Let's talk about the Cleveland Browns

[TLO]

Week 1.

Chiefs vs Browns.

Talk about it here.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

Any given Sunday and all that, but I expect that The Chiefs win week one, because they are the better team.

I don't think The Browns will have an answer for a Chiefs team that is no longer weak in the trenches and one dimensional offensively. I think The Chiefs defense is going to be markedly improved. I think something like 34-20 is about right, with one Cleveland TD being a garbage time TD against a prevent D.

I DO think Cleveland is a legit play-off team, and will go somewhere in the 11-5, 12-4 area. Probably good enough to win that division.

I just don't think they're in KC's class, but then I don't know who is in the AFC. Nobody really.

Agree with this. Good post.

The big difference (and we saw this in the playoffs) is that when the Chiefs really need to score points they go off (the SB and all the issues leading up to it notwithstanding). The Browns, Ravens, Bills, etc all have teams with quarterbacks who haven’t shown they can do this consistently. That’s the big difference.

We have the men. We have the weapons. That’s why we’ll fight — and we’ll win!

[Rainbarrel]

KSHB 41 is showing Browns vs Falcons tonight. Two Chiefs games and only this other game? What in the wide world of sports?

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Rainbarrel

KSHB 41 is showing Browns vs Falcons tonight. Two Chiefs games and only this other game? What in the wide world of sports?

Are you related to Nickhead by chance?

[Rainbarrel]

Descendents of former exiled convicts?

[NWChubb83]

Interesting thoughts in this thread. Looking forward to the match-up. Browns will basically have 8-9 new starters on defense this year. It will take a few weeks to gel, but we have high hopes the defense will be much, much better by end of year- especially in secondary. Not sure it makes sense to bring up last years results when talking about this game.

Obviously, a tough matchup for Browns week 1, but might be a tad closer than a lot of these predictions.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by NWChubb83

Interesting thoughts in this thread. Looking forward to the match-up. Browns will basically have 8-9 new starters on defense this year. It will take a few weeks to gel, but we have high hopes the defense will be much, much better by end of year- especially in secondary. Not sure it makes sense to bring up last years results when talking about this game.

Obviously, a tough matchup for Browns week 1, but might be a tad closer than a lot of these predictions.

Just because they are New does not mean they are good. These Jags will be going against the best offense in the NFL. Good luck.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by NWChubb83

Interesting thoughts in this thread. Looking forward to the match-up. Browns will basically have 8-9 new starters on defense this year. It will take a few weeks to gel, but we have high hopes the defense will be much, much better by end of year- especially in secondary. Not sure it makes sense to bring up last years results when talking about this game.

Obviously, a tough matchup for Browns week 1, but might be a tad closer than a lot of these predictions.

What really doesn't make sense is all the fans/pundits pretending that they were at the Chiefs' level last year because the final score was close.

Imagine if Mayfield had gone down early in the 2nd half and Mahomes was healthy throughout. Blowout city.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

Oh, I think the Steelers are in serious decline.

Cleveland is at worst the 2nd best team.

I have a hard time imagining the Steelers being more than a game or two above .500 this year.

The AFC North does look like one of the more balanced divisions in football on paper. Curious to see how that one shakes out.

My gut says Ravens take it.

[NWChubb83]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Just because they are New does not mean they are good. These Jags will be going against the best offense in the NFL. Good luck.

Derp.

With that rationale, “KC has a bunch of new guys on the o-line, doesn’t mean they are good” See? I can do this too.

You guys throw around the word Jags a lot. What we trotted out last year in the playoffs was a bunch of Jags and Myles and Denzel. We have upgraded literally every position on defense. Browns defense will be much, much better by end of year.

I’m not challenging KC’s offense. I realize it will be extremely difficult game for Browns D, but they will be light years better than the abortion we had last year.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by NWChubb83

Derp.

With that rationale, “KC has a bunch of new guys on the o-line, doesn’t mean they are good” See? I can do this too.

You guys throw around the word Jags a lot. What we trotted out last year in the playoffs was a bunch of Jags and Myles and Denzel. We have upgraded literally every position on defense. Browns defense will be much, much better by end of year.

I’m not challenging KC’s offense. I realize it will be extremely difficult game for Browns D, but they will be light years better than the abortion we had last year.

The Browns pass rush will be worse than last season. The entire 2-deep DL on your depth chart combined for 16.5 sacks last season. 12 from Garrett alone. That means 7 dudes combined for 4.5 sacks last season.

[BlackOp]

Well if the Browns get to play the Chiefs without Mahomes for half of it...it'll be interesting.

KC was cruising until he went out...

[NWChubb83]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

The Browns pass rush will be worse than last season. The entire 2-deep DL on your depth chart combined for 16.5 sacks last season. 12 from Garrett alone. That means 7 dudes combined for 4.5 sacks last season.

I would argue Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley is an upgrade over Adrian freaking Clayborn (who started last year in the playoffs) Malik Jackson is an upgrade over Ogunjobi at DT. JOK will be used in blitz packages as well. To say our pass rush will be worse is simply wrong.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by NWChubb83

I would argue Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley is an upgrade over Adrian freaking Clayborn (who started last year in the playoffs) Malik Jackson is an upgrade over Ogunjobi at DT. JOK will be used in blitz packages as well. To say our pass rush will be worse is simply wrong.

Funny enough Claiborn had more sacks than Clowney and Takk combined last season. He almost had more QB Hits than the two combined as well.

Not sure what you’ve seen from Clowney or McKinley over the last 2 years that would make you enthusiastic about the pass rush at all.

Malik Jackson is old and hasn’t been productive in like 3 seasons. Maybe he finds the fountain of youth this year.

No mention of losing Sheldon Richardson or Olivier Vernon?

[smithandrew051]

Oh yeah, and PLEASE blitz Mahomes. That always works.

[Rainbarrel]

The 12th man will be back off IR.