Browns Awful Start a.k.a. Business As Usual

So through three games, the Browns are 0-3.  We lost to Phili in a close defensive game.  We lost to Cinci in a shootout.  We lost to Buffalo by overall sucking.  We cannot stop the run.  We cannot defend the pass.  We, apparently, can only play defense when the referees are handing us penalties or when Joe Haden is in the game.

That defensive game against Phili is looking like a fluke that was just disguised by all the penalties.  I doubt we're THAT good on defense.  The one drive when no penalties were called on Phili, they drove it right down the field without a problem for the game winning score.  I'm not sold on our defense one bit.  When Haden gets back, we'll see.

Here's the rest of the schedule with predictions:

@Baltimore.  This should be an easy victory for Baltimore.  Baltimore will likely cover whatever the spread ends up being.  Probably by a lot.

@New York Giants.  This one....this could be our first win.  The defending Superbowl champs have a bad habit of overlooking the Browns.  However, I doubt the Giants will make the same mistake again.  I say Giants win this one by at least 21 points.

Cinci.  Cinci will win this one again, this time in a low scoring game.  Probably by just a single field goal or a TD.  Haden will be back here for this game, so we'll see if our defense is improved.  I'll be optimistic and say it will be, hence the low scoring game.

@Indy.  This could go either way.  Two rookie QBs looking almost as equally as impressive.  Luck easily has the edge though.  Colts win this one, because there's no way Weeden outperforms Luck.

San Diego.  Not sure here, because San Diego seems a little iffy.  They'll probably get it sorted out by this game, of course.  San Diego by two scores.

Baltimore.  Baltimore by twice as many points as they got in Week 4.

Bye Week.  We lose to the bye week in a close one, 42-38.

@Dallas.  Dallas will figure out a way to win this one by one score.  So best case scenario, I've got the Browns at 2-8 by this game.

Pittsburgh.  At least this year, the home game against Pittsburgh isn't on Christmas.  This game will likely be 7-6, although I'm not sure which team is actually the winner.  Pittsburgh usually plays down to us and the games always end up being defensive.  OR, Pittsburgh will actually play like they always do and it will be 42-3.  Gotta avoid that shut out with a late game field goal.

@Oakland.  At this point, Carson Palmer is playing for the playoffs and we're playing to not have the first overall pick.  We should know by this point if that first overall pick will be projected as Matt Barkley, which would be absolutely outstanding for the Browns.  We would get to start over again with the same shitty receivers rather than to stick with someone and draft him weapons.  Oakland takes this one.

Kansas City.  This one won't even be close.  Romeo Crennel runs all over us.  Jaamal Charles sets all rushing records in this game.  Brady Quinn even comes in in the fourth quarter.

Washington.  RG3 clinches the playoffs for Washington with a victory in this game.  He will have a game winning drive.

@Denver.  At this point, Manning is either hurt or resting for the playoffs, so we have a chance in this one.  I'll just assume that we blow it.

@Pittsburgh.  Well, hopefully the world ended two days before the Denver game, that way we'll be spared another Pittsburgh playoff appearance...




SO FAR, the league is very even.  Only Houston and Atlanta are undefeated.  Only Cleveland and New Orleans are yet to win.  Everyone else is either 1-2 or 2-1.  I don't have a clue about the AFC East, by the way.  It's insanely hard to predict an offseason, but here is what I think will happen, so far:

AFC:
1 - Houston
2 - Baltimore
3 - San Diego
4 - Jets/New England
5 - Steelers/Cinci
6 - New England/Jets/Buffalo

NFC:
1 - Atlanta
2 - NYG
3 - Green Bay
4 - 49ers
5 - Cardinals
6 - Chicago/Dallas

Cleveland gets the 1st or 2nd pick in the draft.  We select Matt Barkley.

Ramblings from a Buzzed Browns Fan

Another year has passed, and now there's even more time for Draft recollection..  Cleveland leads the history of any sports drafts with the most blunders as humanly possible.  It should also be noted that I'm writing this after several Sam Adams Light's..

2009.  We traded down to stockpile in the 2nd round.  And in the first round, we settled on Alex Mack.  He's been a fine center, but I would've much rather had Clay Matthews, who went five or so picks later.  In the 2nd round that year, we took Brian Robiskie.  As an OSU fan, I was fairly excited at the time.  However, Ray Maualuga went the very next pick.  Robiskie...I don't even think he's in the league anymore.  A few picks later, we took Massaquoi, who I have no issues with.  He's a fine WR.  Nothing outstanding, nothing horrible.  But two picks later, we took David Veikune.  The very next pick after him?  LeSean McCoy.  Awesome.  Awesome, Browns.

2010.  In the first round, we took Joe Haden.  Good work, Browns.  I think time will tell that we got this one right.  In the second round, we took TJ Ward.  So far so good with Ward, but a few picks after him was Rob Gronkowski, who is the next "Greatest Tight End in NFL History".  The Colt McCoy pick was fine, he should probably still be our QB right now.  A few picks after him we took Shawn Lauvao.  He shows up to the game on Sundays but nothing stands out.  A few picks after Lauvao was TE Jimmy Graham.  New England has showed us that going TE, TE gets you to the Superbowl.  Well, and speaking of TE's, aside from Graham, we could've gotten Hernandez or Pitta also.  And closing out 2010, we took Carlton Mitchell.  We should've taken Antonio Brown.  Steelers win again.

2011.  We traded down, letting Atlanta take Julio Jones.  We should've probably just taken Julio Jones and given Colt McCoy a #1 WR to throw to..  We ended up with Phil Taylor.  Sheard in the 2nd round will probably be fine, but a few picks later was Torrey Smith.  I like to think that we drafted Greg Little because Torrey Smith was off the board....  But, knowing Cleveland - Greg Little was OUR guy..

Screw this, I'm depressed.  See you next Off-Season when we start to rebuild again.