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Checking Out The Browns Schedule and Drinking Some Kool-Aid

By Aaron Ziraks
NoLogoneeded.com Staff Writer

Since we created quite a stir yesterday with the quarterback preview, I thought we would take it in a different direction today. Whether you want Quinn or Anderson to be under center for the opener, chances are what you really want is for the Browns to put some wins on the board. I hadn't really dissected the schedule until now and had previously thought 6 wins were where the Browns would end up at the end of 2009. With that said I took a long at the schedule and this is how I think it will play out

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Based on the 2008 records of the teams the Browns play in 2009, they have the 8th easiest schedule. The teams have a combined .449 winning percentage, which will be a welcome change from our 2008 schedule.

Browns Schedule - Win/Loss

Minnesota - Loss
@ Denver - Win
@ Baltimore - Loss
Cincinnati - Win
@ Buffalo - Win
@ Pittsburgh - Loss
Green Bay - Loss
@ Chicago - Loss
BYE
Baltimore - Loss
@ Detroit - Win
@ Cincinnati - Win
San Diego - Loss
Pittsburgh - Loss
@ Kansas City - Win
Oakland - Win
Jacksonville - Win

When I first saw the schedule, I cringed about playing Minnesota in the opener. Minnesota is a tough team that I think is going to put it to the Browns. With that said, the first half of our schedule is where the Browns are going to struggle. We have Baltimore and Pittsburgh on the road and tough games against Green Bay and at Chicago.

The great thing about our schedule is that we play Detroit, Oakland, Denver, Kansas City and Cincinnati (twice). I think the Browns are going to be good enough to pull out all of these wins. That puts us at 6 wins right there.

The second half of the schedule is where the Browns are going to be able to make some noise. They get Baltimore and Pittsburgh at home and have Detroit, Kansas City, Cincinnati and Oakland. I have the Browns losing to both the Ravens and the Steelers twice this year, but I wouldn't be surprised if we pull at least one of those games out.

So I have the Browns going 8-8, and if you look at how the schedule stacks up, it looks great for us down the stretch. Now I always seem to drink some of the Browns kool-aid during his time of year, but being 8-8 could put us in the playoff picture. I can hear the sighs already from the naysayers, but hear me out.

First Mangini took the Jets to the playoffs in his first year, so you know that he is not instilling a "rebuilding" mindset with his players. We did win 10 games in 2007 with a similarly easy schedule. Also the Browns had a ton of injuries and a team that quit on the coach last season. Taking all that into account, the only thing that worries me is that the Steelers have the 4th easiest schedule and the Ravens have the 5th.

As much as it hurts me to say this, the Steelers are a very good football team. I don't think the Browns will be able to beat them, yet again this season. However, the Ravens, I think, are overrated and have a chance of regressing. If Flacco has the dreaded sophomore slump and the aging defense shows its age, we could sneak up on the Ravens and steal a win.

8-8 looks good, but 9-7 would be fantastic and put us in position for a wild card spot. I'm not predicting playoffs quite yet, there is a lot of time before the season still. I do think it is not out of the realm of possibility though to be in the mix.

Let us know what you think. I am going to go wipe off my Kool-Aid mustache.

July 24, 2009 at 10:18 AM

Comments

I like your 8-8 prediction as a starting point. If we have at least 3 wins and are healthy at the bye week I think 8-8 is reasonable. But I expect us to do better than 3-5 at home. We should win one from either GB or MIN and we should win one from PITT, BAL, or SD. 5-3 at home.

July 24, 2009 at 11:13 AM by Bruce

Aaron, I'm the brotha on the boat next to you. Good Kool-Aid man. Every year around this time my optimism runs high. I agree with that 9-7 record and believe we sweep the Ravens. I live in San Diego now and we have to beat the Chargers. This team is very talented and with Mangini tightening down the screws and making these players accountable. I believe the 9-7 or better 10-6 record is obtainable, these team is underated. I still believe Maualuga should have been our 1st 2nd round pick and Robinski would have been there as our 2nd 2nd round pick the Georgia kid will not get much playing action this season.

Love my Browns.. Lets Go!

July 24, 2009 at 11:14 AM by BigDaaDee

I drink the Browns Kool-Aid frequently! 8 WINS! A victory over the Steelers, a victory over the Ravens, and a couple chokes in the games you picked to win. But hey, maybe 10 wins! Mangenius is in command!

July 24, 2009 at 11:19 AM by cglenn

Something about coach Ryan gets me fired up too!

July 24, 2009 at 4:37 PM by Joe Shabadue

8 or 9 wins? Are you kidding me!! Browns will be lucky to have 5 or 6 wins this year. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid...just watch out for the Kool-Aid man when he busts through your wall and knocks you back into reality.

July 24, 2009 at 10:20 AM by Brian

Agree with one difference: now that Flacco has NO ONE to throw to, the Ratbirds have suddenly become a one-trick pony on offense. Therefore, pencil in a Browns win in the home game coming off the Bye week. Take this one to the bank. It shouldn't be hard to beat Baltimore 13-10 at home in Cleveland Browns Stadium.

July 24, 2009 at 10:44 AM by nomocrap

Sorry Brian you need to go drink a tall glass of STFU!

I see 10 wins.

Keep in mind, we won't have 3 and out Anderson under center this year!

July 24, 2009 at 11:50 AM by Boris

I can definitely take a few tentative sips of the Kool Aid as I cultivate an excitement over this edition of the Browns but 8-8 might be a stretch. I am feeling 6-10 but a tough 6-10 where we are in every game (other than our annual blow out loss to the damn Steelers). Without a doubt, I hope I am wrong and you are right but . . .

July 24, 2009 at 12:09 PM by Josh

I sent this to a buddy of mine, a season ticket holder nonetheless, and here was his reaction:

"This cracks me up. I love the way people around here just assume that we will beat Detroit, Oakland, KC and Cincy Twice?? What is it about a 4-12 team that is actually worse going into this yr that makes anyone possibley think that this team will win any more than 5 games? I think the over/under in Vegas is 7 wins. TAKE THE UNDER!!! This team is a f*cking joke. Other than Detroit this might be the worst team in the NFL. Detroit is a road game. I don’t know if they’ll win up there. Who is the QB? If it is Quinn than you can count on about 2-3 wins. If it is DA they might be able to win 5 or 6. Either way I think we will see Ratliff starting at some point. This idiot who wrote the blog has us beating Denver on the road!?!? Give me a break! I wonder if they will be any chants of “SUPER BOWL, SUPERBOWL” at training camp next week? The Indians have a better chance of winning the AL Central this yr than the Browns have at winning 8 games!!"

Whoa.

July 24, 2009 at 12:11 PM by Josh

@ Josh

The only flaw in his thinking, is that we aren't going to be worse than last year and being 4-12 last year was a combination of terrible coaching and a team that quit on Romeo. He could be right and we may lose all those games, but just from looking at these other teams, I really think we will go 8-8. We'll see when the season is over.

By the way, Denver will be one of the 5 worst teams in the league this year. New coach, lost their QB, people already are having problems dealing with McDaniels, and their defense is AWFUL.

July 24, 2009 at 1:11 PM by Z

@ Z

Totally agreed. My buddy is an eternal pessimist when it comes to the Browns. On the other hand, I am like a lemming with amnesia, running into the brown and orange sea each fall. . . .

July 24, 2009 at 1:21 PM by Josh

@ Josh

Come say hi to Z and I when we're swimming around that sea this fall.

July 24, 2009 at 3:41 PM by Don_NoLogoNeeded.com

Kool Aid? Mine must be spiked or your has no potency. 10 - 6 is much more like it. I live in Chicago and there is no way that the Bears beat the Browns. Besides that I think that the Browns will take one game vs either Min or GB. Without Favre the Vikings are very beatable and the Pack is still very questionable.

July 24, 2009 at 11:06 PM by Steven

go BROWNS. anything is possible, i was just happy to see three weeks of consecutive play without many errors. the team looked pretty good, hopefully we open up with a good trouncing on minnesota. Plus i like the quinn pick. d.a. has had enough time at quarterback to prove himself. if braylon(go blue) will just catch the ball, maybe our offence will have a fighting chance

July 24, 2009 at 3:37 PM by kristie

Checking Out The Browns Schedule and Drinking Some Kool-Aid

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