Joe Thomas isn’t going anywhere as long as Hue Jackson’s in Cleveland
December 8, 2016What’s the real deal with the Browns Perfect Season Parade?
December 8, 2016The Cleveland Browns have had a miserable season, going 0-12 through the first 13 weeks. Preseason expectations were low, but this was not what anyone expected. Expectations were of a young team that would need to grow, but not many believed we would be at the bye still looking for the Browns’ first win.
Predictions are predictions. They are beliefs that people think might come true. But as you know, predictions can be wrong or, in many cases, incredibly wrong. Before the season, I laid out my 10 bold predictions for the 2016 Browns season. Coming into the bye week, six of the predictions are flat-out wrong. Two of the predictions are close to right, while two predictions are right on.
With that, let’s go through them, examining what was right and what was wrong.
- By seasons end, Robert Griffin III will prove to be the team’s future quarterback
Verdict: Wrong
Robert Griffin III has played just one game, the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the game, he completed just 12 of 26 for 190 yards and an interception. He has just not played enough to show if he could be the franchise quarterback. Griffin’s inability to stay healthy, even worse than his play on the field, has been this single most damaging thing to hurt his proposal to be the team’s future quarterback. He just can’t stay healthy. Griffin could possibly have four more games to show his worth, but these four games will not prove him to be the future quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.
- The Browns defense will be last in rush and pass defense
Verdict: Not Exactly Right, but close
The Browns defense does not rank last in both pass and rush defense, but they have been far from good. The Browns defense has allowed the second most yards per game on the ground in the NFL at 140.6 yards per game. It has also allowed 4.5 yards per carry, the fifth worst in the NFL. Against the pass, the defense has allowed the 12th most yards per game in the NFL at 259 yards per game. Quarterbacks have a combined 103.6 quarterback rating against the Browns defense this season. So, yes the defense does not rank worst in both categories, it is close to being the worst. The Browns defense has struggled mightily, but over the past couple weeks, the young defense has shown improvement.
- Emmanuel Ogbah will lead the team in sacks
Verdict: So far, so good
Emmanuel Ogbah is leading the Browns defense with three sacks. Yes, three sacks is not a lot for a team sack leader to have, but that is on the overall pass rush rather than Ogbah. Ogbah has shown glimpses of being a passing threat, but like many rookies, he struggles with consistency. But, he is player I am really excited about in the future and think he will be a building block for the Browns front seven. He has been one of the few bright spots in the Browns pass rush.
- Jamie Meder will have a better season than Danny Shelton
Danny Shelton has taken the big step forward from his rookie season and has become the rock in the middle of the defensive line. Shelton has 45 tackles, one tackle for loss and one and half sacks. He has become the player many experts thought he could be. He can take up multiple blockers, allowing the players around him to make plays. He has also showed some disruptive ability, breaking into the backfield to make plays. I am so happy that I was wrong on this prediction. Jamie Meder has been solid, but he is just a backup interior defensive lineman.
- Corey Coleman will lead the team in receiving yards
Verdict: Wrong
Corey Coleman will not lead the team in receiving yards thanks to the emergence of Terrelle Pryor. But even as he ranks fourth in receiving yards on the team, Coleman ranks second in receiving yards per game with 51.3 yards a game and has just one fewer receiving touchdown than Pryor. He has had some struggles this season, especially due to an early season injury. But, Coleman is a player who can pair with Pryor and be a dangerous big play duo teams must fear. I am still very high on Coleman.
- Terrelle Pryor will score a touchdown rushing, receiving and throwing
Verdict: Almost there, but not quite
Terrelle Pryor has scored a touchdown rushing and receiving, but has not yet thrown one. A touchdown pass would require Pryor being under center over the final four games, but with the lack of wildcat plays the team has shown over the last couple weeks, this seems unlikely. With his emergence as a receiver, who really cares? Pryor has 62 receptions for 855 yards and four touchdowns. He has become a real weapon for the Browns offense. He has shown so much improvement on his receiving skills, like route running and footwork. Pryor has exceeded my expectations.
- The Browns offense will end the season in the top 15 of points per game
Verdict: Wrong
I was extremely wrong on this. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The Browns rank 31st in scoring; notching just 16.4 points a game. The biggest reason for the struggle has been the constant shuffle at the quarterback spot. But beyond that, the unit as a whole has just not been consistent. The rushing attack started off well, but has completely disappeared over the last handful of weeks. The offensive line has needed to use depth it did not possess, leading to more struggles blocking. The offense has just been a constant jumble of change.
- Duke Johnson will catch the second most passes on the team
Verdict: Correct, so far
Duke Johnson is second on the team in receptions, catching 45 passes so far this season. He trails only Terelle Pryor, who has 62 on the season. Johnson has continued to be a really valuable weapon on the offense, especially in the passing game. He is a running back with receiving skills, which gives him the ability to lineup all over the field. Johnson will continue to get the targets in the passing game.
- The Browns will not be the worst team in the league and will not have one of the five worst records in the league
Verdict: Very wrong
This is probably my worst prediction. The Browns have the worst record in the league and are still searching for their first win of the season. The only team on the level of the Browns right now is the San Francisco 49ers. But, the Browns hold the worst record in the league and are playing like the worst team in the league. There is no other way to look at this item.
- The Browns will finally win the season opener
Verdict: Wrong
I should have known that the Browns would lose the season opener. That’s what they do. The Browns had a full, healthy roster and still lost to an average team in Philadelphia with a rookie quarterback starting his first game. This is the prediction I should have known would not happen.
48 Comments
Some of the bold predictions from commenters on that preseason thread (I’ll let Lunch keep posting the record portion as that is his baby):
G_O : Josh Gordon will lead the team in receptions and TDs; Coleman will end up second
TB2: barnidge to lead in receptions
RGB: G_O Mack gif will be unretired
JM85: Pain
Max:
2-4 vs the AFC North
win a game after Thanksgiving
Duke will have 1200 total yds
< 3 QBs start a game
Defense will be turrible
net positive in TOs
2017 NFL Draft: Myles Garrett and a LT
Eagles go 6-10
L’audace, l’audace, tojours l’audace.
I stand by my predictions. The season isn’t over yet. And RGB was technically correct, though not in the context of the Browns. I unretired the gif after Game 7, but then re-retired it. It’s the Brett Favre of gifs.
Re #9. As a general rule, whenever anyone states an absolute, you can be certain that it isn’t absolute. There certainly is another way to look at the team. I honestly do not believe that the Browns are the worst team in the league, nor are they playing like it. They certainly have the worst record, and very well may end the season winless, but I think the 49ers are in worse overall shape.
https://media.giphy.com/media/xT77Y8eeEhBA8NQwLK/giphy.gif
I would claim the NY Jets are in the worst shape moving forward
This prediction was made in August, so RGB is not yet correct. We are holding the line here sir.
Game 7 was in November.
As difficult as this season has been to live through, I’m much more hopeful going forward than I would be as a 49ers fan.
I made my prediction under the assumption that the Browns would trigger the unretirement.
A secondary neutral party would have to determine whether the Tribe, under the auspices of Cleveland Sports, satisfies the requirements of the prediction.
hi MG … damn, what did you you do , write all this stuff down ?? or do you just have a fantastic memory ?
Oh…THAT Game 7
Cleveland just participates in too many Game 7’s during the championship round of play to keep track. That, and I’m still recovering from those wounds. They aren’t scars yet.
Also, RG3 still has 4 games to prove he’s the QB of the future. Will he do it? Nah, probably not. But the verdict is still out on that one. (He’s starting Sunday!)
It’s on the internet. Our idiocy is permanently available for all the world to see. Forever.
I clicked on the link, then used copy&paste
hi JOE … i remember saying there was no flippin’ way the defense would finish last in BOTH rushing & passing , as i believe no team in history has done that … you are right , they are close.
But, is he ending Sunday?
Understood. Which is why I unretired it!
One way or another . . .
Call Jill Stein. Oh, wait. “Neutral.”
Vontaze Burfict mat have something to say about that…
hi GARRY … my prediction : RGIII will beat the Bengals this week … the Browns will finish 2-2 to fall to the #2 overall pick & RGIII will go into next season as the starter.
I can see all of that happening (though I have very strong hesitations and reservations on the 2-2 piece, which impacts the #2 overall pick piece).
Bractice makes Burfict.
In fact, it is my hope that he is the starter next season.
https://dumbassnews.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/stupid20tattoo.jpg
“Preseason expectations were low, but this was not what anyone expected.”
Really? Because I could have sworn at least some folks were predicting 0-16 during the preseason.
Not some folks.
Just one person.
In fairness (to myself, because if I’m not, who else will be?), I’m on record (I think) as saying that the Browns should go 0-16, but simply predicted 1-15 because something weird would happen. But . . . you are indeed the only one on official record predicting it.
Oh Sure, look at me.
Browns win 7 of their last 4 and I’m right there.
Oh, we still have 4 games to top Thursday Night’s debacle.
I have to admit, I am sweating Sunday’s game.
I think it’s where we get my 1-15.
So, after some research, it appears that WFNY took a brief hiatus on another platform, and I made my official 1-15 prediction therein. I maintain that my 0-16 calculation was also contained in that forum, though I can no longer find it. Anyway, I’m not attempting to take credit for an 0-16 prediction, as I did not officially predict it, but I have always believed it.
In summary
https://media.giphy.com/media/3oz8xLd9DJq2l2VFtu/giphy.gif
just kidding, fun to revisit this stuff. what an awful team this year
One my expectations: the offense would call a lot of plays that quickly gets the ball into the hands of our rookie wide receivers close to the line of scrimmage – screens, bubble screens, shovel passes, reverses, end arounds, that sort of thing. I thought that because plenty of the college game tape I saw had them breaking big plays while being in a lot of traffic. Plus, it’d slow down the pass rush, helping open up the offense in other ways.
Based on what I’ve seen, this really hasn’t been a big part of the offensive game plan.
Going hand in hand with that was our rookie WRs playing a major part in the offensive game plan. They have contributed WAY LESS than I had expected. All of them, including Coleman, have basically been non-factors in the course of this season.
In short, my prediction was one of the most insanely idiotic things ever heard. At no point in my rambling, incoherent response was I even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought.
Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to me. I am awarded no points and may God have mercy on my soul.
I was thinking we’d steal a win or two because of an easy schedule. In actuality, most of our opponents have been better than I expected. Not world beaters, but respectable .500-type teams. As of today, the Jets and Bengals are the only teams with losing records.
I respect your determination to prove yourself, going so far as to venture back into the bowels of the site that shall not be named.
SORCERER! BURN HIM!
Do you right click or use ctrl+c/v?
yes
Or a Bears fan.
Ha. I disagree; I thought some of what you said was most rational. That Hue has called plays all season as though he has Tom Brady under center, Dallas’ Oline and Randy Moss streaking down field was hardly what any of us expected from this genius offensive mind/QB whisperer.
Philly is 5-7.
Right click?? Ha – PC User.
Downtick
That other platform went 0-16 in 4 weeks
Burfictly deserved.
In the comments thread for your original predictions article, I said the Browns would finish the season with the same starting QB they began with. Hooray me!*
*never in the recorded history of the human race has being right been so, so SO very wrong
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