@loyalty said:

Colts, Rams, Dolphins, Titans... Takes quite a bit away from even our 6 tough Division Games.

Considering they'll have played (in all likelihood) playoff teams in the Bengals, Ravens, Steelers (all twice), 49ers, Texans & Raiders, that's 9 games out of 16 against top-shelf competition. Of the remaining 7, they've beat who they should've save for the Rams, which would've been a win except for, dare I say it, 1 play (the botched field goal). I don't get where some are saying it's an easy schedule.

I do like the point about the 5 or 6 plays not even having to happen to your own team - the example being the Jackson punt return vs. the Giants last year, or the non-catch by Kellen Winslow @ the end of the Cardinals game in 2007 which would've put the Browns in the playoffs. Very astute...

My pick for the 2011 version of the 2010 Chiefs (worst to first to worst)is the 49ers - a few key injuries or substandard play by no more than 3 or 4 guys turns the team from 12 wins to 6.

The more I watch football (going on 35 years now), the more I realize that the old saying is true: the difference between a win & a loss often comes down to 5 or 6 plays. The Browns' 2011/12 season is an excellent example of this. Let's take a look:

Cincinnati #1: obviously, the quick snap & throw to AJ Green

Seattle: 2 (or was it 3) blocked field goals

Oakland: punt return & fake punt resulting in a touchdown

St. Louis: bad snap/missed field goal

Jacksonville: obviously, the missed throws by Jax @ the end of the game

Cincinnati #2: dropped passes late in the game & AJ Green's catch & run

My point is this: there's not a lot of difference between 60-70% of the teams in the NFL (GB is above this norm, while I'd say Indy is below), & a team's success or failure can often come down to these 5 or 6 plays in a game. One team can be bad one year, have success the next, then return to being mediocre the year after (witness KC & SF this year as opposed to last - not a lot of change in personnel, although you could say that Jim Harbaugh has had a huge effect). The Browns, really, could be anywhere from 2-9 to 7-4 depending on how a few plays in each game turned out.

I don't think they're that far away from the rest of the league - I really don't. A few key additions in the offseason could be all that's needed here, along with a little bit of luck (which I think we can all agree is overdue around here). They have to find a way, however, to do what good teams do on a regular basis - find ways to win.

Another awesome game by the boys - whoopee. Suffice to say that the Texans are simply a better team right now, but that doesn't excuse the pathetic effort that was on full display. Yeah, the team is 3-5, & they've beat the teams that are worse than them & lost to the ones that are better (actually, this supposedly cakewalk schedule is turning out to be not so much), but is it too much to ask for a little creativity, enthusiasm & heart? The highlight of the game, to be honest, was Colt's hot mom in the stands... what does that say?

I must be an idiot, because not only do I cheer for the Browns but also the Edmonton Oilers. Oil management has also been preaching patience, to build through the draft & we'll eventually get better. They finally realized that eventually is a long time away, so you need to have some veteran players, both talented & respected, that can both help the team on the field & in the locker room until the young guys (hopefully) get better. I'm not saying that the Browns FO should've went out & signed a bunch of big $ FA's, but a couple of solid veterans @ key positions (like oh, I don't know, OL & WR) could've had a real influence on the season thus far. So it would've cost some money to get a Vincent Jackson in here - so what? Who are we expecting Little, Norwood, etc. to learn their craft from?

Finally, a nomination for the no-huddle, hurry up offense. Not so much for the idea that it'll keep the defense guessing (which by design it should), but moreso for the reason that it doesn't allow the defense to make substutions; this, coupled with the fact that it's more tiring to play defense than offense, just might tire out a defense & lead to a breakdown in coverage or two. If they're going to be predictable with the playcalling, they could at least be really fast in doing it. Run one of your 10 predictable plays every 20 seconds or so - what can it hurt? If nothing else, the game will be over sooner...

Hi All,

Long time Browns fan here... my frustration with this team lies not so much with the players themselves (we've all seen teams with average talent do well across all sports), but with the play calling on offense. It's not good when you can predict with great accuracy what the team's first offensive series will be before the game even starts, but it's even more ridiculous when it happens time & again! I mean, if you're going to lose, at least do it with some style - throw in some flea-flickers, an occasional hook & ladder, a rollout to a tackle eligible (like the 49ers did twice yesterday). Hell, let Colt & the boys draw up some plays in the sand for all I care, but for the love of god, stop the predictable play calling. If we can all see what they're going to run, I'm sure the opposing defense can as well.

& above all, PLAY TO WIN! When you send in the punt unit on 4th & 2 from the opponent's 39 in the 3rd quarter, that sends a message to your team, specifically the offense, that you have no faith in them & that you've given up. As Gregg Easterbrook from ESPN says, it was "game over" at that point. So much of sports is about momentum, & any that the team had yesterday was gone after the 4th & 2 decision.

Hi All,

Lifelong Browns here (back to RR88 days) - will never waver in my love & support for this team. Having said that, it's been a real chore to watch these last 3 weeks in particular as IMO there's a real lack of passion by both the coaching staff & the players. It seems as though Mangini & co. are playing not to win, but to keep the score as close to possible, which @ this point of the season is redundant. I just don't get it - why are you kicking a field goal in Cincy on 4th & goal when you're behind late in the game? What's it going to hurt by showing some faith in the players & letting them go for it? Same thing with clock management in both the Buf & Bal games, as well as the timid play calling for the most part? I'm well aware of the talent gap in a few positions, such as WR & LB, but come on, I've seen less talented teams do a lot more than these Browns, or at least they were exciting to watch. It's almost like Mangini & the boys think they're a college team & are trying to protect their ranking so that they can qualify for a bowl game... the point is to win, not to be close!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, as many of you are, I'm weary of the constant rinse cycle that this team is on. Just please get some people in here that are passionate about the game of football & are willing to adapt to the given situation - that is, they can improvise on the fly. I could care less who it is (my personal choice would be Jim Harbaugh), but my hope is that they can inspire the players & coaching staff to play to WIN.

Hi all,

Long time Browns fan (since 1980), but first post. I'm a born & raised Edmontonian, so I'm very well versed in all things CFL. FYI, Spurgeon Wynn has never played for the Eskimos (not that I know of), & Trent Green's never played in the CFL. The league itself is a great place for those players from the NCAA who never got a chance in the NFL because they were too small or not quite ready yet, but who have a lot of talent & are well-suited to the style of play up here. If you're not familair with some of the nuances of the league, the field is longer & wider than in the NFL, there's only 3 downs instead of 4, 12 players instead of 11, & unlimited offensive motion is allowed before the snap of the ball. So basically, you get a lot of smaller, quicker players on the lines & in the linebacker positions, not so much the earthmovers that you see in the NFL & NCAA.

You might remember a guy named Tom Cousineau - he played for the Alouettes in the late 70's/early 80's along with guys like Billy "White Shoes" Johnson & Vince Ferregamo. Remember Jared Zabransky, the QB for Boise St. when they beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl a few years ago? He was the 3rd string QB in Edmonton this year. & Graham Harrell from Texas Tech (QB last year when they beat Texas) is on the DL for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.