Sunday Dawg Chow: Browns news (9/8/19)

Cleveland Browns:

• The Browns will go 12-4 for these 12 reasons (cleveland.com) - This piece does not include a Cleveland Browns Super Bowl prediction for the 2019 NFL season. I also pondered, but discarded, the idea of the Browns making the AFC Championship Game.
• John Dorsey: I like the direction we are headed (ohio.com) - As John Dorsey walked toward the tunnel closest to the Browns’ locker room at FirstEnergy Stadium on the night of their recent preseason finale, the general manager peeled off one of his trademark sweatshirts and handed it to a fan in the front row. Whereupon she repeatedly shrieked, “Thank you!” Those are two words Dorsey has heard time and again from Browns fans in the buildup to Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans.

• Browns unveil Otto Graham statue (clevelandbrowns.com) - Pro Football Hall of Famer and all-time Browns great Otto Graham was listed at 6-foot-1. As of Saturday, the top of his head is now a towering 11 feet tall.
• The Browns are stuck between heartbreak and immortality (NY Post) - After all Cleveland has endured — owner Art Modell taking its team to Baltimore; the Johnny Manziel Error; the 0-16, 1-31 Hue Jackson laughingstock — it deserves this moment in the Opening Day sun, when the rest of the NFL world cannot wait to tune in to find out whether what is unleashed from the laboratory is a raucous, rollicking band of brothers that might compel the great Jim Brown to sit in the Alpha-Dawg Pound … or Frankenstein’ s Monster, clad in brown and orange ...

NFL:

• Antonio Brown agrees to contract with the Patriots (CBS Sports) - What NFL fans across the country feared is actually happening: Antonio Brown will be catching passes from Tom Brady this season. Following his release from the Oakland Raiders on Saturday, Brown has decided to sign with the New England Patriots, he confirmed on Instagram.
• Players react to shocking AB to Patriots move (NFL.com) - Antonio Brown is a New England Patriot and no one can believe it. As is the tradition when big news breaks, many NFL players took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on this stunning turn of events.
• Jon Gruden enabled the struggle with Antonio Brown (si.com) - The bar is now so low that loud, selective virtue is preferable. It earns you more attention across the landscape than by simply being virtuous. It’s more beneficial to preach about how you give everyone second chances when you know it only applies to the most talented players on your team.
• Falcons agree with Julio Jones on contract extension (atlantafalcons.com) - The Atlanta Falcons announced on Saturday that All-Pro receiver Julio Jones has agreed to terms with the team on a new contract extension.