None of us knows for sure but I think it is highly unlikely for several reasons: Schedule: The 11 wins the Browns had in 2020 were against teams with a combined 70-103-2 record. Their losses were against teams with a combined 50-36. Four of their wins were against the NFC North who's division champion finished 7-9. Do I think it's likely they'll ever have a schedule that brutally easy again? Unlikely. Health: Other than losing OBJ damn near the entire team was healthy. There were a few missed games here and there but the o-line was there all year. D-line was there most of the year. Even when Chubb missed games you had Hunt play in all of them. And Mayfield was basically untouched. Offense: The Browns ran Stefanski's offense to a tee. Top 3 running attack, QB playing within the system. They were able to build leads, use the play action passing game and then use the 4 minute drill late to finish teams off. Mayfield wasn't under pressure, he had wide open passing lanes and he had easy reads all created by the success of the running game. Baker was still terrible under pressure: But they didn't put him in position to be under pressure often. They had built leads. They used the play action game when they did throw, kept him clean and gave him easy reads. I feel sorry for your struggles. I imagine it's pretty tough to reconcile but as I told you privately, I don't think it's our place to judge others, especially when we really don't have the facts. I'm not religious but pretty sure it says something about casting stones in the Bible. My comments to you are based on my feeling that what you are also struggling with is your inability to admit Baker is not as good as you thought he would be. And I get it. I defended Jarvis Jones until he flamed out in Arizona. And others around me knew he would bust from day one. Sucked admitting it and Baker is certainly better than Jarvis vs the field but he's not a franchise guy. The Browns are proving that and the lack of interest around the league is doing the same. I don't care how much money he is due and how bad his perceived attitude is. If he had the talent that many of you believe he has he would already be on another team. Franchise QBs get multiple opportunities, especially ones that have played as many games as Baker.
Meh.. Those people know what they are doing. They wouldn't lay the bet offer if they didn't. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Even though I stopped betting on football about 3 years ago, I reference it often because it's one of the most real things out there. Oddsmakers do their homework, and they have resources that us commoners don't.
Sorry to hear about your father. I can relate to everything you are sayin. Lost my mother a few years back very sudden, and mentioned it on these threads. My love for the Browns is because of my dad as well....In fact, most every Browns fan I know was born and bred. I think that's just the way it is.
Agree to disagree. 2021 Super Bowl Odds (post NFL draft): Browns 7th, Broncos 9th and Seahawks were 12th. Meanwhile a few playoff teams... Raiders were 24th, Eagles 27th and Bengals 29th. 2021 AFC North (post NFL draft): Ravens +115, Browns +145, Steelers +440, Bengals +2300 - they had it completely backwards.
Last point on this and then I'll move on. What are the odds Steelers will be last place team considering they haven't finished last in the division in 32 years?
I'd say, yeah it's been about 32 years since the Steelers had a QB situation like this. I'm guessing that was Mark Malone era. Those were good times! Just imagine if they had only drafted Marino, you'd have to go back to the 60's... There are 3 stud QB's in the AFCN and Trubisky....Maybe they will prove everyone wrong, but until they do, the odds are what they are.
Yeah I have to agree with TD on this one. You’ve dominated the division and you’ve squeaked it out a couple times during that 32 years, but unless something drastic happens… you know, like the Browns losing their QB to suspension all year, it’s an uphill climb when it comes to the odds. ODDS are, the Steelers finally feel the basement. Odds are nothing more than numbers, but who else would you put the odds on in this situation?
The prior year or two is fair game. 32 years is ridiculous. Virtually none of the players were even alive 32 years ago.
It's only ridiculous if you're argument is, "THIS happened in 1988 so THIS is going to happen in 2022." It's not ridiculous to say, "This group of people has established a pattern that extends back 32 years."
Its even more ridiculous to say that's my argument . . . because you know it isn't. Only if the same group of people were involved for the past 32 years.
Well you used the furthest year of the last 32 to make your point. "Virtually none of the players were even alive 32 years ago." The core of the owners and front office go back 20+. The head coach 15 years. But no since arguing semantics. In recent history the Steelers were able to beat the Browns, Ravens and Bengals with Duck Hodges at QB. So to dismiss them because Ben (who you called the worst QB in the AFC North last year) is gone doesn't make sense. They have the best defense in the North, they are the best coached team in the North and they have made considerable improvements to the o-line to get the running game going. Plus, Trubisky is going to be way better than you guys think. The guy won in Chicago with crap around him. He's gonna love playing for the Steelers. And he's going to win. Too early predictions for the AFC North: Pittsburgh 12-5 Ravens 11-6 Bengals 10-7 Browns 9-8
I posted this about 10 months ago. Just gonna repost it and highlight a few things... Finding QBs isn't as hard as it used to be. Just in the last five years: Kirk Cousins free agency Patrick Mahomes 10th pick Deshaun Watson 12th pick Josh Allen 7th pick Lamar Jackson 32nd pick Ryan Tannehill 4th round pick and 7 million Justin Herbert 6th pick Jordan Love 26th pick Tom Brady free agency Jameis Winston free agency Sam Darnold 2nd, 4th and 6th Carson Wentz 2nd and 3rd Dwayne Haskins exclusive rights free agent? Justin Fields 11th pick Mac Jones 15th pick Wouldn't say I'm a fan of every situation there but if the Steelers can trade up to #10 for a linebacker they can acquire a QB. Tomlin has a winning record with the likes of Charlie Batch, Dennis Dixon, Landry Jones, Duck Hodges and Mason Rudolph and a QB taking 12-15% of the salary cap on the bench. I've never said they were bulletproof. I said use their history to guide you. Ben Roethlisberger has missed 39 games in his career and the Steelers are 22-17. And not to sound like a broken record but those are games in which the Steelers poured all their financial and preparatory resources into Ben being the guy. Imagine if they had a whole off-season and Ben's salary to spread around prior to playing those 39 games? Pretty good odds that they win more than 22. Even a modest improvement like 5 games makes the record 27-12. I can't say I'm the biggest Rudolph fan but in a Week 17 meaningless game last year, several starters taking the week off and the Browns playing for their playoff lives he was a missed 2pt conversion from tying the game with a minute left. As for the rebuild comment I can only say... in your dreams. There is too much young talent on that roster. I saw a guy with a dead arm at the end of last season. Will that happen again? None of us know. But he had shortened off-season to get his arm in shape and then went out and threw it 600 times in 15 games. I'd like to see that number in the 450-500 range. So do the Steelers. Another year post-surgery is typically better for athletes. Only time will tell. Where's Gmiller when you need him? Last but not least... The Steelers have 45 players on the roster next year and a projected 75 million in cap space. T.J.'s deal will take a small portion of that and they have a couple guys they may want to bring back but for the first time in a really long time they will have options.
