BEREA (92.3 The Fan) – As it does every year, optimism reigns for the Browns as training camp is set to kick off this week.
Just don’t read any of the predictions for where they are actually expected to finish this season.
“I think I saw one that had us fifth,” head coach Mike Pettine joked of the prognostications of yet another last place finish in the AFC North. “Call the league, cancel the season.”
Saddled with the ninth toughest schedule in the league this season, no one has the Browns finishing anywhere but in the basement of the AFC North in 2015.
After adding veteran receivers Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline, cornerback Tramon Williams and defensive lineman Randy Starks and selecting nose tackle Danny Shelton, versatile offensive lineman Cam Erving and running back Duke Johnson among 12 draft picks, Pettine and the Browns quietly feel that they have closed the talent gap within the division that saw the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals all make the playoffs in 2014.
But with no franchise quarterback, young running backs who are still learning the game, questions at receiver and the best thing that anyone can say about the offense is about the offensive line, why on earth would the Browns feel optimistic about their ability to beat anyone?
“How many NFL teams at this point of the year are not optimistic,” Pettine said.
This is why Pettine holds out hope they will avoid remaining cellar dwellers this fall.
The Browns lost 4 games in 2014 by less than a touchdown. They crushed the Steelers and Bengals by 21 apiece, pulled off the largest road comeback in NFL history, were the first team since 1967 to feature 2 rookie 600-yard rushers, scored 17 TDs on the ground and had 4 players – Joe Thomas, Joe Haden, Donte Whitner and Tashaun Gipson – make the Pro Bowl.
Yet here they sit, with many pundits expecting another bottom feeder season, but it’s easy to see why considering the competition they face.
The Steelers and Ravens resumes include Super Bowl victories within the last 5 years while the Bengals have at least made it to the playoffs in 5 of the last 6. Meanwhile the Browns enter 2015 boasting the worst combined record in the NFL since 1999 despite coming off their best finish in 7 years.
While he doesn’t agree with the predictions, nor should he, Pettine understands the pessimism.
“We use it, but to me that also speaks to the quality of the division we’re in,” Pettine said. “The Steelers have made some changes and are explosive on offense. Their youth on defense. Baltimore – it would be hard to place them lower than first or second given their continuity and how consistent they’ve been. And Cincinnati, they’re all coming off playoff seasons. How do you put us anywhere but there?”
Pettine thinks the continued lack of expectation can actually work in their favor.
“That’s fine,” Pettine said. “Think of us that way, go ahead, we’re a fourth place team and you look at the Browns on the schedule and ‘Hey, I can go ahead and put a W right next to it,’ but to me that only works in our favor.”
Last year after improving to 7-4 and climbing to first place in the AFC North in early November expectations for the Browns went up. Then the wheels came off the wagon. Brian Hoyer and the offense went in the tank, Johnny Manziel was laughable in his first 2 NFL starts, problems brewed behind the scenes and it all culminated in another 5-game losing streak to end the year 7-9.
The defense, which features a secondary that came away with 21 interceptions last season – good for second most in the league – and broke up more passes than any other team in the NFL, is expected to carry the banner this season for the Browns. But this is a scoring league and not many know where or how the Browns will score points.
There in no question that the Browns are deeper and more talented on both sides of the ball than they have been in a very long time, but is it enough?
