Not gaining optimism as the week goes on. . .

[Fooleeze]

I recall someone recently posting about their moods / feelings on the Browns by day as the week goes on, and how the pain and pessimism turns to optimism and excitement as the week goes on. While I agree that typically happens, for some reason it's not doing it for me this week. I know it's Tuesday, but it usually doesn't take me that long.

 

A lot of people are pulling positives from this close loss vs. the Bengals. . . but I've been looking at it differently. Masters made a few excellent points in a post earlier, which somewhat describes how I feel right now.

 

In the loss against the Bengals. . .

 

* The Browns won the TOP battle

* They forced 2 turnovers

* Blocked a FG and an XP, thanks Shaun Rogers

* Started SEVERAL drives with amazing field position. . .

* . . . thanks to a stellar game from Cribbs.

* Harrison played a great game (Finally, we've been asking to see this forever)

* MoMass proved he may be a legit NFL WR

* Brodney Pool had arguably his best game as a Brown

* The offense opened up the playbook to incorporate Screens, bootlegs/roll-outs, flea-flicker, etc. to keep the D guessing

 

. . . all of this and the Browns STILL lost to the FREAKING BENGALS!!!! Look, the Bengals are playing better this year than last year, but they are still NOT GOOD! (They're the Bengals, after all) In the thread about 'penciling in wins' in the preseason this Bengals game was one that should have been circled in a permanent marker (To borrow from someone else's comment).

 

Mangini moved some players, demoted a few people, promoted a few, fired the team up, heck, even played Furrey on Defense (Rumor I heard, didn't see it. . . ), gave a big pep-talk, and got good effort out of the team, and they still lost to the BENGALS! Masters commented that this often is more deflating, playing what may be their best and still losing to a beatable team.

 

This is the pessimism in me crying out right now. Still a bunch of question marks. Are the Bengals as bad as they typically are, or are they actually a good team this year? Was the effort we saw from the Browns the best they've got, or are they just getting warmed up?

 

Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, I've been around since I can first remember watching the Browns as a kid with my parents. . . I'm just frustrated. Venting a little. Maybe the optimism will start brewing soon.

 

GO BROWNS!

[Guest Masters]

Right there with you my man.

[Gips]

It ussually takes me until wed or thur to start getting a bit optimistic this year but im completely optimistic this week i believe we will win in buffalo...i think goonie and staff may finally have found their own footing hopefully leaving the belichick bullshit behind we dont want belichick we want exclusively browns!

And according to cribbs goonie and crew are going to cut the team loose this week and they are starving..i look for the browns to catch buffalo ny on fire with or without BE..

[bonedawg]

Dude, the Bengals beat the Packers and Steelers two weeks in a row. I'm not going to predict they go deep in the playoffs or anything, but they are legit this year.

[Guest Masters]

Dude, the Bengals beat the Packers and Steelers two weeks in a row. I'm not going to predict they go deep in the playoffs or anything, but they are legit this year.

 

Having seen two of their games (PIT and CLE) and seeing GB OL, I am not quite ready to classify CIN as a contender instead of a pretender. CIN had no business winning the PIT game, just like they really had no business winning the game Sunday. Of course anything can happen. Every year there is a team that looks like they do right now that fall off sharply as the season goes on.

[BrownIndian]

The Bengals had a convincing win over Green Bay. Their win against the Pit may be considered lucky but it was a well managed drive by Palmer .. They are very much improved or having the crazy season that we had in 2007. both of which are dangerous.

[Guest Masters]

The Bengals had a convincing win over Green Bay. Their win against the Pit may be considered lucky but it was a well managed drive by Palmer .. They are very much improved or having the crazy season that we had in 2007. both of which are dangerous.

 

I think the later is more likley, based on what I have seen from them in two games.

 

The GB game was a solid win, but GB is looking like a 8-8 team at best right now.

[BrownIndian]

i just saw the GreenBay schedule, and 8 is realistic and 10/12 is gettable if they gel well. After watching the GB defense vs Chicago game i'll surprised if they dont win more than 8.

[Guest Masters]

i just saw the GreenBay schedule, and 8 is realistic and 10/12 is gettable if they gel well. After watching the GB defense vs Chicago game i'll surprised if they dont win more than 8.

 

It's GB's pass protection that makes me question them more than their D.

[Fooleeze]

I don't get this mind set? The BENGALS and the BROWNS are virtually the same team. Long term history has the Browns a couple percentage points ahead of the Bengals and recent history has the Bengals well ahead of the Browns so how is it that you would be embarrassed by losing to them?

 

I'm coming from the perspective of the preseason optimisim. . . we had a coaching change (removing a bad coach, and hiring an 'improvement'), eliminated some unproductive and dead weight, brought in a lot of solid veterans, etc. etc. etc. Had the same record as the Bengals last year (basically), and they lost their best receiver, and didn't make any other major changes really, outside of the draft.

 

Just coming into the season some of these games SHOULD be wins. . . Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, KC, Oakland. Especially at home.

 

But more than anything, it's wondering if that was the best effort the team had? Did the best effort result in losing in OT in a game that (from a preseason point of view) should have been a win?

 

Maybe it's just me coming to the sad realization that with all of these offseason 'improvements', the Browns have lost ground to the Bengals. THE BENGALS! God, I hope the Browns beat the Lions!!! If not, that might force me into a deep state of CSD (Cleveland Sports Depression).

 

 

 

 

[EdwardG]

The key thing has improved the Bengals is Palmer playing... He has the ability to make things happen when his team really needs it... the 4th down run being a good example.

[FloridaBrownsFan]

I'm coming from the perspective of the preseason optimisim. . . we had a coaching change (removing a bad coach, and hiring an 'improvement'), eliminated some unproductive and dead weight, brought in a lot of solid veterans, etc. etc. etc. Had the same record as the Bengals last year (basically), and they lost their best receiver, and didn't make any other major changes really, outside of the draft.

 

Just coming into the season some of these games SHOULD be wins. . . Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, KC, Oakland. Especially at home.

 

But more than anything, it's wondering if that was the best effort the team had? Did the best effort result in losing in OT in a game that (from a preseason point of view) should have been a win?

 

Maybe it's just me coming to the sad realization that with all of these offseason 'improvements', the Browns have lost ground to the Bengals. THE BENGALS! God, I hope the Browns beat the Lions!!! If not, that might force me into a deep state of CSD (Cleveland Sports Depression).

 

For someone who says they were optimistic, you sure don't show it. I dunno if you know this or not, but the NFL is a league where teams can go from shit to contenders in one season. Now I'm not saying that the Bengals are for real, but just because they sucked in the past doesn't mean that's where their future lies. I mean just last season, we saw the Miami Dolphins, who went 1-15 in the previous season, go on to have a 11-5 record and a playoff berth. This is a rapidly changing league where teams rise and fall every year. So just because we lost to the Bengals doesn't mean we should lose all hope for the season. If anything, we should be optimistic that we kept it a close game. It also shows us that maybe we have more talent than everyone thinks.

[DawgTracker]

The Browns have been very undisciplined and rudderless since coming back to the league. Mangini's hard line approach, while pissing off some vets, will send a message and clean up some "junk" like BE (expect to see Mangini deal with him hard) and an overall attention to detail.

 

Mangini will probably be gone in 15 months or less but you should see an improvement in the area of discipline which should reduce game day frustration to some degree. Mangini is trying to be a baby Bill Belichick and he simply doesn't have the cojones to do it.

 

I think Mangini has the brass balls to do it and will turn this ship around.

 

[Fooleeze]

For someone who says they were optimistic, you sure don't show it. I dunno if you know this or not, but the NFL is a league where teams can go from shit to contenders in one season. Now I'm not saying that the Bengals are for real, but just because they sucked in the past doesn't mean that's where their future lies. I mean just last season, we saw the Miami Dolphins, who went 1-15 in the previous season, go on to have a 11-5 record and a playoff berth. This is a rapidly changing league where teams rise and fall every year. So just because we lost to the Bengals doesn't mean we should lose all hope for the season. If anything, we should be optimistic that we kept it a close game. It also shows us that maybe we have more talent than everyone thinks.

 

 

That's the point I'm getting at. . . I'm normally very optimistic, in the preseason, and even after losses as the week goes on. But the last loss doesn't sit well with me, and the optimism is harder to come by right now for me.

 

But I completely agree, the Bengals are improved, on both sides of the ball. Palmer is a good QB, and he's leading the team to success. But it still hurts to see the Browns lose ground to them.

 

Goes back to seeing all of those preseason 'rankings' where the Browns were at or near the bottom, and most everyone here said "how can all of those teams be better than the Browns after all of the improvements there have been on this team / coaching staff. . . " And here we are 4 weeks into the season and the grim reality may be setting in. . .

 

I wouldn't be here if I didn't care and didn't love the Browns. Just saying the optimisim is not as strong as it once was.

 

 

[Fooleeze]

Just wanted to add that I'm not feeling any more optimistic this week vs last week.

 

And before someone challenges my opionion, I am perfectly capable of maintaining two separate opinions. #1: I'm very happy to add a game to the Win column. #2: I'm not feeling too good about adding more wins after the performance in Buffalo.

 

With their mistakes, lack of discipline, QB troubles, and coach being on the hot seat, Buffalo is arguably one of the worst teams in the league right now. And the Browns mustered up 6 points?

 

Definately not helping my outlook for the year. I'll keep trying to find that silver lining!!!

 

 

[Guest ATENEARS]

Just wanted to add that I'm not feeling any more optimistic this week vs last week.

 

And before someone challenges my opionion, I am perfectly capable of maintaining two separate opinions. #1: I'm very happy to add a game to the Win column. #2: I'm not feeling too good about adding more wins after the performance in Buffalo.

 

With their mistakes, lack of discipline, QB troubles, and coach being on the hot seat, Buffalo is arguably one of the worst teams in the league right now. And the Browns mustered up 6 points?

 

Definately not helping my outlook for the year. I'll keep trying to find that silver lining!!!

 

Can I suggest something to try?

 

It's well known that our offense went through a tough transition in the past few weeks. Trading away Braylon and starting two rookie WR's, adding in a guy who flew into town days before the game. Jamal Lewis back in, Harrison and Cribbs reduced back to being decoys again ... it's been a tough go. Other teams such as the Colts, have been honing their offense and passing game since the day after the draft. They know what they got, and what they need to focus on and bring up to par. The Browns started that 'honing' of their offense last Wednesday ... it's just a butt ugly situation right now, offensively.

 

Here is what I suggest:

 

Concentrate on the defense. This is where we are gelling a few things, putting together some scheme that we implimentede for the first time the day after the draft. Coupled with a coaching staff that has a real emphasis on Special teams, the ST and D are really working well. We gave up 3-points (replace the thought of only scoring 6, with this new thought of only allowing 3).

 

We also are not just running the ball well, but our O-line is blocking even better. We are freaking pulling our rookie center out to lead the way on a Cribbs end-around! How freaking sweeeeet was that, man!?!?

 

If you ignore the fiasco on the offensive side of that ball and look at what we have been working on, honing and gelling defensively and playing as a TEAM to be competitive, there is plenty to be excited for Sunday about.

 

Let's take a test with our Defense, let's test them against the Steelers this weekend. Our Special teams will keep things fair, field position wise, and let's evaluate where we stand right now defensively.

 

 

[Pumpkin Eater]

They won, despite certain areas of the team not playing their best. That is a definite step in the right direction. Stop being a pussy.

[Guest Masters]

There is being given a win and there taking the field and winning a game. CLE did not take the field Sunday and win that game. Unless your idea of a team winning is getting a gift horse in what was one of the ugliest games in recent NFL history.

[PlaygroundLegend]

Can I suggest something to try?

 

It's well known that our offense went through a tough transition in the past few weeks. Trading away Braylon and starting two rookie WR's, adding in a guy who flew into town days before the game. Jamal Lewis back in, Harrison and Cribbs reduced back to being decoys again ... it's been a tough go. Other teams such as the Colts, have been honing their offense and passing game since the day after the draft. They know what they got, and what they need to focus on and bring up to par. The Browns started that 'honing' of their offense last Wednesday ... it's just a butt ugly situation right now, offensively.

 

Here is what I suggest:

 

Concentrate on the defense. This is where we are gelling a few things, putting together some scheme that we implimentede for the first time the day after the draft. Coupled with a coaching staff that has a real emphasis on Special teams, the ST and D are really working well. We gave up 3-points (replace the thought of only scoring 6, with this new thought of only allowing 3).

 

We also are not just running the ball well, but our O-line is blocking even better. We are freaking pulling our rookie center out to lead the way on a Cribbs end-around! How freaking sweeeeet was that, man!?!?

 

If you ignore the fiasco on the offensive side of that ball and look at what we have been working on, honing and gelling defensively and playing as a TEAM to be competitive, there is plenty to be excited for Sunday about.

 

Let's take a test with our Defense, let's test them against the Steelers this weekend. Our Special teams will keep things fair, field position wise, and let's evaluate where we stand right now defensively.

 

Hmmmm.... Looks like thats what we should have done, "honored" our lineup and passing game

[Fooleeze]

ATENEARS, that was an excellent response. Thank you. And I do see improvement in the D, and some things I've been waiting for for years. Accepting the 'rebuilding' process is certainly a good thing to do. The Offensive struggles make it difficult to focus on the rest of the parts that are doing better / improving. But I have been noticing the change in the Defense, and the dominance of our Special Teams.

 

As an aside, I still really like Wimbley, and I'm excited to see development and production out of him after a few down years.