NFL 2013 Preseason: When it almost counts

[Littlefingers In The Air]

So NFLN is reshowing the documentary on the the 1995 Browns and it may be even more astounding on second viewing. Consider, if you will, that Cleveland had the best NFL HC of the past 25 years, the best College HC of the past 25 years, the best GM of the past 25 years and like 9-10 other guys on that staff talented and smart enough to become head coaches and GMs in the league and in college. You can make a strong case this was the greatest assemblage of football minds ever put together on the same staff. And yet only in Cleveland can such a staff be assembled and the team gets moved the next year assuring that all this brilliance will only benefit other places.

I guess I bring this up to say that as much misery as we've all had with our sports teams none of us hold a candle to the Cleveland sports fan. Not even Bills fans can touch this level of suffering (sorry Bluray). And that if Cleveland ever wins another title in any of its sports, I mean that has to be a cathartic event for the nation, right?

Someone who understands.

[Jace, Extat]

Is it sad that the "highlight of the Browns" -Josh Cribbs- over the last few years just got cut by the Raiders... That's pretty bad, I feel for him.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

The Browns themselves seem like they can have a surprisingly good year, though. They get to play the AFC East and from that division, only the Patriots had a winning record. They have to play the NFC North but those are manageable games. If we can split our division games down the middle, win those three games against the Jets, Bills and Dolphins, and 2/4 games vs the NFC North, that would be 8 wins. I think we will do that.

I predict the two wins against the NFC teams come against the Lions and the Bears. I say we'll win our divisional home games. We'll go 3-1 vs the AFC East. We also get to play Kansas City and Jacksonville. Chalk those up as W's. Browns finish 10-6. Playoffs, here we come!

[BLU-RAY]

JL, I think you might have missed the part about Jeff Tuel...

[Lightning Lord]

I have never watched a quality Cleveland team that I can remember. I do not count Derek Andreson's 10-6 but missed the playoffs team to be of too high quality. They were solid, but not much more.

In a league with so much parity, it's kind of stunning that Cleveland is coming up on twenty five years of futility.

You know, I wanted to dispute this a bit. I looked into it a bit. The Browns made the playoffs in 2002 and even won a playoff game as recently as 1994. And I thought "Hey, that's not so bad, right?" Except that it really is, in today's NFL. The parity has meant that even perennial doormats like Detroit, Houston, and the AFC West have had some success in the past few years, way more than Cleveland. Even the Lions, who managed an 0-16 season, have had more playoff appearances in the last 20 years than the Browns. Cleveland's had a bad run. As a Pittsburgh fan...I can't even feel sports-hate for them, just real-pity. :(

[awesome possum]

I predict the two wins against the NFC teams come against the Lions and the Bears.

Keep telling yourself that. The Bears might not be able to hang with the best teams in the league but they will have a top 15 offense and a top 5 (if not #1) defense again. Unless Jay Cutler is injured, the Bears are going to put a beating on the Browns.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

Keep telling yourself that. The Bears might not be able to hang with the best teams in the league but they will have a top 15 offense and a top 5 (if not #1) defense again. Unless Jay Cutler is injured, the Bears are going to put a beating on the Browns.

Cutler is good but he's not great. We can contain him. The only offensive weapons the Bears have are Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte and while those are two great weapons, Joe Haden can and will do a solid job on Marshall and our run defense will do a respectable job on Forte. Granted, our offense isn't much better but I think we win a 20-17 game.

[Mexal]

Cutler is good but he's not great. We can contain him. The only offensive weapons the Bears have are Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte and while those are two great weapons, Joe Haden can and will do a solid job on Marshall and our run defense will do a respectable job on Forte. Granted, our offense isn't much better but I think we win a 20-17 game.

I think I'm more with AP on this one. The Bears are a better team. Haden is a great corner but Marshall is so big and strong. He'll make tough catches regardless of whether Haden is there or not. I also don't believe that the Browns has the pass rush to truly take advantage of that OL nor the offense to beat a very strong Bears defense.

[awesome possum]

Cutler is good but he's not great. We can contain him. The only offensive weapons the Bears have are Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte and while those are two great weapons, Joe Haden can and will do a solid job on Marshall and our run defense will do a respectable job on Forte. Granted, our offense isn't much better but I think we win a 20-17 game.

You're forgetting Alshon Jeffrey, who is going to have a breakout year if he stays healthy, and Martellus Bennett who, while he doesn't have the greatest hands, is another big receiving threat.

The Bears defense allowed an average of 17 points last season and have only gotten better. What makes you think a Browns offense is going to put up more than that when they don't any weapons outside of Trent Richardson?

I respect that you have faith in your team, but come on. The Bears were 10-6 last season with a terrible offensive line and that offensive line, while not fixed, is already much improved.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

I think I'm more with AP on this one. The Bears are a better team. Haden is a great corner but Marshall is so big and strong. He'll make tough catches regardless of whether Haden is there or not. I also don't believe that the Browns has the pass rush to truly take advantage of that OL nor the offense to beat a very strong Bears defense.

I think you highlighted the key wildcard in that game. It will come down to the Browns pass rush ability to get to Cutler. I think we have enough of a rotation to give the Bears O-Line fits.

[Mexal]

You're forgetting Alshon Jeffrey, who is going to have a breakout year if he stays healthy, and Martellus Bennett who, while he doesn't have the greatest hands, is another big receiving threat.

The Bears defense allowed an average of 17 points last season and have only gotten better. What makes you think a Browns offense is going to put up more than that when they don't any weapons outside of Trent Richardson?

Josh Gordon is a weapon and that offensive line is pretty good. I'll give the Browns some credit, especially with Norv leading the offense. To be honest, I think it'll be a tough game but I give the edge to the Bears. The Browns, however, will be competitive this year and will win games people don't expect.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

You're forgetting Alshon Jeffrey, who is going to have a breakout year if he stays healthy, and Martellus Bennett who, while he doesn't have the greatest hands, is another big receiving threat.

The Bears defense allowed an average of 17 points last season and have only gotten better. What makes you think a Browns offense is going to put up more than that when they don't any weapons outside of Trent Richardson?

I respect that you have faith in your team, but come on. The Bears were 10-6 last season with a terrible offensive line and that offensive line, while not fixed, is already much improved.

I didn't forget Jeffrey, I had him on my fantasy team. I'm taking a wait and see approach with him. I'm not all in yet. Bennett is just not enough of a threat for me to worry about. Greg Little is a weapon, Josh Gordon is a weapon and in a Norv Turner offense, you better believe that Jordan Cameron is a weapon too. I don't think the Browns are better than the Bears. This would be an upset. But I believe we pull it off.

[Fez]

I've been a-pondering, and I wonder if Chad Pennington could pull a Vinny Testervade and unexpectedly come out of retirement this season for the Jets and play really well for around 3 games before getting a season-ending injury?

Its probably the best-case scenario at this point.

[Maithanet]

I've been a-pondering, and I wonder if Chad Pennington could pull a Vinny Testervade and unexpectedly come out of retirement this season for the Jets and play really well for around 3 games before getting a season-ending injury?

Its probably the best-case scenario at this point.

Why would that be a best case scenario? Would you really prefer that the Jets go 5-11 instead of 3-13, given the quarterbacks available in the draft? I mean, if you can be genuinely competitive (say 7-9 or better) then that's different, because you want to root for competitive teams. But really the joy of rooting for a 3 win or a 5 win squad in the NFL is essentially the same, and it's miserable either way.

If you want a "best case scenario" it has to end one way or another with starting 2014 with a promising quarterback. Either one of your rookie qbs turns out to be that guy, or you draft him next year. Anything else for this season is a failure.

[awesome possum]

The Browns, however, will be competitive this year and will win games people don't expect.

I don't think the Browns are better than the Bears. This would be an upset. But I believe we pull it off.

Well the Browns definitely need to improve for me to believe they'll be a threat. I read that the head coach is thinking about playing the starters in the final preseason game because they've been so unimpressive.

[Rhom]

Speaking of Cleveland...

I was, if not excited, then at least pleased that the Niners picked up Colt McCoy for Kaepernick's back-up. After watching him get the majority of snaps in the first two games and playing sizable minutes last night, I'm not feeling it. They picked up Seneca Wallace earlier in the week, so I think I'm of the mindset to put Wallace out there in week four to see how he does and maybe cut McCoy if we need to. Wallace's skillset would seem to require less of a change in gameplanning if Kaepernick were to go down.

[Fez]

Why would that be a best case scenario? Would you really prefer that the Jets go 5-11 instead of 3-13, given the quarterbacks available in the draft? I mean, if you can be genuinely competitive (say 7-9 or better) then that's different, because you want to root for competitive teams. But really the joy of rooting for a 3 win or a 5 win squad in the NFL is essentially the same, and it's miserable either way.

If you want a "best case scenario" it has to end one way or another with starting 2014 with a promising quarterback. Either one of your rookie qbs turns out to be that guy, or you draft him next year. Anything else for this season is a failure.

I don't support tanking, it only really works in the NBA where one player makes all the difference. In the NFL, you need lots of players, and the Jets already have some of them. Its true. They just happen to be on defense. And it wouldn't be helpful if the good free-agents-to-be don't resign because the team was such a laughingstock. Additionally, it can be hard to attract quality free agents if the team is a laughingstock.

Better to be 4-12 or 5-11 than 1-15 or 2-14 I think. In the recent years before the new CBA that was absolutely true, since those top draft picks were getting paid way too much, but even with the new CBA I think it is for the reason I just said. Granted, not ever truly abysmal team is laughingstock, particularly if the team is trying hard and the losses are due to injury, but this Jets team will be.

[Jaime L]

JL, I think you might have missed the part about Jeff Tuel...

I get the Bills have had some injuries at QB but still for the life of me I can't understand how an NFL team ends up in a situation where Jeff Tuel is ever their #2 QB. They flashed his college stats during the game - 2,000 yards passing 8 TDs/8 INTs. I was, like, "are you kidding me?!" Really, there was no-one else out there? I feel like Tuel must've shown up at Bills camp and so as to save the cost of airfare everyone involved just decided "eh, he'll do."

[Maithanet]

I don't support tanking, it only really works in the NBA where one player makes all the difference. In the NFL, you need lots of players, and the Jets already have some of them. Its true. They just happen to be on defense. And it wouldn't be helpful if the good free-agents-to-be don't resign because the team was such a laughingstock. Additionally, it can be hard to attract quality free agents if the team is a laughingstock.

Better to be 4-12 or 5-11 than 1-15 or 2-14 I think. In the recent years before the new CBA that was absolutely true, since those top draft picks were getting paid way too much, but even with the new CBA I think it is for the reason I just said. Granted, not ever truly abysmal team is laughingstock, particularly if the team is trying hard and the losses are due to injury, but this Jets team will be.

Tanking isn't as effective in the NFL as the NBA, but without a draft lottery in the NFL, it is still pretty appealing. I think that free agents are a lot more likely to stay if you go 2-14 and draft a hot young rookie qb than if you go 5-11 and draft whoever is available at with the #9 pick. I am sure as hell glad the Redskins traded all those picks to get Griffin, because he singlehandedly made us relevant. The year before we did that, we went 5-11, and thus had to trade away two 1st and one second in order to trade up for the #2 pick. If we'd lost to the Rams and Seahawks that season, we would have been 3-13, and wouldn't have had to trade away all those picks. As a fan, it seems pretty obvious that whatever good feelings I got from those wins, I would gladly trade them for three premium picks.

[Rhom]

Why do you feel tanking is less effective in the NFL? I would think that the fact that you can have the worst record by a country mile in the NBA and wind up drafting fourth would be a pretty big detriment... conversely, a bad record gets you precisely where you want to be in the NFL.