up a multi-million dollar payout for another year of “classes” and college BS? Risk an injury, or some better prospect taking your place at the top of the chart? Maybe, but not likely. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/84 "2017-11-28T03:37:24Z")
Cleveland isn’t that bad. They have a top 10 defense and top 10 offensive line. They’re easily 8-8 this year with a good quarterback. I suspect you’ve never actually watched them. It’s not a team that’s completely overmatched, it’s a team that’s utterly crippled by lack of good quarterback play. You’re way understating the effect of bad quarterbacking on a team. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/85 "2017-11-28T04:33:02Z")
Cleveland has a really bad front office though. They don’t make good decisions and struggle to make good trades or successful drafts. How many times have they had the chance to get a top tier rookie QB and yet they still have nobody worth starting? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/86 "2017-11-28T04:41:55Z")
Just noticed that Cleveland, NYG and SF are the first teams to officially earn an “e-“ in the standings. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/87 "2017-11-28T12:57:37Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Cleveland isn’t that bad. They have a top 10 defense and top 10 offensive line. They’re easily 8-8 this year with a good quarterback. I suspect you’ve never actually watched them. It’s not a team that’s completely overmatched, it’s a team that’s utterly crippled by lack of good quarterback play. You’re way understating the effect of bad quarterbacking on a team. As I said a few weeks back, they are the best team with an 0-13 record this season and a 4-44 record previously. During that 48 game run, they changed quarterbacks [20 times](http://www.businessinsider.com/cleveland-browns-quarterback-depth-chart-2017-10). You’d think they could pick a name out of the phone book and do better. Although, as you said, they will probably win enough meaningless games this season to prevent them getting a number 1 pick. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/88 "2017-11-28T16:53:58Z")
Back to the title subject, Sam Darnold [has denied](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_Moscoviense) he’d stay at USC another year to avoid the Browns. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/89 "2017-11-28T17:22:01Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Back to the title subject, Sam Darnold [has denied](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_Moscoviense) he’d stay at USC another year to avoid the Browns. Going to the far side of the moon to avoid the Browns seems a bit extreme, though. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/90 "2017-11-28T19:57:21Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Going to the far side of the moon to avoid the Browns seems a bit extreme, though. Well, [going fishing](http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/professional/no-pick-joe-thomas-spent-draft-day-fishing/article_18838568-4cc3-5b93-bb65-a191de962b40.html) on Lake Michigan didn’t work. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/91 "2017-11-28T21:14:45Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Well, for the season so far, they are not the worst team in either yds/pt column, primarily by dint of the fact that they have not egged the scoreboard (a shutout is difficult to calculate – I just use total yards); they would be worst in defensive yds/pt, but Denver Trumps them by a small margin. Winning, though, they have yet to figure that out and have the worst average difference in score. > > Still, they cannot be as pathetic as the Stampeders. That was just sad. The Calgary Stampeders have always managed to come up with new and innovative ways of choking. It’s as Canadian as beer, moose attacks and Tim Horton’s. But in a nine team league it’s inevitable you’ll win the odd championship, as they have, so the fans always have something to fondly look back on to get them past the next epic Stampeders choke job. The Browns, though. I mean, it’s just unrelenting misery. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/92 "2017-11-28T21:37:11Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Eli Manning was willing to sit out a year rather than play for San Diego, so anything can happen. > [@storyteller0910](#): > > I mean, yeah, I can imagine it; the odds are really against you as QB Browns. > > On the other hand, though… whatever QB does finally come in and win a Super Bowl for the Browns is going to become an instant legend in Cleveland. If you were really confident in your own talent and wanted to bet on yourself, boy, that’d be some payoff. Yeah, but passing on #1 overall draft pick money? Man, I don’t know. You could play out your rookie contract, try your best to avoid injury, and demand a trade. And be rich. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/93 "2017-11-28T22:33:51Z")
The Cleveland Browns lost the AFC Championship game twice. Then they moved to another city entirely and won 2 SBs. Maybe that is the formula. Move to a nearby city, where they can keep their name but harvest some good luck. Maybe build a shiny new stadium in Sandusky – oh, wait, that might send an iffy message … ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/94 "2017-12-10T21:54:57Z")
Hoo boy the Browns almost screwed it up, taking the Packers to overtime before losing. They were even up 21-7 at the end of the third, too. Meanwhile, the 49ers have two in a row under Jimmy Garoppolo and have moved above the hapless NY Giants. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/95 "2017-12-10T22:22:58Z")
It’s amazing to look back at the first few posts in this thread and see New Orleans mentioned in this discussion. What an incredible turnaround. Chargers too. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/96 "2017-12-25T02:00:43Z")
I was worried for the Browns going into Chicago. On paper they were at the very least _capable_ of beating the Bears. But in the real world, on a the Browns laid down some brown in the snow on a white Christmas Eve. My favorite stat from the game - three players tied for the most rushing yards in the game: Trubisky, Howard and Cleveland’s Crowell all had 44 yards. My team, the 49ers, was once 0-9 and threatening their own run at the big Oh-Fer. But since winding up their shiny new toy and putting Jimmy G in at QB they’re now out of a Top-5 draft pick. I picked the wrong New York team to accuse of tanking on purpose. I haven’t seen this much team dysfunction since, well, the 49ers a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/97 "2017-12-25T03:24:36Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I was worried for the Browns going into Chicago. Silly person, > [@NFL Week 16](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-16/805008/14): > > Ladies and Gentleman, your 2017 AFC North Champs, the Chicago Bears. the Bears have beaten every team in the division, including the high-flying [del]Charmins[/del] Steelers. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/98 "2017-12-25T14:07:36Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Silly person, > > the Bears have beaten every team in the division, including the high-flying [del]Charmins[/del] Steelers. Well…they didn’t beat the Bengals. Technically. My Bengals beat themselves. At least, that’s what I tell myself at night as my tears drench my pillow. GO VIKINGS!!! ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/99 "2017-12-25T15:56:00Z")
Thank you Browns. Josh Rosen might come back for his senior season. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692/100 "2017-12-26T00:34:23Z")
Every drunken ignoramus of a sports fan claims, “I could do as good a job as that coach,” and 99.99% of the time, that’s ridiculous. But you know, over the past two years, I COULDN’T have lost significantly more games than Hue Jackson, the one coach whose owner has vowed will be back next year, come what may! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bend-over-for-the-trojan-the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2017-ed/796692.md?page=6)