Landscape of the AFC North

[Scholar]

Look, I see where you guys are coming from. I'll agree, we have added some nice young players the past two off-seasons. But adding nice young players doesn't mean you have improved. At some point, these guys have to perform on the field and show that they have improved as a team. The best way to show that is by winning more games.

And like I said before, I don't see why we can't actually show improvement in the W/L column this year. I just don't see the division being a realistic goal this year.

I want you to do something for me. Read all my posts. Look for where I wrote that I expect them to be winning the division this year. If you can actually find such a post, please come back to me and point it out because that would be the RCF equivalent of the Immaculate Conception. :chuckles:

Anyways, there is a lot of room between 7 wins at max and where you win the division. That is where I think it is likely the Browns fall. We'll just have to see how the rest of the off season turns out.

 

[Triplethreat]

The other thing is, we're seeing improvement here in Cleveland, but more importantly we're seeing the fall of the two teams who ran the division for the last decade plus in the Steelers and Ravens. I don't think people are really realizing how old the Steelers defense is, and how much of a loss Reed, Ellerbe, Williams, Ray Lewis will be. You're starting to see it now, they're falling off of their pedestal.

 

[Selby]

We went out and compete with every single team in this division last year. That's improvement in itself and seeing our foes get weaker while we're getting stronger doesn't give you the slightest bit of hope that we can win this division?

The difference between the top and bottom teams of the AFCN has shrunk tremendously and it showed last year, with all the losses and age of the Steelers/Ravens, it's not hard to envision a scenario where the Browns actually beat these teams and are in the Division chase until the end.

If we are being completely honest, I still don't see us winning the division next year or even being realistically in the fight.

Like I said before, we can improve next year. But the Ravens will still be a solid team I think. I know they lost X amount of starters on defense, but the fact of the matter is their roster is still nothing to sneeze at. The Steelers lost some players, but they always find a way to stay relevant in the division because they are one of the best-run organizations in pro sports. The Bengals are a playoff team and haven't lost any major pieces (at least not that I can remember) this off-season.

I guess the only scenario I could see the Browns winning this division is if Weeden just blows everyone away and puts up Pro Bowl numbers.

 

[Selby]

I want you to do something for me. Read all my posts. Look for where I wrote that I expect them to be winning the division this year. If you can actually find such a post, please come back to me and point it out because that would be the RCF equivalent of the Immaculate Conception. :chuckles:

Anyways, there is a lot of room between 7 wins at max and where you win the division. That is where I think it is likely the Browns fall. We'll just have to see how the rest of the off season turns out.

Wasn't directing that part at you, but others in this thread.

 

[Triplethreat]

If we are being completely honest, I still don't see us winning the division next year or even being realistically in the fight.

Like I said before, we can improve next year. But the Ravens will still be a solid team I think. I know they lost X amount of starters on defense, but the fact of the matter is their roster is still nothing to sneeze at. The Steelers lost some players, but they always find a way to stay relevant in the division because they are one of the best-run organizations in pro sports. The Bengals are a playoff team and haven't lost any major pieces (at least not that I can remember) this off-season.

I guess the only scenario I could see the Browns winning this division is if Weeden just blows everyone away and puts up Pro Bowl numbers.

Why? Because they've been good the last decade? You can't just use this as a reason why they'll be good. The landscape is changing and I don't understand how you don't see that.

When your star players start to age, you fall back into a rebuilding stage.

 

[MoFlo]

Ray Lewis was more than just a player to that defense. He may not have been the Ray of his prime last season, but he was still the heart, soul, and leader of that defense. There's no denying that. His loss will be a huge blow, no matter how you dice it.

 

[MoFlo]

If we are being completely honest, I still don't see us winning the division next year or even being realistically in the fight.

Like I said before, we can improve next year. But the Ravens will still be a solid team I think. I know they lost X amount of starters on defense, but the fact of the matter is their roster is still nothing to sneeze at. The Steelers lost some players, but they always find a way to stay relevant in the division because they are one of the best-run organizations in pro sports. The Bengals are a playoff team and haven't lost any major pieces (at least not that I can remember) this off-season.

I guess the only scenario I could see the Browns winning this division is if Weeden just blows everyone away and puts up Pro Bowl numbers.

While the bolded is true, their problems lie not only with losing players this off-season, but with the state of their current roster even coming into the off-season.

As I've said, they've invested a lot in their O-Line, and it's still hot garbage.

Their D is aging.

Ben is 1 hit away from ending his career and Bruce Gradkowski is being heralded as a terrific signing by them because their back-ups before him were just awful.

 

[Selby]

As much as I don't like it, I just feel like the Steelers will be back on their feet in no time. Maybe they will have an off year coming up, but I simply can't imagine them being the worst team in our division, and not for more than one year. Maybe that is because they've competitive since I was little...I don't know. But it is hard for me to overlook them.

 

[Jack Brickman]

They did fine without Ray Lewis for most of the regular season when he was out.

Being hurt and still in the locker room is different than being gone entirely. You can lead a team wearing street clothes. You can't lead one from behind a desk on CBS.

 

[MoFlo]

As much as I don't like it, I just feel like the Steelers will be back on their feet in no time. Maybe they will have an off year coming up, but I simply can't imagine them being the worst team in our division, and not for more than one year. Maybe that is because they've competitive since I was little...I don't know. But it is hard for me to overlook them.

Believe me, I know where you're coming from. And that's exactly why I put in the notes that they always tend to make the right decisions.

However, last year, they invested heavily in their OL through the draft & it hasn't worked out at all. So maybe things are running a little downhill for them.

Either way, I think we can all agree that there hasn't been a better opportunity for the Browns & Bengals to make a jump & push for it than there is right now.

 

[MoFlo]

Ben Maller‏<s>@</s>benmaller
Baltimore Ravens have already lost SIX starters from Super Bowl XLVII, more than any other title winner in the past decade. <s>#</s>Firesale
Retweeted by Daryl Ruiter

 

[Chris]

It's not. Same people say this every year. Last year, we were supposed to see a jump. Sorry, I watched all the games and did not see one. The defense actually took a pretty big step back. Oh and still no quarterback.

I don't know about no improvements at all or whatever, but I'm quoting this post because RealKing makes a good point. The same people on here say this shit EVERY damn year. He's right. Last year we were supposed to "finally win 8 games!" Each year before that, similar things were said. It's the same thing every off season, I sit here and say let's wait and see and all of you guys yell at me for being a pessimist and say we're about to finally compete for the division.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I don't know about no improvements at all or whatever, but I'm quoting this post because RealKing makes a good point. The same people on here say this shit EVERY damn year. He's right. Last year we were supposed to "finally win 8 games!" Each year before that, similar things were said. It's the same thing every off season, I sit here and say let's wait and see and all of you guys yell at me for being a pessimist and say we're about to finally compete for the division.

I will say this...I have a LOT more faith in our coaching staff this year than I ever did going into last year. Will they work out? I have no idea. I'm just happy to have a coaching staff that isn't (at least on paper) completely depressing.

But I do agree it's a wait and see thing. I prefer cautious optimism, though.

 

[MoFlo]

Updated the original list with the Ravens signing Spears today & a couple other minor moves that either went under the radar or I missed.

 

[Soda]

So long Mr. Reed. This offseason has been outstanding for the Browns when it comes to players who've plagued them. Now, we have the QBs to worry about still, but Lewis, Reed AND Harrison gone this year!