Cleveland Browns

[Son of Butch]

Thanks for the thought, but it won't help.... franchise carries a Super Bowl curse.

 

[haase]

If Rodgers gets another shoulder injury this year, packers won't need curse just another qb, anyway I think Favre has a curse Rodgers.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Yesterday day I saw a picture of Mayfield staring at the stadium from his hotel room. If he's as passionate as he is cocky, he may just have what it takes to turn this team around. I think they'll be surprisingly "improved" this year. With their offseason moves it seems like they're at least trying, and it's hard to get anyone to go there after the dismal season they had last year combined with the climate of the city. It will be interesting to see how they do. Now only ~four more months of waiting....

 

[Son of Butch]

I will bet Mayfield improves the Browns season record (0-16 last season) in less than 10 games.

I know a fairly sharp sports gambler who says the Browns will win more games this season than the Raiders
but he wants 7-5 odds to accept a wager.... he wins $700 if he's right loses $500 if he's wrong.

 

[greybeard]

Yeah, being 'improved' from 0-16 won't take much will it?

 

[Bestoutwest]

I'd bet on them winning 6 games next year. They've got some weak opponents and a couple of teams that they were close to beating last year.

 

[houstoncutter]

A walk-in starter at Tech. A walk on starter at OU. Cat definitely has a different motor than most. Think I'll hold of on judgement for a while.

 

[greybeard]

I'd bet on them winning 6 games next year. They've got some weak opponents and a couple of teams that they were close to beating last year.

So you're saying the Browns really haven't improved, it's just a case of some of the opposition getting worse?

 

[Son of Butch]

Browns 0-16 record is somewhat misleading, with a little luck they could easily have been 5-11 the same as Denver.
They were within striking distance in 6 games last season, including losing twice in overtime.

The lost 4 games by a field goal (3 points)
1 game by 4 pts (at Pittsburgh)
1 game by 6 pts (in overtime)

It would only take a little improvement this season for them to beat Houston's 4-12 or match Oakland's 6-10 record
from last season.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Browns 0-16 record is somewhat misleading, with a little luck they could easily have been 5-11 the same as Denver.

They lost 4 games by a field goal (3 points)
1 game by 4 pts (at Pittsburgh)
1 game by 6 pts (in over time)

It would only take a little improvement this season for them to beat Houston's 4-12 or match Oakland's 6-10 record
from last season.

They had the worst luck lost several with seconds on the clock.

 

[greybeard]

Since we're talking NFL, rules are changing for kickoffs next season.

The adjustments -- prompted largely by a group of special teams coaches who traveled to a Wednesday meeting at league headquarters -- are designed to make the kickoff "much more of a punt play," according to competition committee chairman Rich McKay. The kickoff will remain on a "short leash," according to committee member and Green Bay Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy, but it appears to have survived for at least another year.

The proposed changes will be written into a formal document by next week and presented to owners for approval during their May 21-23 meetings in Atlanta. They include:

* Coverage teams would lose the 5-yard head start they previously had;

* Five players would need to be aligned on each side of the kicker;

* All wedge blocks, including two-man double teams, would be eliminated;

* Eight of the 11 return team members would be lined up within 15 yards of the restraining line, and blocking would be prohibited within those 15 yards;

* There would be no pre-kick motion;

* Onside kick rules would remain largely unchanged.

The governing idea was to reduce the space and speed of collisions that have historically occurred on kickoffs.

"With the old rule, you had guys running at each other," said Kansas City Chiefs special-teams coordinator Dave Toub, one of nine current special teams coaches in the room for the discussion. "Now, you'll have guys running with each other down the field. That makes a big difference ... because the distance between the two of them are closer. The distance between the front line and the kickoff return team is so tight that when they run down the field, it's a lot like a punt. They're running together. You're pushing people on the side and you don't have those big collisions. That was the main thing in our proposal."

The competition committee discarded some of the coaches' more radical proposals, including a rule that would place all fair-caught kickoffs at the 25-yard line.

And, pics..or it didn't happen? :hide:
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2338 ... ing-report

 

[Bestoutwest]

I'd bet on them winning 6 games next year. They've got some weak opponents and a couple of teams that they were close to beating last year.

So you're saying the Browns really haven't improved, it's just a case of some of the opposition getting worse?

They were close with a couple games last year, and I think they've improved enough that they'll get over the hump in a few games.

 

[greybeard]

handgrenades, horseshoes, and atom bombs is all that counts in 'close'..

 

[Son of Butch]

Football Outsiders way too early 2019 season... they project the 5 worst teams will be:
The Bills, Da Bears, Giants, Jets and Buccaneers
Interestingly they also have Houston making the playoffs as the Wild Card.

 

[Son of Butch]

Cleveland Browns 2000 draft round 6
pick 183 QB Spergon Wynn from Mn Gophers (woo hoo) nfl career 1 td 7 ints 585 yards with passer rating 39.5
OOPS
pick 199 Tom Brady nfl career to date: 488 tds 160 ints 66,159 yards and passer rating 97.6

 

[Son of Butch]

Browns cursed?
cb Denzel Ward drafted at 4 by the Browns injured his hip 1st day of 3 day mini camp for rookies and had to sit out.