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2025 Must Win Games

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  • @texasag1969 said:

    I'd say the Browns at Cincy is a Must Win too.

    We're gonna watch all 17 games; but I'll have to remember these must win games.  This way, if the Browns let one of them slip away in the closing minute -  we can cheer our diehard fans up with "It's okay this wasn't a must win."   Think it'll work?  I'll try it out with Kvoethe.

    Here's another thing, the Browns don't always beat the teams they're supposed to beat over the decades I've been watching. Therefore, it would be nice if they beat some of the opponents they aren't supposed to beat.  Even better, we've seen them do it...

    @flugel said:

    the Browns don't always beat the teams they're supposed to beat over the decades

    Truth, but all teams lose to weaker teams once in a while.  We just took it to another level.  We were so bad, that good teams would fall sound asleep against us at halftime...and we'd be so far behind by then that we're playing in panic mode...and we weren't half bad in panic mode.  We'd start scoring points while our sleepy opponent was punting to us...to the extent that the opponent would realize, whoa, we better get serious.  But it was too late, they'd lost their mojo.  We stole many a game in that fashion in our 2002 playoff run.  ( Dear God I wish Northcutt wouldn't have dropped that pass )  

    ----  Aaanyway...every year I look at the schedule and think, we're going to need wins against the lesser teams.  You can't throw away any of those.  It's too hard to beat the good teams...and you have to win some of those 'good team' games too...if ya want to make the playoffs, which is always the goal before a season starts.  And you can't let your division rival sweep you.  You've gotta come out of your division games at least 3-3.  

    It's a ten thousand foot view.  Obviously, the first game of the season is never a must win game.  And the games don't turn into absolute must win games until the latter part of the season when your calculator phone app tells you so.  🙂 

  • @texasag1969 said:

    I'd say the Browns at Cincy is a Must Win too.

    We're gonna watch all 17 games; but I'll have to remember these must win games.  This way, if the Browns let one of them slip away in the closing minute -  we can cheer our diehard fans up with "It's okay this wasn't a must win."   Think it'll work?  I'll try it out with Kvoethe.

    Here's another thing, the Browns don't always beat the teams they're supposed to beat over the decades I've been watching. Therefore, it would be nice if they beat some of the opponents they aren't supposed to beat.  Even better, we've seen them do it...

    @flugel said:

    Here's another thing, the Browns don't always beat the teams they're supposed to beat over the decades I've been watching. Therefore, it would be nice if they beat some of the opponents they aren't supposed to beat.  Even better, we've seen them do it...

    Well I might be dreaming, but I can see the Browns taking down SF & Buffalo at  home.

  • I think you’ve done a post like this the last few years Orion and l appreciate it, but the season is messy especially for us Browns fans. You pegged 8 games here as “must win” but it’s a 17 game schedule. That’s a losing record. 

    If the question is “must win” games, l’m pretty sure it’s more than 8. 

  • In fairness to my buddy Orion, he is just stating games he feels we can and should win.  No doubt we probably win all of those, but it doesn't mean we can't and won't win some of the others.

    Like I said, just win the next game.

    I play golf.  Just focus on the shot you are about to execute.  Don't worry or think about the last shot.  That is over. You can't change that.  Don't think about any other shot except the one you face in the present.

  • I think you’ve done a post like this the last few years Orion and l appreciate it, but the season is messy especially for us Browns fans. You pegged 8 games here as “must win” but it’s a 17 game schedule. That’s a losing record. 

    If the question is “must win” games, l’m pretty sure it’s more than 8. 

    @ibleedbrown said:

    You pegged 8 games here as “must win” but it’s a 17 game schedule. That’s a losing record. 

    Sure is.  That can't be the goal right?  🙂  ( I appreciate your post )    HERE's my thinking in a nutshell:

    1)  Beat the teams you're supposed to beat.   ( this year =  6 wins)

    2)  Play 50/50 against your division rivals.  (  3 wins  )

    3)  Play 50/50 against everyone else.  ( this year = 5 games.  if we win 2 of 'em we have 11 wins)

    Now, when we turn our TV's on at 1:00 on a Sunday, we, like the players, want to win no matter where any opponent is categorized.

    I think that the first area to improve upon would be the divisional games.  The goal is to qualify for the playoffs, but winning your division is a better way to do that.  ---  Can we do the above?  Well, if we can't beat the bottom feeders of the league, then, well, 'nuff said.  🙂  

  • @ibleedbrown said:

    You pegged 8 games here as “must win” but it’s a 17 game schedule. That’s a losing record. 

    Sure is.  That can't be the goal right?  🙂  ( I appreciate your post )    HERE's my thinking in a nutshell:

    1)  Beat the teams you're supposed to beat.   ( this year =  6 wins)

    2)  Play 50/50 against your division rivals.  (  3 wins  )

    3)  Play 50/50 against everyone else.  ( this year = 5 games.  if we win 2 of 'em we have 11 wins)

    Now, when we turn our TV's on at 1:00 on a Sunday, we, like the players, want to win no matter where any opponent is categorized.

    I think that the first area to improve upon would be the divisional games.  The goal is to qualify for the playoffs, but winning your division is a better way to do that.  ---  Can we do the above?  Well, if we can't beat the bottom feeders of the league, then, well, 'nuff said.  🙂  

    @orion said:

    I think that the first area to improve upon would be the divisional games.  The goal is to qualify for the playoffs, but winning your division is a better way to do that.  ---  Can we do the above?  Well, if we can't beat the bottom feeders of the league, then, well, 'nuff said.  🙂  

    Yep. One thing Stefanski does well compared to our previous coaches is win in the division. Hopefully that continues.

  • I sincerely admire your optimism, and I don't mean for that to come off like an asshole at all.

    The over/under in Vegas most of the year has been 4.5, and I think that's pretty accurate. Jets, Raiders, Bears, Patriots, and Titans are all there potentially and getting +/- 2 or 3 wins in the division would be my guess. I'd actually bet the over, but I think the ceiling for this year is 6-11.  On top of being in a tough division, drawing the NFC North is brutal as all of those teams have a case for being playoff caliber. I obviously hope I'm wrong, but we shall see.

  • I sincerely admire your optimism, and I don't mean for that to come off like an asshole at all.

    The over/under in Vegas most of the year has been 4.5, and I think that's pretty accurate. Jets, Raiders, Bears, Patriots, and Titans are all there potentially and getting +/- 2 or 3 wins in the division would be my guess. I'd actually bet the over, but I think the ceiling for this year is 6-11.  On top of being in a tough division, drawing the NFC North is brutal as all of those teams have a case for being playoff caliber. I obviously hope I'm wrong, but we shall see.

    @jrb12711 said:

     I'd actually bet the over, but I think the ceiling for this year is 6-11.  On top of being in a tough division, drawing the NFC North is brutal as all of those teams have a case for being playoff caliber. I obviously hope I'm wrong, but we shall see.

    We will know quite a bit early on obviously. Three games vs the NFC North, Cincy, Rats, & Steelers before the BYE.

    I think the Browns win the game in London vs Minnesota. We'll all be giddy before 1pm on a Sunday??

  • I’ve taken over 4.5 wins.  
     

    Bengals, Packers and Vikings all winnable.  I think we are 2-1 in that stint of games 

    Jets, Dolphins, Titans, Raiders.  3-1 or 2-2

    that leaves us at the mark or needing just one more along the way.

    oline and dline staying healthy are the key.  We have playmakers at every level on defense.  Sneaky deep in skilled position players.  Ceiling 8 wins the floor 5

  • I sincerely admire your optimism, and I don't mean for that to come off like an asshole at all.

    The over/under in Vegas most of the year has been 4.5, and I think that's pretty accurate. Jets, Raiders, Bears, Patriots, and Titans are all there potentially and getting +/- 2 or 3 wins in the division would be my guess. I'd actually bet the over, but I think the ceiling for this year is 6-11.  On top of being in a tough division, drawing the NFC North is brutal as all of those teams have a case for being playoff caliber. I obviously hope I'm wrong, but we shall see.

    @jrb12711 said:

    I sincerely admire your optimism

    🙂  This thread isn't a record prediction thread.  Dutch will be doing that.  It's more of a roadmap to a possible playoff appearance.  I don't know what our record will be.  Frankly, I think we could be 0-5 when the Steelers come into Cleveland.  Of course, I hope not.  

  • @jrb12711 said:

    I sincerely admire your optimism

    🙂  This thread isn't a record prediction thread.  Dutch will be doing that.  It's more of a roadmap to a possible playoff appearance.  I don't know what our record will be.  Frankly, I think we could be 0-5 when the Steelers come into Cleveland.  Of course, I hope not.  

    @orion said:

    🙂  This thread isn't a record prediction thread.  Dutch will be doing that.   

    Yep, it's coming.

    And I predict it is going to be the zaniest Dutch's Browns Questions ever. This upcoming season is such a question mark, and I'm still trying to figure out how to properly come up with questions that will fit with what should be a very interesting season. Perhaps not terribly successful, but definitely interesting.

  • @orion said:

    🙂  This thread isn't a record prediction thread.  Dutch will be doing that.   

    Yep, it's coming.

    And I predict it is going to be the zaniest Dutch's Browns Questions ever. This upcoming season is such a question mark, and I'm still trying to figure out how to properly come up with questions that will fit with what should be a very interesting season. Perhaps not terribly successful, but definitely interesting.

    @dutch-oven said:

    Yep, it's coming.

    And I'll wait until the final 53 (including additions/drops after initial 53) to answer anything.?

  • @dutch-oven said:

    Yep, it's coming.

    And I'll wait until the final 53 (including additions/drops after initial 53) to answer anything.?

    @texasag1969 said:

    And I'll wait until the final 53 (including additions/drops after initial 53) to answer anything.?

    I'll post them a week before the opener

  • @texasag1969 said:

    And I'll wait until the final 53 (including additions/drops after initial 53) to answer anything.?

    I'll post them a week before the opener

    @dutch-oven said:

    I'll post them a week before the opener

    I think Aggies' predictions from last year eventually surfaced on the side of a milk carton.  

  • @dutch-oven said:

    Yep, it's coming.

    And I'll wait until the final 53 (including additions/drops after initial 53) to answer anything.?

    @texasag1969 said:

    And I'll wait until the final 53 (including additions/drops after initial 53) to answer anything.?

    Yes!  'Cause those bottom 5 spots on the roster can make or break our season.  🙂  

    Me, I wanna see how our starters do against the Rams backups.  🙂  

  • @texasag1969 said:

    And I'll wait until the final 53 (including additions/drops after initial 53) to answer anything.?

    Yes!  'Cause those bottom 5 spots on the roster can make or break our season.  🙂  

    Me, I wanna see how our starters do against the Rams backups.  🙂  

    @orion said:

    Yes!  'Cause those bottom 5 spots on the roster can make or break our season.  🙂  

    Me, I wanna see how our starters do against the Rams backups.  🙂  

    Well now ya know. Out goes the starting center.

  • At home against the Bengals was one of my Must Win games.  We Lost.  In order to make up for that we're going to have to beat them on January 4th in Cincy.