Well, where to start......... This is more Karma based and the futility of being a Browns fan all my life. With my hopes now being ever so high with another Steelers' loss, let's list off what I've got.... 1) Getting laid off 3 weeks ago and this is my last week. Happy phuquing holidays to me. Thank goodness for a year of severance pay. 2) The Steelers lost another and the Browns are creeping back into talk of winning the division 3) 2020 has been a real shitty year with Covid and for the 2nd year in a row I can't visit my Mom in Cleveland for Christmas (hurt her back last year - called off Christmas gathering) 4) The Browns are on a roll and getting better every week and are on the verge of maybe clinching a playoff spot. What could go wrong with that? 5) Playing a hated rival with a chance to prove a point and hammer home that this team is no joke will make some noise come playoff time. 6) It was leaked that the Cleveland Indians may change their name this week after 105 years 7) Had a lot more of these thought out on the way to work and now can't remember them....... As a Browns fan I've witnessed The Drive, The Fumble, The Helmet Toss, The Move and as a fan have been a part of over two decades of futility, floundering and suffering since they returned. So how more "Browns" could it be, with my hopes for this team at their highest point ever since Bernie brought them back from 20-10 for a victory against the Jets in January of 1987? This is a perfect opportunity for the evil curses and demons that have plagued the Browns to rise up and bite them again. Prediction: Browns lose in some awesome, jaw dropping fashion that earns a new nickname for yet another way to lose in Browns style. (And deep down I'm still hoping they win - hmmmm.....maybe Karma owes ME this year......no, no, no.....nevermind. That's just crazy talk.)
Well, they phased out the cartoonish mascot this last year or two due to it being offensive to Native Americans. And I believe that pretty much also was the same for the Indians as a team name, so that is coming to an end as well. I would think that The Wahoos would draw up the memory of the retired mascot and still cause a hub-bub over its offensive past. Doesn't really matter if anyone agrees with it. It's a done deal and just got to move on and accept it and hope they get a cool new team name and logo/mascot.
BTW @KilkennyDan Congratulations on the victory over the Steelers. Helped the Browns out big time and gives them at least a small shot at winning the division with some more help.
Duff - I feel ya. I gotta believe those of us who are long termers (and what other Browns fans are there?) this fear of Brownsing the season lives inside us. Tonight we shed that closet monster!
Imagine tomorrow: We own Baltimore We have a 13 and 3 record taking shape We have the league's top running back We "are" in the playoffs We are talking about an 8 game winning streak to close out We're saying "come get some" to Pitt The universe is tilting towards Cleveland Let's go Browns
In what's been a recurring theme for me this season: A. Joe Woods does not have the horses to effectively run his defense B. Even with the horses, I'm not certain Joe Woods is the guy to run this defense Both of those things are true and both are the biggest reasons we lost that game last night. Yes, having Grant Delpit would be nice -- especially against a running back like Lamar, but on a 4th and 6, you ask rush-end Olivier Vernon to *checks notes* drop into zone coverage? Yikes. Andrew Sendejo sucks up the room, sure, but the defense goes out there and allows back-up Trace McSorely complete a dagger on 3rd and 10 (the play that lost the game, tbh)? Disappointed, because the offense seems to be finding itself and has been in a pretty good rhythm lately. This defense is going to hold them back from making any serious push in the post season - and the Giants and Steelers are not 'gimme' wins, so this defense could hold them back from even making the post season.
I'm not certain about Joe Woods either. But what I am certain of . . . you can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit. Add Mitchell to the list. Sure, it would have been nice to have had Ward, Williams and Delpit last night but ALL teams have injuries. This team STILL can't compensate for them. And our LB corp is still suspect.
Agreed on all points - and I'm certain the defense will get prioritized in the offseason (both free agency and the draft).
Don't get me wrong. I firmly believe the Browns have turned the corner as far as developing a winning culture in no small part due to Stefanski and Berry. But culture can't overcome the lack of the starting talent we saw on defensive side of the field last night.
With the exception of Las Vegas (who are not good and who's record is very suspect), the Browns are the only team this year with (1) a winning record, (2) a negative point differential. And our -20 PD is worse than five other teams' who have losing records (New England, -2; Washington, +12; Chicago, -9; Atlanta, +6; San Francisco, -11). Just feels like if you score 42 points in prime time, you ought to win that game 99 times out of 100.
The defense should be the only priority this off season. 2021 NFL Draft is HUGE on Offensive Player's,,,,,,,,QB's and WR..........Browns will have to look at FA or a Trade for Defensive player ??? Good Luck and I think Stefanski gets Coach of the year.
CoY? Perhaps Stefanski wins it, but they’ll need another 2 or 3 W’s. Otherwise, McDermitt is likely to get it for what he’s done with the Bills this year.
