Cleveland Browns turnaround bandwagon

The Game Room
1

Alright, for no reason at all it’s time to embarass myself with predictions.

The Browns were on Hard Knocks this year, and that tends to get a lot more people following the team a bit. They’ve been 1-31 in the last two seasons which is historically bad - as far as I know, the worst run in football ever.

But there’s an energy about this team. Significant roster turnover. Todd Haley was brought in to be the OC which ideally will leave Hue Jackson involved in fewer decisions. I know Pittsburgh fans love to shit on Haley, but the guy had a top 5 offense every year.

They’ve had a great preseason - and I know, “preseason doesn’t matter” - that’s not true, though. Who wins preseason games doesn’t matter. Whether your o-line can create holes or protect your QBs, whether your QBs can hit their targets, whether your defenders can tackle - all of that stuff is a reflection of the team’s real capabilities. And the Browns defense has looked dominant - Myles Garrett is looking like the prospect he was drafted as, and potential non-awful QB play is enough to get by on.

And really, QB play was such a huge determining factor in the last couple of years. I really don’t think the 0-16 Browns were as bad as the 0-16 Lions. They were in a lot of games they were doing well in until a Kizer redzone turnover. I don’t even really blame the kid - he had bad coaching, a bad situation, was too young, and too over his head. But he did hold back the team tremendously - the 2017 Browns were a lesson in how much bad QB play can drag down an otherwise somewhat decent team.

So I think Tyrod is a good pickup. He’s not going to lose games the way Kizer did. His steady hand combined with a good running game and good defense could very well lead to a team that competes week in and week out with anyone.

I’m also all on board the Mayfield train. I think if he was 3 inches taller we’d be talking about him as the best draft prospect in a generation, but between him not being the ideal size and a little bit of “lol Browns” he’s coming in underrated. But I think he’s smart, he’s worked hard for everything he’s earned, and wherever he goes his teammates seem to love him. I really do think he’s the guy.

So anyway, at the risk of embarassing myself, I’m gonna put it all on the line here: I think the Browns make one of the biggest turnarounds in sports and are a tough team no one wants to play this year. I’m not saying playoffs, but I think around 7 or 8 wins is definitely a possibility, along with being a team that no one wants to play.

So I’m inviting anyone who wants to be on board to join the bandwagon and keep track of the Browns season here.

2

Curious why you didn’t mention the owner of the team has mob affiliations and is under investigation for s series of murders that have taken place at the various truck stops he owns.

Such a classy guy.

Such a classy organization.

oh yeah, let’s not forget the continual hand waving away of the fact that teams and the NFL’s GOAT, one Jim Brown is an unrepentant and habitual abuser of women, punching them, throwing off balconies and down flights of stairs.

Such a classy guy.

And now Brown has come out on Trump’s side vis a vie the National Anthem protests.

3

None of this really has much to do with football though, does it?

4

Curious indeed. I wonder why I wouldn’t include this in my OP. It fits in perfectly tonally.

I didn’t know there were still people that hated the Browns on this level. That seems so silly.

5

Haslam is the reason I can’t really root for the Browns to do too well. I want that piece of shit to get absolutely no positive benefit from life whatsoever. While the fans certainly deserve a good team, a good GM, and a good year, the owner is will continue to make it nigh but impossible for me to root for them to make the playoffs or find any true success until he sells that team.

6

You do realize us Steelers fans are still around, right? :wink:

7

I’m a Browns fan, but hesitant to board the turnaround bandwagon. I think they’ll win some games, so improvement from last year is a given. The AFC North does not have a team, not even Pittsburgh, that scares me much. So who knows, maybe the Browns can win the division!

8

See avatar. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid. Geno Atkins is going to break Baker Mayfield in half and AJ Green is going to dance in your endzone five times.

9

I’m just upset that the St. Louis Rams had the worst three-season record at 6-42, until the Browns came along with their 4-44 steamroller.

St. Louis lost its team. The least you could have done was leave us with our records.

10

The Browns could well be improved to the point of getting mentions as a playoff contender, at least until November rolls around. A 6-win season doesn’t seem unreasonable.

Unless there’s a major drug bust involving the entire receiving corps…

11

I grew up in NW Ohio. It was both Lions and Browns territory for coverage by the media.
Lesson number one - The “this is our year” turnaround bandwagon for both teams usually ends up burning in the ditch.

Be happy if the young players still look good when the games count and their opponents are trying to win. Hopefully those younger players show development. If the team is keeping games close enough to be interesting it’s pretty awesome regardless of record. If they win enough of those close games to not be mathematically eliminated 8-10 games into the season it was a great turnaround to build on.

Cleveland looks like they have a real chance to break the streak of extreme misery. There’s a big caveat. I thought the same thing about the Lion’s chances after a 4-0 preseason where they showed what I thought was genuine improvement. Can you say “oh for sixteen?” :stuck_out_tongue:

12

I’m on board, partly because of Hard Knocks and partly because my only fantasy team had two key pieces (Jarvis Landry, Carlos Hyde) traded to the Browns this offseason, which kind of married me to the Browns against my will.

I absolutely see them getting at least 6-8 wins this year, and wouldn’t at all be surprised to see them whup it up on the Steelers in the opener, something like 27-10.

It’s sort of like how Patriots fans hate the Jets, I guess? I never really understood it, though. It’s like the hammer hating the nail: Is the nail really a threat to the hammer?

13

I dunno if I can get on a bandwagon. Much easier just to tailgate.

I’ll show up every week and clap and sigh and think “are we really doing this??” if our record breaks .500.

It’s not like I’ve got any other team to care about. I’m absolutely myopic when it comes to football. I’m always there for the Browns, for sure, but I can’t predict anything with this team.

14

Hey, they won a Superbowl and enjoyed a few years as the prototype NFL franchise.

And then there were those lovely years with Tony Banks under center…

15

I just wanted to congratulate Beef on using “his steady hand” in connection with Tyrod Taylor. It may be the first time that description’s ever been used about him.

In all seriousness though, it’s not like you guys were going to get any worse.

Over under on games before Mayfield gets the starting gig? Doubt it’ll be shorter than the Texans ditching Tom Savage after the first half of Game 1. I’m thinking…maybe Game 5 against the Ravens at home?

16

At least you guys have great barbecue.

17

The bye doesn’t come until week 11. If they’re like 3-7, I could see the change at that point. The earliest I could see it happening is if they’re 0-3 and Tyrod looks really bad. That third game is against the Jets and on a Thursday, so there would be a couple extra days to get Mayfield ready to go.

18

I’ve been a Browns fan since the early 70s. I’ll hope, but I’m not expecting much. The nice thing, though, is that the bar is so low; winning a single game will be a huge improvement. And as SenorBeef pointed out, it’s not like every game last year was a blowout.

Also a huge Georgia fan, so I’ll be keeping an eye on Nick Chubb, who was arguably the most potent running threat for the Dawgs since Herschel Walker. I was delighted he went to Cleveland, and hope his skill can translate to the next level. (Which is of course not guaranteed; see Leinart, M. and Tebow, T.)

19

I hate the Browns because I’m a Steelers fan and it’s what we do.

I think 8-8 is a little on the optimistic side, but 6-7 wins is very realistic.

One of them won’t be this Sunday, though.

20

Week 2, but he’ll be pulled by Week 4, then reinstated Week 5, pulled by halftime, then start for good around Week 10. The entire time, Hue will be hee-heeing in press conferences as he ruins yet another quarterback by being a mercurial idiot.