ESPN Power Rankings - Browns at No. 9

No. 7 (Pittsburgh Steelers) - "A very strong draft catapults the Steelers into Super Bowl contenders. RBs Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall should be one of the best 1-2 punches."

No. 9 (Cleveland Browns) - "The 2007 darlings face high expectations. The offense will score. Can the D, anchored by additions Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, hold up its end?"

No. 22 (Baltimore Ravens) - "Are the 2008 Ravens more like the 13-3 team in 2006, or the 5-11 unit last season? This is certain: QB play is key."

No. 25 (Cincinnati Bengals) - "If WR Chad Johnson sits out, the Bengals will suffer. If Johnson shows, he's a distraction. Neither situation is good."

about 1 month ago ChrisPokorny Comment 18 comments 0 recs |

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Baltimore is extremely impressed with Troy Smith this offseason. I expect him to be their starter and do well.

by gahnki on May 12, 2008 5:16 PM EDT 0 recs

He might be able to do well considering the lack of a supporting cast, but I’d expect Joe Flacco to be in sooner than later.

Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.

by ChrisPokorny on May 12, 2008 9:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Flacco is struggling. The speed of the game is something he isn’t used to. Baltimore drafted him knowing that it would take some tie before he was ready. If they put him in now he would be eaten alive.

by gahnki on May 20, 2008 5:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

brownines

are rated pretty high for a team that has had one good season in what…..nine? ten? expectations in cleveland must be approaching stratospheric heights. with a supremely tough schedule ahead, what are the dawg pound’s projections for this team. be realistic now. no sb predictions as your banner has suggested.

GO STEELERS!!

by SE7ENS on May 13, 2008 10:38 AM EDT 0 recs

I can’t think of something less relevant to the 08 Cleveland Browns than what the 99-06 Browns did. Literally nothing is less relevant. What you ate for freakfast has more of an impact on the 08 Browns than the “what, nine… ten?” seasons you’re talking about.

Prediction is a superbowl appearance. Top 5 scoring Offense and (conservatively) a top 10 Defense. Wimbley has 16+ sacks w/ our new DLine.

by kwoog on May 13, 2008 10:45 AM EDT up 0 recs

To be fair, the Super Bowl tagline was simply part of a rotation of taglines intended to catch peoples’ attention; whether or not they have actual merit is up for discussion.

Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.

by ChrisPokorny on May 13, 2008 6:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

I sort of took it as light-hearted optimism. I don’t believe in jinxes and don’t understand all the fuss.

my helmet has, like, no pine tar on it.

by joeee on May 13, 2008 8:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

Agreed; you probably worded my thoughts in a better way than I did (“light-hearted optimism”).

Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.

by ChrisPokorny on May 13, 2008 9:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

i asked

for a realistic prediction. i’ve taken a gander at the brownies roster and a top ten defense you aint got. maybe in another year the brownies can be considered a sb contender but i wouldn’t bet the farm on it. i’ll give you the offense, though. da was a real surprise last year. i hope he’s not a one hit wonder so we can actually have two games this year that pittsburgh doesn’t completely own the browns this year. looking forward to the season. best of luck to your brownies and as always

GO STEELERS!

by SE7ENS on May 13, 2008 11:00 AM EDT 0 recs

More than a few media sources have shared my prediction, therefore it’s the epitome of realistic, as far as these things are concerned. Predictions of course don’t mean squat, and neither does media opinions. However, to call a Super Bowl appearance for the Browns unrealistic is not being objective, it’s being biased.

If the D has 3 Pro Bowlers this year it wouldn’t surprise anyone.

by kwoog on May 13, 2008 11:28 AM EDT up 0 recs

Oh no. Mr. SE7ENS (that spelling means he’s cool) thinks that we don’t have a top ten defense. God forbid he uses stats or actual analysis to prove his point.

by gahnki on May 20, 2008 5:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

what

motivates the media? they love trendy and bold predictions bc that’s what sells papers and creates ratings. truth of it is they get it wrong most of the time. what sports media journalist was predicting the nyg’s to win the sb in the offseason last year. which one for that matter was predicting a 10-6 season for the browns. i’m glad you realize this but i’m still asking for a realistic and unbiased prediction from browns fans. i’m not here to start a “your team sucks” argument but i would like to get some real input from some fans of a division rival in a tough schedule year. i think 9-7 and maybe even 8-8 wins the division. i’m thinking the steelers will go 9-7 or 10-6 but no better. thoughts on cleveland?

GO STEELERS!

by SE7ENS on May 13, 2008 12:05 PM EDT 0 recs

hit “reply”

Honestly, I think we have the same record as last year and make it to the Divisional Round in the Playoffs.

by kwoog on May 13, 2008 1:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

Was anybody but Jersey Shore d-bags predicting a Giants Super Bowl victory last year?

What is your motivation for making disparaging remarks, which are completely biased on your part as a Stillers fan, when asking for an opinion from the fans of the team in question?

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on May 13, 2008 2:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

biased?

actually every remark i made about the brownies is factually correct save one. i mentioned that i did not believe that the browns have or will have a top ten d this year. that, however, is just a matter of opinion and not bias as i did not predict where the steelers d would rank this year. since it came up, though, they’ll be number one again. that is an example of bias but not one that’s far fetched.
anyway, did you want to leave an answer or remark to my question?

on a side note, i absolutely loved those jersey shore d-bags and the g-men this year. i loved them for all of sixty minutes.

by SE7ENS on May 13, 2008 4:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

Here you go man. the browns will lose to the steelers twice, fail to make the playoffs, and the steelers will be kings of all the world. are you happy now?

kwoog thinks they will go to the super bowl. that’s not bias, it’s optimism grounded in the strengths of the team. if you want people to be pessimistic about the browns grounded in the weaknesses of the team (which there are many) than you should probably go to a pittsburgh board and ask the same question you did here.

i actually think the browns will win more than they lose, will be in every game in the fourth quarter, and will spilt with pittsburgh. it will come down to the last couple of weeks as to who makes the playoffs b/t the browns and steelers. AFC north does not get a wildcard this year. after the browns squeak into the playoffs than anything can happen so then i’m right with kwoog. kwoog just saved us all some time and skipped a few steps and said they were going to the SB

by fivekmd on May 14, 2008 9:13 AM EDT up 0 recs

My current opinion on the Browns is that we will give most of the tough teams we face a run for their money. With a tough schedule, that could force us into a situation where even as an improved team from last year, our record will be 9-7. In that case, the thing that will ultimately matter is what the Browns have failed at every year: beating the Steelers.

We could lose to several of those “tough” teams on the schedule, but if we take down Pittsburgh, that’ll be what really matters. Can we do it? I’d be an optimist if I’d say we could end our long slump against the Steelers, so all I can say is that with all the improvements we’ve made, we ought to be getting closer.

Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.

by ChrisPokorny on May 13, 2008 6:29 PM EDT up 0 recs