I think its time for the Cleveland Brown to change its mascot to the Reds like the other Ohio city’s MLB team, because that’s the only colored numbers that backers of this franchise have seen lately. After another disappointing four-win campaign, head coach Romeo Crennel and GM Phil Savage join each other on the hot seat. Sportsbook.com has made the Cleveland Browns a long shot at 100 to 1 betting odds to win Super Bowl XLII.
Somehow, despite three consecutive seasons well under the .500 mark, expectations were high in 2006 after the Browns did some offseason spending, but after rising star offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley went down with a knee injury on the first day of training camp, this team already seemed defeated. Just how bad was it for the Browns last season? They finished nine games behind the first place Ravens and were swept in divisional play. A defense filled with holes couldn’t handle the talented offenses of the Ravens, Bengals, and Steelers all season long.
To the surprise of many, Romeo Crennel was able to keep his job despite an approach which seemed about as intelligent as pissing into the wind. Another four or five win year and the Romeo and Juliet relationship between he and owner Randy Lerner is over. Six wins might be the magic number as Lerner apparently has an understanding that his team is lacking all-around talent and that it all shouldn’t fall on the coaching staff. Unfortunately for Crennel and Savage, 2007 is the only year these two have left to prove that they can lay the foundation of a successful team and I fear that it won’t be enough time as Lerner will most assuredly feel that he could bring in a peewee football coach and win four games with NFL players.
The Browns are one of a handful of NFL teams who are enlisting in the services of former Chargers to help them get their team headed in the right direction. Former Chargers TE coach Rob Chudzinski will be asked to formulate a system which best utilizes the Browns’ personnel. We can expect heavy use of the tailback position in this system, a la San Diego, but Jamal Lewis is not a versatile back which will thrive in the same way LaDainian Tomlinson does. At least Lewis has the build to keep trucking after the wallops he is sure to take behind a suspect offensive line.
All you need to know to realize just how bad Cleveland’s defense was last season is their 27th ranking in total defense. No penetration front the defensive line allows opponents to do whatever they like. The task of getting some pressure on opposing QB’s falls squarely on rising star Kamerion Wimbley who had 11 sacks as a rookie. A porous secondary, with poor cover corners will allow the Bengals and any other team with a talented receiving corps to run wild.
Although the pressure is on, I feel the improvement of the rest of the division doesn’t allow the Browns to improve in the win/loss column so we’ll make our wager on the Brown under 6 wins.
San Diego Chargers 5-1
Indianapolis Colts 7-1
Chicago Bears 16-1
Baltimore Ravens 25-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 30-1
Cincinnati Bengals 25-1
Denver Broncos 25-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Dallas Cowboys 25-1
Carolina Panthers 25-1
Seattle Seahawks 18-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 35-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 60-1
New York Jets 40-1
Miami Dolphins 55-1
Tennessee Titans 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 60-1
Buffalo Bills 100-1
Washington Redskins 40-1
Arizona Cardinals 40-1
Saint Louis Rams 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45-1
San Francisco 49ers 20-1
Minnesota Vikings 50-1
Green Bay Packers 40-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Oakland Raiders 75-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
