Browns picked to win zero games.

dencyguy

They said it's a possibility, not a pick...and if you look at the teams in the league and tried to figure out which ones might go winless, the Browns would have better odds than others. Although I would replace the Browns and Bucs with the Bengals and Raiders, who are one Carson Palmer injury or one Al Davis remaining alive from complete collapse.

Also, what's up with all this media conspiracy-theory talk? For one thing, it makes little sense--you mean they're not lining up to sing the praises of a team that went 4-12 last year, hasn't picked a starting QB, and has a defense that's been a sieve for the last ten years or so? But now they have a new coach who almost made the playoffs last year and a bunch of players off his team...Miami, here we come! Plus, exactly how does the media make a team lose or get a coach fired? Well, the team didn't play as well because the media was so negative, and then they were always on the coach, which created an atmosphere of losing...

Look: what is the coach there to do? Motivate the players and get them to win. If the team falls apart because Tony Grossi writes an article, then he's clearly not done his job because the team is so fragile. Want better press? Win more games, and shockingly Big Media will shower you with love.

Dennis

The other day a guy called in to a radio station down here and ripped into the host for predicting the Vols would go 7-5: "Why do you guys think it's your job to keep enthusiasm down? I think the team can win eight or nine, but you have to admit you're at least partly responsible if they don't do better than that."

Thaak

I like that some of these guy's comments are based on information that's months old.

DTBH

You're right about the media, Dency. They'll get respect when they earn it. But there are a ton of reasons to believe they'll get better this year from the four wins last year.

1. A deeper, more talented wide receiver group

2. Two healthy quarterbacks. There wasn't much time last year with a completely healthy starting QB not named Ken Dorsey.

3. Deeper secondary with Hood, Ivy and a more experienced B-Mac, Wright.

4. Deeper, healthier O-line with a first-round center and healthy Tucker

5. Maybe the RBs didn't improve much, but Harrison will at least get more touches and we'll see what we got in Davis.

6. The only major losses, Winslow and Jones, have been replaced very well. Specifically Winslow, which was addition by subtraction in a lot of minds

7. A deeper defensive line that also will see Rogers and Williams second year in the 3-4 and Williams' first healthy year. Additions like Coleman and the health of Robaire Smith will prove huge.

8. Additions to the LB crew like Barton and Veikune provides depth.

9. Maybe most of all, a Coach who will instill discipline and maximize talent

10. Easier schedule

I know that's all packed full of optomism, but it's all based on true things.

DeadWombat

While sometimes posting on this board, its hard to not drink the kool-aide... it seems that the media has the opposite problem.

I don't think we're anywhere near off as bad as the article suggests.... But you can't ignore the fact that we have an untested (though potentially talented) WR core, an aging RB, no stand-out QB, and a completely new defensive and offensive schemes....

There's so many unknowns, here. We will just have to wait and see how it all plays out.

DTBH

@deadwombat said:
I don't think we're anywhere near off as bad as the article suggests.... But you can't ignore the fact that we have an untested (though potentially talented) WR core, an aging RB, no stand-out QB, and a completely new defensive and offensive schemes....

I agree with most of those negatives, but I don't know if I'd say the defensive scheme is completely knew. It's still a Belichick type 2 gap 3-4 isn't it?

Sidney Crosby

@shepwrite said:
I want this guy's e-mail when we win our 10th game.

I'm not sure he'll care in 20 years...

Brownsfan1

Its almost impossible to go 0-16 probally harder then 16-0 but I have a feeling we might seem more teams do both in the coming years thats how uneven the NFL is becomging the amazing thing is how fast a team can bounce back form a 1-15 or 0-16 year to become 8-8 in like a year.

BradyQuinnisBeast

Allen Patrick has been long gone

roach

i guarantee that we won't go 0-16.

i also feel, but not guarantee, that we won't win more than 11 games. That's my prediction and i'm sticking to it.

Dawgstucknpa

Look, it gets entirely overlooked that our 1ST and 2ND string QB's were out half of the year!!! No team can succeed with this. Now the Browns D was still bad last year, but they could have been a 6 to 8 win team had either Quin or DA been healthy. And I'm sorry, but once your top two QB's go down, i find it really hard to believe many of the players were still 100% motivated. It doesnt take much for a good team to go to hell and quickly. It's so much about confidence and there was none with Bruce Gradkowski at the helm.

LNC

No way they go 0-16. How well they do depends on lot of things out of any one's control. Things look better now, but as was pointed out, both DA and Quinn were down last year. You lose key players like that, you're in trouble. A lot of people expect the Patriots to automatically go back to the SB because Brady's back. Depends on what happens through the season. What if he goes out in the first game again? Browns RIGHT NOW look way better than last year, but staying uninjured is important to that look. Cross your fingers.