http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/73828/browns-season-prediction-6-10Browns season prediction: 6-10
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The Cleveland Browns will end up being the most improved team in the AFC North and will still finish in last place. That's how tough this division has become. The goal would be to reach .500, but there's still too many holes on this team for the Browns to achieve that. This has the look of a sixth straight double-digit-loss season, even though this team will be better than the previous ones.
The offense will be more explosive under coordinator Norv Turner, and Trent Richardson can be a top-five running back if he remains healthy. On defense, the Browns invested $35 million in guaranteed money in linebacker Paul Kruger and defensive lineman Desmond Bryant in free agency and used the No. 6 overall pick on pass-rusher Barkevious Mingo. There's no doubt that the Browns will be more disruptive on defense.
But despite salary-cap room, the Browns didn't significantly upgrade at cornerback, free safety, inside linebacker, guard or fullback. As one team official told me, you can't expect the Browns to fix all of their problems in one offseason. This franchise is at least one more year away from challenging the likes of the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Predicted finish in AFC North: Fourth
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As one team official told me
Yeah, I laughed at that too. I'm slowly moving away from the the AFC North blog on ESPN. Hensley is kind of an idiot. The typos in his articles drive me nuts. The last guy was way better.
Walker was much better than Hensley. But ESPN is going to a new format where one reporter is going to cover each team (Hensley is going to cover the Ravens). They have yet to fill the Browns' slot so Hensley is pulling double duty.
I think the Steelers are going to struggle this season. I have never said that in the past. I see the Bengals and Ravens fighting it out for first and the Browns/Steelers battling to stay out of the basement.
The steelers will suck just bad enough to land Clowney to pair with Jones lol.
I think the Ravens are a 7-8 win team and it could get a lot worse.
Bengals 10 plus, its a battle of Ohio this year.
I feel the Browns will be a wildcard contender. Now that can change in a hurry with good momentum or bad momentum. Those first 4 weeks are everything. I feel we are an 8 win team and could add a few more with momentum. Parity is so prevalent, momentum is everything, just look at the ravens last year. They were an 8 win caliber team that got hot at the right time. Those Giants super bowl teams the last few years were the same.
The AFC is simply not as strong as they were. I feel our schedule is a very good schedule for the Browns. A defense that wants to get after it and can get after it, going against teams with very shaky offensive lines. Our secondary is also shaky but thats the fun of the games.
The Bengals have the only good offensive line we will face this year.
Wow you really see the Steelers as being that bad this season? I honestly still see them as a playoff caliber team. It wouldn't shock me if they won the division over Cincy quite frankly.
But if I had to pick my AFC playoff teams:
AFC East - Patriots
AFC West - Broncos
AFC South - Texans
AFC North - Bengals
Wildcard - Colts
Wildcard - Steelers
Some more of that anonymous ESPN optimism, favoring the Browns yet again. Puke. We need to get that oracle of an anonymous official to pick us to win it all. That has been the problem. ESPN might still be mourning the passing of the stale story opportunity that was their obsessive mancrush on Ray Lewis.
As much as I look forward to kicking off the season; truth be told, I am not very excited about the Browns as a team.
It looks to me like the ceiling for the team is nine wins which in the end is mediocrity.
Weeden to me may reach being average. The receiving corp overall needs more talent. Hopefully Gordon will recognize his opportunity and reach his full potential.
Mingo may become a good player but for the life of me, I still do not understand the selection when corner or safety was a greater need. I get BPA but Mingo has a lot to prove.
The kicking game is a total question mark which for a team in the AFC North is a big deal. Dawson was money when you really needed it.
The defense should be better given the investment. I do believe they will bring more pressure on the QB. The back end I am not sure of. Hayden and Ward are good players but not much beyond them.
At the end of the day it is all about quarterback play. I want to get behind Weeden but I just don't see him being consistent. That is key- consistency. It is not just about making a couple good throws. It is about leading your team to victory when the game is on the line.
The orange helmet and seal skin brown jerseys still rule and I will be there pulling for my team.
I just wish we had a quarterback that I truly believed in.
I understand the pick for Cincinnati, However if Andy Dalton gets injured that team is finished for the season. They have Josh Johnson and John Skelton as the backups. I heard one cant read defenses and the other cant hit the red side of a barn. While they should win the north < shivers> That injury can rule them out. The same can be said with Pitts. If Roth goes out they have Gradkowski and Jones. At least if Flacco goes down they got Taylor and Hannie. Personally, I like having the Option of Campbell and Hoyer if something happens to Weeden.
JMHO
here are my predictions:
AFC:
North: Cincinnati,Baltimore, Cleveland, Pitts
South: Houston,Indy, tenn, JAX
East: New England, Miami, New York, Buffalo
West Denver, KC, SD, OAK
Wildcard: Indy- Balti
AFC champion: Houston over Denver
NFC:
North: GB, DET, Chi, MINN
South: ATL, CAR, NO, TB
EAST:WASH, GIANTS, Philly, Dallas
West:San Fran, Seattle, St.Louis, Ariz
Wild cards: Carolina- Seattle
NFC Champion ATL.
superbowl ATL Over Houton
I'm surprised you see Carolina over New Orleans in the NFC South. I'm not sure if their offense can score enough in that division. The NFC is tough to pick though ... here's mine as of now
NFC North - Packers
NFC South - Falcons
NFC East - Giants
NFC West - 49ers
Wildcard - Cowboys
Wildcard - Saints
In the AFC there is the Broncos and Bengals and everyone else. That next group is a ton of teams coming up and a ton coming down. Browns, Ravens, Colts, Titans, Texans, Pats, Phins, Chiefs and Steelers.
Then you have the Bills, Chargers, Raiders, Jets and Jags at the bottom looking up. I would have more confidence in the bills if Manuel was healthy but he is out for now anyway.
NFC is wideopen with the read option about to be put to the test. That test will decide everything.
I will say overall though
NFC
east cowboys
west Seahawks
south falcons
North Packers
WC 49ers and Lions
AFC
east Phins
west Broncos
South Titans
North Bengals
WC Browns and Pats
As much as many either don't wish to hear it or aren't willing to admit it, I find the piece to be pretty accurate.
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In the AFC there is the Broncos and Bengals and everyone else. That next group is a ton of teams coming up and a ton coming down. Browns, Ravens, Colts, Titans, Texans, Pats, Phins, Chiefs and Steelers.
Then you have the Bills, Chargers, Raiders, Jets and Jags at the bottom looking up. I would have more confidence in the bills if Manuel was healthy but he is out for now anyway.
NFC is wideopen with the read option about to be put to the test. That test will decide everything.
I will say overall though
NFC
east cowboys
west Seahawks
south falcons
North Packers
WC 49ers and Lions
AFC
east Phins
west Broncos
South Titans
North Bengals
WC Browns and Pats
Mourg: Watch out for the Bears to give the Pack a real run for their money... 
, and why are you picking Dallas over Washington? (That was a sincere question).
I go through and pick every NFL game week by week. (That's the only way you can get an accurate set of predictions, in my opinion. For example, it might be easy to say "The *Insert team* will win 11 games, but then you might go through their schedule and only end up having them with 6 wins)
Anyway, I ended up with ....
AFC North - Pittsburgh
AFC South - Houston
AFC East - New England
AFC West - Denver
AFC Wild Cards - Indianapolis and Cleveland (Gave us the benefit of the doubt in a lot of games, because I'm a homer, sue me lol)
NFC North - Green Bay
NFC South - New Orleans
NFC East - New York
NFC West - San Francisco
NFC Wildcards - Atlanta and Seattle
Atlanta over Denver in the Super Bowl.
How many people are really disagreeing w/the article, Pit?
I am always nervous about saying that Pitt is going to struggle, but I really believe they are no better than a 7-9 or .500 team at this point. People say it's because of their defense getting old, but I think their main struggles are coming on offense. Ben is starting to wear down from the beatings and they can't seem to find the Hines Ward type players anymore in the draft. I have never seen their backfield in worse shape either. They have more injuries this preseason then they typically ever have to deal with also.
As for us, he is pretty much right on. Although, I still don't see us even at 6 -10. We'll struggle just to get to 5-11. Just too many holes and this last draft didn't do us any favors as weak as it was. Our secondary is going to get carved up bad. I think we are going to see more lopsided scores this year, not in our favor, than we have seen in awhile.
Nobody in this thread is yet picking the Ravens to win the AFC North.
Best Qb, in the division, Flacco.
Best Rb in the division, Ray Rice.
A defense that will be equal to any other in the division. And they just won the Super Bowl.
To me it is a no brainer.
The Bengals are going to be good. The Steelers are going to be good.
My beloved Browns still have something to prove.
The Bengals have surpassed the Texans How?
The Patriots are still better than the other 3 teams in their division.
The Browns have alot to prove. It is a whole new season.
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Nobody in this thread is yet picking the Ravens to win the AFC North.
Well...........since you replied to me and you did say the above, I suppose I should point out that I said I expected Baltimore and the Bengals to battle it out for the division.
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How many people are really disagreeing w/the article, Pit?
How did I know you would feel some need to chime in without really saying anything?