DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Game 1 against the Cowboys

I am looking forward to a great game, and would like to know how most of you think it will go. preferably post something with scores and what you think might happen.

Actually at this point I am not so sure many of us would be willing to make any accurate predictions. We feel we have an offense that can score on anyone. But the big question is our defense. We have made some large moves and we are surely to have improved. But I don't think any of us has any true idea as to what degree that improvement would be. We also have to wonder how the impact of losing Bodden balances out with the DLine Improvements. After all that we throw in a new Defensive Coordinator...LOL.

I think once camp is up in full stride and and we actually get to see the players in pads we might feel better making a prediction.

Me personally...I am not so sure I would feel comfortable making a real prediction even at gametime. LOL Mainly because it is Game 1. And so the games are the first ones played for real. Preseason is never a good judge as to the regular season. Someone could say the same about the regular season in relation to the playoffs...but I thinkit isn't quite to the degree of pre. to reg. Besides while it is true that anything can happen in theplayoffs....you still have trends as to how the teams were playing getting to that point.

I think we give the Cowboys all they can handle here at our own house. But I couldn't even begin to cite a score or a victor. I just know who I will be pulling for.

First of all...Welcome to the Boards TR, and to answer your question, what will happen? quite frankly....I dont know. But unlike the last time we met in 04, we wont need to attempt an onside kick in the final minutes of the game.

What will happen in the first game?

Someone will win and someone will lose.

I just hope that we are on the winning side.

I think it's safe to say that Winslow will not be on the field in Punt or KO coverage

Beyond that, it's anyone guess at this point. I'd certainly like to see how the addition of some Talented Dlinemen will help the Browns and adding Stallworth should cause some defenses to lose some sleep and having a QB with a solid year of Experience under his belt won't hurt either.

So, there are way to many things we all need to see before predicting anything.

Welcome to the site TR.... Stick around a while.

Wow, it's a little early for Gameday Threads. But welcome to the board. You want a prediction, eh? Okay.
Cowboys - 64
Browns - 3.
There, that's about as good as any at this point in time.

Wow. I can't recall a time when someone from another team registered for the message board and wanted to discuss a game 4 months before the fact.

What do YOU think the score will be? It would be futile to attempt to predict any score at this time, before camps have been held, especially given the wholesale changes we have made on the D side of the ball. Have no doubt that we are looking forward to a great game as well. We're very hungry, having just missed the playoffs last year.

It will be important for us to get out of the gate and off to a good start this year due to our schedule....Though I have always been one to preach that one game here or there does not make or break a season as a general rule, I feel it is imperative that we win this opener and then follow it up with a victory over our rival Steelers.

I agree with Shep. This is a tad early to be making predictions..but I will..just to play devils advocate....Browns 41...Cowboys 0...lol...how's that for a prediction?

Actual scores are impossible to predict, but looking at the moves that each team has made, it is going to come down to defense.

You've added a lot of help in the secondary, but it won't mean much unless you're spending all day in your nickle & dime packages... which just might happen with how much scarier our passing game should be this year. The down side for you in that is that is going to put Jamal Lewis head-on with a DB if we can get him through the first level.... and that's a losing situation for you guys.

Our defense couldn't stop someone from going to get a loaf of bread if it wanted to, but the bulk of our defensive woes stemmed directly from our pathetic DLine, which received a MAJOR overhaul. There's still a lot of huge questions for us on that side of the ball though as we have a hole at LOLB and we're weak in the secondary after giving up one of our best CB's in the Shaun Rogers deal.... if we can't collapse the pocket and generate some pressure, Romo & T.O. will likely eat our D for lunch.... the bad news for 'Boys fans though is that it is opening day, in Cleveland and Shaun Rogers has a HUGE chip on his shoulder and something to prove.


I really think this one could go either way, and I think it's going to be one helluva good battle. I think the Browns win this one in a close, high scoring game.... I think both teams might score 30+.

Like everyone else has said, it's too tough to make a prediction without even having the chance to see our team practice, let alone play. Come back at the end of August/early September and post this again, and we my have an answer for ya.

It definitely should be fun, though.

It's going to come down, I think, to how well the cowboys play Anderson, and how well the browns play Barber.

The cowboys will score with Romo, Owens, and Witten. We know that. The Browns will score with Edwards and Winslow.

It will come down to defense. Anderson has weaknesses, and if the cowboys secondary baits him into taking risky shots, he'll throw some picks.
Barber is a great runner; however, if the Browns new D line additions are up to speed on the defense and can slow Barber early, they'll be able to bring pass rushers and keep the passing game from overwhelming them.

IMHO, Anderson will throw some picks but the D line will be ready, so it will be a lower scoring game than most people think. The difference? Josh Cribbs, baby!

Browns 20 Boys 17

Ok I'm going out on a huge limb here.

Browns in 3-0

It's going to be a huge rainstorm in Cleveland. The field is completely muddy and nearly unplayable. Most of the players are getting stuck. There is no offense in the game. Finally the Browns force a turnover and Phil Money Dawson comes into the game. He outdoes himself again and hits the left upright, then the right one, land on the crossbar and fall threw for the only score.

It might happen!

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And how dare you insinuate that Winslow won't be holding out! Everyone knows he's done in Cleveland and that he's going to sit out this whole year and probably try to burn down the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame!!!

He was only giving you a hard time, I think. There a lot on this board who would say what he said seriously, so he was just kidding around about that.

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I know, I was just kidding too.

As long as were aren't ill prepared like last year, we stand a good chance of winning.

OK, guys I'll go out on the limb and say Browns 24 -21 over the clod hoppers.
Dawson kicks the game winner in OT. I'd like to see the Browns 21 to 10

I have a bad feeling, but then again, Tony Romo doesn't scare me at all.

i have a friend comming in from dallas... I need to get tix to the game. She's a huge dallas fan so yeah no dawg pound seats... anyone selling their tickets?

Shouldn't this go in the Game Day Forum??? has all gone amok here...lol

Long time coming - the first game.

Right now as things stand I think a lot of this first game will have to be in the hands of your OC Garret...if he tries the old fashion way of establishing the run I think we will vanquish him...So much of what we did in the off season was to vanquish the run once and for all. The new studs will be drilled in their introduction for our defense to that effect. I think GAME 1 we will be ready to deal with the run as so much of our efforts in OTAs and TC will be geared to that.

If Garrett instead comes out and goes completely spread and play action I think we could be in trouble considering the youth we have in coverage and uncertainties we have in a pass rush???

This would commence a Shoot out. We will then need DA to carry this team and lead the offense matching the Dallas O.

Low scoring...winning team under 24 points...I think we win!

High scoring shootout...we make a game of it but will lose out - Romo just can do so much more when things break down than DA...they get the edge!

JMHO - but I defer to change my opinion in the Oh 4 months or so...

I hope this is the season that I change mine (and the Browns) trend in that the game I go to, we win. The past 4 seasons I have never been to a game that the Browns have won. Last two years I went to the Browns/Steelers game and this year I am going to this game. With that said I predict:
Browns 27
Cowboys 17

Well I have alot of respect for Anthony Henry, he originally was a Brown and they never should have gotten rid of him, he shut down Chad Johnson in 4 consecutive games and since he left the Browns havent shut him down. The point is Anthony Henry is going to have a good chance to make the Browns wish they had kept him, BECAUSE Derek Anderson is going to throw the ball B, Edwards way, and Henry will probably be on him.. A couple of Int's will probably be in effect for the Browns offense, but Edwards will probably get at least a touchdown for the efforts and challenges.

These are the Dallas Cowboys, so this isn't just another game for anyone who is a long, long time resident of Ohio because at least around here there are few teams NFC that you more want to beat, and at least double your efforts into beating them than the Cowboys.

THE BEST CASE SCENARIO for the Browns is if the Browns defense takes over, takes control of the Dallas offense and the Cowboys struggle to move the ball and can't score. I don't believe the Browns know just what they have at their disposal as far as depth on defense and ability to put fresh legs into the game to keep up pressure for 60 minutes.

The fact is the Browns have come up short on every opening day since 99 and also I believe all opening days since 99 have been at home. I think this includes the helmut throwing incident vs Kansas City which should have been a win.
Its not too early, this is BS, I believe I could tell two teams with alot of the core group coming back who've played together for a couple years meeting on opening day how it is going to go.

It's opening day, so the # of false starts, and offsides will be up. The first half will probably be a little lack luster as neither team really feels the need to put the other away, I don't envision anything like game 1 or 2 of the Browns last year. It took 7 minutes to ruin my day last year, I looked at the clock.
I know the kicking game will be important as it always is in an early season matchup vs the nfc. I think both teams will try a field goal in the first quarter, I'm pretty confident in that prediction.

2nd quarter the games going to go one way or the other and probably not the Browns way, so I look for the Cowboys to be Up by about 7 minutes to play in the 2nd quarter and the Browns going on offensive possessions to get back scores to tie the game, the ? is if they do, and when they do, Will they be able to stop Dallas with about 3 - 4 minutes in the 1st half, get the ball back, take it down and score another touchdown and go up by 4 points.
If they do Browns go up 17-13, if not Dallas up 13-10 either way this last 2 minutes of the first half, I predict will be very important in the outcome of the game,

It always is, and it is always overlooked in post game comments.


BOTTOM LINE IS Neither team is going to give up easily as being so early in the season every player out there is going to be thinking this is the season where we win all our games.

Any way you look at it, if I find out who is going to win the battles the last 6 minutes of the first half, and who does better on their 2nd, I mean 2nd possession of the third quarter, then i'm going to know who is likely to win the game.

likely= in the drivers seat, as opposed to the team that has to come back and make something happen, but the best teams are usually in the drivers seat.

As always you want to convert over 40% of your third down tries to be playing playoff football.

This Browns season, the First 4 games are as important as the 1st game because if the Browns go 4-0 they will be in the division lead and in the drivers seat to win a home playoff game.

Never give up!

I liked A Hen myself, but I don't regard him as highly as I think you do.

And Leigh Bodden dealt with Chad pretty well, at least in the '05 and '06 seasons.

He got smoked against him last year.

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The fact is the Browns have come up short on every opening day since 99 and also I believe all opening days since 99 have been at home.

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Mostly true but not entirely, they beat Baltimore in '04.

Henry sucks.... and thats why they are considering him to move to Safety...

He is a zone corner... U can tell when they play man cuz he gives a huge cushion.

Typically we do not start the season with all cylinders firing…..I think you can also say that for the start of most of our games last season.

Defensively we ranked 30th in the league in 07, but that can be a little deceiving, because if you focus on our red zone “D” overall it was pretty darn good. We have made some key upgrades on paper and although I believe it will also show on the field, there will be a learning curve there.
ILB Andra Davis game has been scrutinized by the media and the fans alike, but in the goal line defense I think he is in his element and at his best. The Cowboys might be able to move the ball on us, but the key will be if you have to settle for FG’s instead of TD’s
The edge on the Defense on paper goes to the Cowboys.

Offensively I think we are pretty evenly matched. So the edge is Null and Void here.

Special Teams….I will give us the edge in this category.

Home field advantage will be a key factor in the final out come of the game. The Browns set a record for home wins in a season last year. The ‘Dawg pound’ will be the reason why we win the game with a FG with little time remaining in the game and TR and the Cowboys will come up short after feeling the full furry of the fans in the stadium. Should be another nail biter.

GO BROWNS

It's gonna be a blood bath, Hard hitting gun slinging bloodbath.

LOL you sound like Rambo

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Well I have alot of respect for Anthony Henry, he originally was a Brown and they never should have gotten rid of him, he shut down Chad Johnson in 4 consecutive games and since he left the Browns havent shut him down. The point is Anthony Henry is going to have a good chance to make the Browns wish they had kept him, BECAUSE Derek Anderson is going to throw the ball B, Edwards way, and Henry will probably be on him.. A couple of Int's will probably be in effect for the Browns offense, but Edwards will probably get at least a touchdown for the efforts and challenges.

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1. Henry left us, we didn't get rid of him. Because of Butch Davis, Henry wanted nothing to do with staying with us.

2. Henry will be their nickle DB this year now that they have PacMan to put with Terrene Newman.
3. The 'Boys also drafted Mike Jenkins, so Henry might not even be the nickle guy.