2019 Browns will be lucky to win five games

[Auggie]

Browns should have eviscerated the Jets in Week 2, winning 35 (or more) to 3 instead of 23 to 3. They had some impressive plays -- Chubb finds a hole, Beckham make an all-pro catch -- but they really didn't dominate with that o-line. They're really not much of a ball control offense. And Mayfield is is still learning.

The defense played more promising, but given New York's QB injuries, it should have been expected.

Season loses? They'll be 1-6 after Week 8, having lost in succession to the Rams, Ravens, 49ers, Seahawks and Patriots. If Mayfield and most the skill players are still healthy after these five games they just might squeak out a win at Mile High against Denver in Week 9. As of now, though, I'd bet against it.

Weeks 10 and 11 match them against the resurgent Bills and always difficult Steelers, even without Roethlisberger. This will be an emotional game as always, and maybe they find a way to beat them at home for win #2.

In Week 12 they should be beat the Dolphins for their 3rd win. They finish out Weeks 13-17 at Pittsburgh (loss), Cincinnati (win), at Arizona (loss), Baltimore (another loss), and at Cincinnati (loss). That makes them 4-12. If they get lucky they beat Cincy twice for a 5-11 finish. If they're extraordinarily lucky they beat either Denver or Arizona and finish 6-10.

I didn't believe the pre-season hoopla. It didn't make sense to trade Beckham for draft choices when the roster of trench players was thin. That trade will hurt them long term. That's my prediction.

[exboyfil]

1. It always comes back to the line

You are right that those resources used on Beckman would have been better used on OLs.

[empedocles]

2. OL & DL

Like in basketball; there are tons of good point guards - good 7 footers much harder to come by.

Quick, strong, 300 lb ers harder to come by.

[JonLP24]

6. The Suns actually have been having a hard time finding a veteran point guard

They finally found Ricky Rubio who is alright but nothing special. Our 7 footer is Deandre Ayton who has a bright future.

[philf99]

4. Are you kidding?

There is no way you will get a talent like OBJ with the 16th pick in the draft.

I somewhat question the trade of Zietler for Vernon but we shall see.

But there is absolutely no question the Browns won the OBJ trade

[Auggie]

7. Beckham can be neutralized by a double-team and/or strong pass rush on Mayfield

On paper the trade might look good, especially for a contender bereft of receivers, but not the rebuilding Browns. The 49ers were in a similar boat as the Browns, but they went for defense in Ohio State's Bosa.

[philf99]

9. Bosa

Or any player of his talent (he was the second pick)
would never have made it to pick 16. And if you neutralize Beckham (and that isn't easy) there are other quality receivers.

It's going to take a little time for this team to "gell" but this is playoff caliber team. Who is going to win the AFC North?

Baltimore (is Lamar Jackson the real deal) is 2-0 but really hasn't played anyone. Pittsburgh has been decimated and Bengals are the Bengals.

Injuries can cause a change but this team contend for a playoff spot last year and should do so this year.

[JonLP24]

10. He is the real deal

Last edited Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:53 AM - Edit history (1)

I watched both of the Ravens games. He did miss more throws in the Arizona game but against the Dolphins he was 3/4 on tight deep throws mostly to Marquise Brown. One of several QBs to throw for 250 and rush for 100 against Arizona. Baltimore should end up leading the league in rushing attempts.

[philf99]

11. May be premature.

Let's see what Jackson does when he plays a real NFL team. I can't include the Dolphins in that category and the Cardinals may or may not.

[JonLP24]

12. I agree but he still made the plays

He missed a few throws against Arizona but overall he is accurate. Baker Mayfield had a more shaky performance against the Jets than that I saw from Lamar Jackson. Mayfield missed an open in the middle of the field TE by waiting to long then got him hurt tossing it into coverage. I didn't see those kind of mistakes from Lamar Jackson. He rifled a pass instead of putting more loft in the throw kind of thing.

[philf99]

21. Baker vs Lamar

After today's game 9-29 no doubt Baker Mayfield is without a doubt a better quarterback than Lamar Jackson.

[JonLP24]

22. He had a better game than Lamar Jackson

but it is too soon to tell. Lamar Jackson had great games while Baker had problems holding on to the ball too long (which is the reason behind why the OP mentioned OL issues).

Before entering today Lamar Jackson was in the top 5 in yards per pass attempt.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/player-stat/gross-yards-per-passing-attempt

They both have a bright future though.

[philf99]

3. RELAX

It's only game 2. Any knowledgeable football fan knows the Browns have lots of talent and are a definite playoff contender.

Go Browns!!!

[Auggie]

8. Let's touch base after Week 8 (n/t)

[philf99]

20. Checking in

Browns 40 Ravens 25

Browns in firsts place and you were wrong!

Go Browns!!!

[Blue_true]

14. Their next five games are against tough teams. nt

[philf99]

17. Right

The Browns need to 2 of those 5.

After that is get significantly easier. The combined record of those teams is 2-17-1

[JonLP24]

5. They turned out to be more hype but a win is a win

I remember people saying Arizona State was going to get blown out by Michigan State because they only beat Sacramento State 19-7 and these were Arizona State fans. I wasn't worried myself. It gave them practice and a chance to work out the kinks.

I penciled in wins and losses before the 1997 Arizona Cardinals season and there were wins that turned out to be losses and losses that turned out to be wins so it may surprise what games the Browns lose or win.

This far out I'd still give the edge to Cleveland over Arizona but Baker Mayfield was shaky which is probably why Cleveland isn't living up to the hype but the NFL is all about matchups.

[Blue_true]

13. Wow, their next five games are a murdered row.

Three-four of the five teams they will face could come into the game undefeated.

[Auggie]

15. Yep.

Don’t believe the hype. One WR (Beckham) does not turn around a team.

[Blue_true]

16. He would be shutdown by a good defense. Stephon Gilmore of the Patriots alone likely

will limit him to maybe 3 inconsequential catches.

[Auggie]

18. Must say I was pretty impressed by the Brownies performance Monday night ...

but they still lost to the Rams.

[JonLP24]

19. It looks like Cleveland will win in Baltimore

Baltimore hasn't committed a turnover all season but had 3 of them today.

[Auggie]

23. So ... any other predictions?

maybe 7-9 if not 6-10.

[Still In Wisconsin]

24. At least you have the Buckeyes... kicked my Badgers butts again good this past weekend. n/t

[Auggie]

25. Pathetic!

[El Supremo]

26. The Donkos sure are!

Oh, wait. You are some sort of Cleveland ex-pat.

[Auggie]

27. Why are you complaining?

Your Broncos beat the “play-off Browns!”

Kitchens is looking like a version of the 49ers Jim Tomsula — the positions coach who was hired to replace Jim Harbaugh in 2015. Nice guy, but not head coach material.

Kitchens hire was another mistake of the front office. One step forward, two steps back.

My predictions are holding up.

[JonLP24]

28. Cleveland defense holds Pittsburgh to 7 points for a TNF win

I think they are a good team they just opened the season with the league's toughest schedule. Not sure if they have a good head coach but Wilks defense did good tonight.

Now the Cardinals have the league's toughest remaining schedule.

[Auggie]

29. Wins like that don't get any uglier

Disgusting display. Ejections, suspensions, poor sportsmanship.

Cleveland will be minus two to three defensive starters next week — and perhaps longer.

[JonLP24]

30. I just saw a clip of that fight

Poor sportsmanship indeed

[Auggie]

31. I should have written psycho sportsmanship

Seconds left in the game. Pittsburgh's offense was thoroughly beaten. It was over. And then ... that.

[Auggie]

32. "Leave it to the Browns to embarrass themselves even in victory"

Joe Starkey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

That wasn’t the only gutless act the Browns committed. After the Garrett helmet swing, defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi blindsided the still-helmetless Rudolph, knocking him to the ground.

Earlier in the game, the Browns put simultaneous head shots (neither one flagged) on Rudolph and JuJu Smith-Schuster, concussing the latter, and defensive back Damarious Randall was ejected for drilling Diontae Johnson with another late head shot. It looked like the Jack Tatum Oakland Raiders running around out there.

Leave it to the Browns to embarrass themselves even in victory.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/joe-starkey/2019/11/15/Joe-Starkey-NFL-suspend-Myles-Garrett-Steelers-Browns-Mason-Rudolph/stories/201911150103

[Auggie]

33. 6-10, and lucky they indeed were.

Who could have expected victories against two playoff teams, including the number one seeded Ravens? Despite those, my late-season predictions were spot on: split the Steelers, split the Bengals, lose to the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos.

Off-season? Begin by trading Beckham for bodies who can protect Mayfield. Beckham will never be happy in Cleveland.

[Auggie]

34. Kick (2020 Browns will be lucky to win five games)

In case you missed it a year ago:

It didn't make sense to trade Beckham for draft choices when the roster of trench players was thin. That trade will hurt them long term. That's my prediction.

One year, and nothing's changed. The defense sucks and Beckham/Mayfield is not working.