I mean goddamn this conference seems wrapped up doesn’t it? Not trying to jinx us but it really seems like injuries are our biggest opponent at this point.
The Ravens are fucking frauds. They’re a warm up for us. We literally made these guys look like the JV squad the last 2 meetings.
And sure the Bills and Titans may make us work for the win, but in all honesty we have to play pretty goddamn shitty to lose to those guys.
In order to have any shot at beating us you need 3 things:
1. Elite pass rush
2. Top 10 QB capable of making critical plays
3. Overall talented roster
Steelers are the only team in the AFC that has those 3 things, and even them it’s not like they’re some serious threat like the Patriots a couple years back, but they seem like the best of the rest.
I think at this point it would be disappointing for this team to not get to the SB 3 straight times.
We’re just that good, and we keep drafting well and get better and better. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
The Browns' D is a real issue, though. Outside of Garret, pretty atrocious. And would have no chance at stopping Mahomes and the Chiefs. I don't fear them, and I don't think they can win a shootout against the Bills or the Titans.
They're getting back a couple players on D, like Denzel and greedy, iirc. And that LB they have, 51 I think, he's pretty good.
Still a few pieces away from being a legit contender, but better than their current paper ranking, I think.
And they will win a shootout against either of those teams. CLE just got done dismantling TEN, remember?
And BUF's D isn't that much better than CLE's D, and where does BUF rank near last in the league? Oh yeah, AGAINST THE RUN.
CLE has scored more than 100 points in their last three games, 40+ against TEN, 40+ against BAL (top 10 scoring defense), and 20 whatever last night. And it could've been 30+, but they took their foot off the gas really early last night.
Originally Posted by Megatron96:
They're getting back a couple players on D, like Denzel and greedy, iirc. And that LB they have, 51 I think, he's pretty good.
Still a few pieces away from being a legit contender, but better than their current paper ranking, I think.
And they will win a shootout against either of those teams. CLE just got done dismantling TEN, remember?
And BUF's D isn't that much better than CLE's D, and where does BUF rank near last in the league? Oh yeah, AGAINST THE RUN.
CLE has scored more than 100 points in their last three games, 40+ against TEN, 40+ against BAL (top 10 scoring defense), and 20 whatever last night. And it could've been 30+, but they took their foot off the gas really early last night.
They can score plenty of points.
Yeah, I watched all of that game. Tennessee nearly came all the way back, and the Browns' D was pretty bad outside of the turnovers. Cleveland forced a fumble on Henry to set up a short field for a TD, and Tennessee had two additional turnovers in the red zone.
The Browns D will get some help when Ward is back, but he and Garret are really the only two stand out. Sheldon Richardson can make some plays (he tweaked his neck last night). Olivier Vernon is OK.
Greedy has nerve damage in his shoulder and I don't see him coming back and being an impact guy. He's also just a dude.
Their run O is really good. Stefanski has found ways to use Mayfield well... but I can't see them making it to a matchup with KC. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Megatron96:
They're getting back a couple players on D, like Denzel and greedy, iirc. And that LB they have, 51 I think, he's pretty good.
Still a few pieces away from being a legit contender, but better than their current paper ranking, I think.
And they will win a shootout against either of those teams. CLE just got done dismantling TEN, remember?
And BUF's D isn't that much better than CLE's D, and where does BUF rank near last in the league? Oh yeah, AGAINST THE RUN.
CLE has scored more than 100 points in their last three games, 40+ against TEN, 40+ against BAL (top 10 scoring defense), and 20 whatever last night. And it could've been 30+, but they took their foot off the gas really early last night.
They can score plenty of points.
Tennessee's defense starts most games "dismantled". It's not really an accomplishment to break an already broken defense. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RedinTexas:
I remember it clearly. I didn't like the fact that we lost, but they were clearly the better team. Other playoff losses sting much worse than that one.
For me it was never about the loss. It was about breaking Montana's head. Yes he got back to the playoffs the next year, but he wasn't the same. The shots of him on the bench in Buffalo with his helmet halfway on clearly unaware of where he was and continuing to try to go back onto the field were heartbreaking. Just for historical purposes, that concussion was diagnosed by an actual doctor as mild in 1993! How far we have come with knowledge of helmet impacts.
Add that to the Bills going on to lose their 4th straight frustration bowl, and I've been of the mind that the entire AFC should conspire to keep them out of contention for 40 years as penance. Time's not up. The football gods are stern. The Chiefs just made it through a 35 year "preowned QB" nightmare penance for selecting Todd Blackledge over Dan Marino. I do like Bills fans though and I wish them joyous celebration of their post-2033 Super Bowl! [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Tennessee's defense starts most games "dismantled". It's not really an accomplishment to break an already broken defense.
Then there’s no reason to believe that TEN is a better team than CLE. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
I know you're relatively new here so you may have not seen this before... :-)
"Better than 'bad' does not equal 'good'"
I don't think Tennessee is a better team than Cleveland. I also don't think Cleveland is that good, either.
Soft schedule for starters.
Right now anything is possible. CLE could collapse in perfect Cleveland fashion to close out the season. Or they could win out.
But how they've played their last three games made them look competent, something they haven't resembled in decades. You aren't impressed by TEN's defense, well neither am I. But that's still a NFL defense and scoring 40+ on any NFL team requires a certain level of competence from an offense.
Then scoring another 40+ on BAL's 'top-5 scoring defense' or whatever, if you believe in that stat. Overcoming a two TD deficit, twice, and then taking the lead for a short time in the 4th quarter was something the Browns haven't been able to do in decades.
And we all know that NYG defensive front is salty. And CLE mowed them down in workmanlike fashion last night. CLE looked like a real NFL team, and NYG looked like the same bumbling franchise they've been since Eli was benched, except they have that defensive front.
If CLE dominates PIT week 17, and I think they will, CLE will finally be a solid mid-tier team, trending up. With a couple more defensive pieces and some depth sprinkled in, they'll be the class of the AFC-N going forward, not BAL or PIT. [Reply]
