Are the Browns a Legit Playoff Contender?

[Across The Field]

Its funny you mention the defensive backfield because footballoutsiders has you guys as the #2 pass defense in the league right now.

Dorsey taking chances on Mayfield and Mahomes will probably put him in history at some point if it works out for both franchises. There is literally no good Big 12 history before them. Its a massive win for believing in the process and not following trends

That's very surprising, as we are currently giving up the 4th most passing yards in the league on a per-game basis. Being second in INTs helps, though. I still would like to see them bolster the unit further, as that's just going to make Garrett and Ogbah that much more effective. They could also stand to upgrade the 2nd DT spot across from Ogunjobi. I've seen Ed Oliver's name being mentioned in 2019 for them, and he'd make a lot of sense as a DT who can apply consistent pressure on opposing QBs.

You're 100% right about the Mahomes/Mayfield Big 12 connection. I've trumpeted that as a reason to avoid Big 12 QBs in the past as loudly as anyone, but they are absolutely busting that trend in half.

 

[Clayton]

That's very surprising, as we are currently giving up the 4th most passing yards in the league on a per-game basis. Being second in INTs helps, though. I still would like to see them bolster the unit further, as that's just going to make Garrett and Ogbah that much more effective. They could also stand to upgrade the 2nd DT spot across from Ogunjobi. I've seen Ed Oliver's name being mentioned in 2019 for them, and he'd make a lot of sense as a DT who can apply consistent pressure on opposing QBs.

They factor in schedule. Your defense has played the 2nd most difficult schedule in the league behind only the Bengals. Saints, Bucs, Chiefs, Steelers, Chargers, Falcons will make any defense look bad, to be honest. Although you would expect more out of the Browns against some of their lesser opponents.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

That's very surprising, as we are currently giving up the 4th most passing yards in the league on a per-game basis. Being second in INTs helps, though. I still would like to see them bolster the unit further, as that's just going to make Garrett and Ogbah that much more effective. They could also stand to upgrade the 2nd DT spot across from Ogunjobi. I've seen Ed Oliver's name being mentioned in 2019 for them, and he'd make a lot of sense as a DT who can apply consistent pressure on opposing QBs.

You're 100% right about the Mahomes/Mayfield Big 12 connection. I've trumpeted that as a reason to avoid Big 12 QBs in the past as loudly as anyone, but they are absolutely busting that trend in half.

The Browns have the 2nd most pass attempts "allowed" for whatever reason in particular last I checked. Just the nature of the beast sometimes if you have teams pass on you all the time to give up a bunch of yards; doesn't matter if it's even efficient per se in terms of yardage.

Also, yardage is dumb.

 

[Across The Field]

They factor in schedule. Your defense has played the 2nd most difficult schedule in the league behind only the Bengals. Saints, Bucs, Chiefs, Steelers, Chargers, Falcons will make any defense look bad, to be honest. Although you would expect more out of the Browns against some of their lesser opponents.

I wish TB and Oakland were on the second half of our schedule. I have no doubt we'd beat both of those teams today with ease. The Hue Effect is certainly real. It also didn't help that both of those losses featured monumental officiating fuckups and cost us points, but it shouldn't have come to that. The good news is, we're clearly a better team now than we were in those two earlier games.

 

[CaptainStubing]

I always thought he had the eye for offensive skill players but this past year of Chiefs and Browns players exploding on to the scene has shown he is just a damn good GM.

he can definitely identify talent .... i'm not sure if he does anything else well as a GM ... maybe he has put some people around him that can help with his deficiencies though

 

[Across The Field]

The Browns have the 2nd most pass attempts "allowed" for whatever reason in particular last I checked. Just the nature of the beast sometimes if you have teams pass on you all the time to give up a bunch of yards; doesn't matter if it's even efficient per se in terms of yardage.

Also, yardage is dumb.

Good point. I actually just looked and we're near the top of the league in least amount of yards per attempt, so that does put things into perspective. I was a little annoyed that Driskel was having success against us, but I think we were basically playing prevent at that point yesterday with the lead we had already built.

 

[Across The Field]

Well it's December 10th, and the Browns are not eliminated. With 3 games left, the Browns must win out, however this is not as daunting of a task as I would've thought a month ago. The Bengals are swirling the drain. The Broncos looked like crap yesterday against an injury-ravaged 49ers team. The Ravens are 3-4 in their last 7 games with only wins over 3 bad teams that are clear out of the playoff picture. 8-7-1 is probably unlikely, but far from impossible. The future is looking amazing in Cleveland.

 

[Hillbillyzombie]

Well it's December 10th, and the Browns are not eliminated. With 3 games left, the Browns must win out, however this is not as daunting of a task as I would've thought a month ago. The Bengals are swirling the drain. The Broncos looked like crap yesterday against an injury-ravaged 49ers team. The Ravens are 3-4 in their last 7 games with only wins over 3 bad teams that are clear out of the playoff picture. 8-7-1 is probably unlikely, but far from impossible. The future is looking amazing in Cleveland.

Damn that is a soft last 3 games. With the ravens tho they would give the best fight.

 

[Across The Field]

Damn that is a soft last 3 games. With the ravens tho they would give the best fight.

Both Denver and Baltimore are away, so they're far from gimmies, but we can definitely beat both teams. Baltimore is almost entirely 1-dimensional now. If they can focus on keeping Jackson in the pocket, that offense loses a lot of it's ability to move the ball. We force turnovers better than anyone outside of Chicago, so that'll be huge that game.

 

[wings-pens2166]

Well it's December 10th, and the Browns are not eliminated. With 3 games left, the Browns must win out, however this is not as daunting of a task as I would've thought a month ago. The Bengals are swirling the drain. The Broncos looked like crap yesterday against an injury-ravaged 49ers team. The Ravens are 3-4 in their last 7 games with only wins over 3 bad teams that are clear out of the playoff picture. 8-7-1 is probably unlikely, but far from impossible. The future is looking amazing in Cleveland.

well hell, there's a good chance Pittsburgh goes 0-fer to end the season, so you got that going for ya

 

[Across The Field]

well hell, there's a good chance Pittsburgh goes 0-fer to end the season, so you got that going for ya

If that happens and we win out, we win the division. That's the craziest sentence I've ever uttered in my history on tHoop.

 

[wings-pens2166]

If that happens and we win out, we win the division. That's the craziest sentence I've ever uttered in my history on tHoop.

exactly...and if that happens, I'm tellin' ya the Apocalypse in nigh!

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

When I first joined the SportsHoopla board this past summer, I predicted two things: That my Bears would be in this year's playoffs and the Browns by 2020 would be without question the most dominant team in the AFC North, if not the conference altogether. So far both initial predictions are looking good.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

Not a legit one this year. But in that middle group where if a few plays had gone this way or that, they'd be in the thick of it and on the upswing as the season has gone on.


Hope they can keep that push going though. Remember when the Raiders came out of their long run as a basement dweller a couple years ago how long that lasted.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Not a legit one this year. But in that middle group where if a few plays had gone this way or that, they'd be in the thick of it and on the upswing as the season has gone on.


Hope they can keep that push going though. Remember when the Raiders came out of their long run as a basement dweller a couple years ago how long that lasted.

We will see, but Baker seems a lot more legit than Carr was. We will see what the Browns do next year, but the North seems ripe for the taking if you're a Browns fan in 2019. Gonna be a very trendy pick.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

We will see, but Baker seems a lot more legit than Carr was. We will see what the Browns do next year, but the North seems ripe for the taking if you're a Browns fan in 2019. Gonna be a very trendy pick.

When I said the Browns would be the dominant AFC North team by 2020, that simply meant by then they should be all but owning the division. So for 2019, I see tremendous progression and they should be in the thick of the battle for winning the North next year. I'll have to see how the postseason/offseason pans out before making a prediction, but it's fair to say at this point I'd be shocked if they're at least not in the mix in '19.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

We will see, but Baker seems a lot more legit than Carr was. We will see what the Browns do next year, but the North seems ripe for the taking if you're a Browns fan in 2019. Gonna be a very trendy pick.

I'd agree he's having a better rookie season. Of course I will say Carr's receivers and run game was arguably the most garbage of that year in the league (Jones, Holmes, Rivera, Butler, Thompkins and the 32nd ranked run game led by McFaddens 500 yards and 3.4 a carry). I like how he's throwing to the wideouts, which is more than Carr did in year 1. Though I can't fully blame Carr as those guys weren't getting any separation.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Also, yardage is dumb.

You're full of crazy talk! "Yardage is dumb..." "running backs don't matter..." "beer kills brain cells"

 

[Fountain City Blues]

You're full of crazy talk! "Yardage is dumb..." "running backs don't matter..." "beer kills brain cells"

The Bears playing the pass instead of being scurred of a #RBWhoDoesntMatter on playaction was a massive DUB for my brand.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Would be great for my brand if I ended up being right with the Browns being good and stuff post Hue Jackson this* year.