The Browns have a shot to end the year above .500 (1 Viewer)

[ChaChingBaby]

At 7-7-1, the Browns are in position to possibly get over the hump and to a record above .500 for the first time since 2007. It's only the 2nd time in a 19 year span they've accomplished such a thing since rejoining the NFL as an expansion team.

In 2007, the Browns were 10-6 and missed the playoffs. This was also the year Derek Anderson made the pro bowl.

It's funny to look back at them missing the playoffs that year, cause a different 10-6 got in; the Titans. The AFC South that year had 3 playoff teams; the Colts (13-3), Jags (11-5) and Titans (10-6.

Ultimately the Colts are to blame why Cleveland got booted from the playoffs that year. They pulled their starters in the week 17 match up with Tennessee, thus giving Jeff Fisher's team a hard fought win, and getting them into the playoffs. The Titans didn't get swept by anyone in their division that year, meanwhile Cleveland did.

Anyways, 2007 was a long time ago.

Since firing Hue Jackson, the Browns went from 2-5-1, to a respectable 4-2. They've managed some impressive wins and also finally got over their previous issues of losing the nail biter games now that they've closed a few of them in wins.

They face a familiar ghost of their past next week in the final game; their old selves up in Baltimore. If the Browns can manage to beat Baltimore, not only will they help Pittsburgh by giving them the division, but Cleveland will also be above .500 for the first time since 2007. This could also help the Browns gain momentum going into next year, before they begin searching to build a new coaching staff.

Can they do it? Week 17 has a number of interesting match ups with playoff seeding on the line. This game however, I think is extremely important.

 

[Saintman2884]

You forgot 2002 when they went 9-7 and made the playoffs as a WC. They then proceeded to lose in classic Cleveland playoff fashion by blowing a 2nd half lead to Steelers 36-33. That's been the sole postseason appearance for new Browns since coming back essentially as an expansion team in 1999 3 years after Art Modell left for Baltimore and the team became the Ravens.

Other then that, I agree with your post whole-heartedly 100%

 

[Saint Kamara]

They should have fired Jackson after they lost to us in game 2.

 

[Saintman2884]

Besides this interesting subplot: I can immediately name two games that will be important and maybe the best matchups:

Obviously, Colts/Titans is the first. Andrew Luck is hands down, the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year winner this year. We've forgotten how enormous and meaningful his impact can be on a mediocre-average Colts team making them playoff contenders. Considering how poorly and pathetic the Colts looked last season and how Mcdaniels essentially forked them backing out of a HC job instead staying on as Patriots OC, this season with Frank Reich has to be the biggest moral pickups in recent NFL history.

Second game is Bears vs. Vikings, this is the win-or-go home game for Cousins in that maybe if he has a great game not just statistically but can lead his team to an important win against a division rival and make the playoffs, maybe he can quiet at least a few of his critics who say he's an eventual bust in Minnesota. The Vikings are probably one-and-done in the playoffs anyway this year but maybe in terms of little self-confidence for the future that's he's not just some middle of the road QB who wins 7-8 games a season and puts up decent stats, but will never take his team to the next level. Likely Cousins has shown he's the type of guy already anyway, well see a very good game anyway.

 

[LiterOCola]

If the Browns win, they will potentially let the Steelers back door their way back into the playoffs.

 

[ChaChingBaby]

You forgot 2002 when they went 9-7 and made the playoffs as a WC. They then proceeded to lose in classic Cleveland playoff fashion by blowing a 2nd half lead to Steelers 36-33. That's been the sole postseason appearance for new Browns since coming back essentially as an expansion team in 1999 3 years after Art Modell left for Baltimore and the team became the Ravens.

Other then that, I agree with your post whole-heartedly 100%

I didn't forget 2002. I mentioned they had two winning seasons since 1999. I was referring to that one and 2007.

Kelly Holcomb started that playoff game which was the beginning of the end of Butch Davis at head coach with the new Browns. Tim Couch was their guy before that and he pretty much got killed behind awful o-lines. Davis became sold on Holcomb whom would go on to be a massive disappointment the following year.

Besides this interesting subplot: I can immediately name two games that will be important and maybe the best matchups:

Obviously, Colts/Titans is the first. Andrew Luck is hands down, the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year winner this year. We've forgotten how enormous and meaningful his impact can be on a mediocre-average Colts team making them playoff contenders. Considering how poorly and pathetic the Colts looked last season and how Mcdaniels essentially forked them backing out of a HC job instead staying on as Patriots OC, this season with Frank Reich has to be the biggest moral pickups in recent NFL history

Andrew Luck is undoubtedly going to win Comeback Player of the Year, and he should.

I believe McDaniels screwing over the Colts was a blessing in disguise. He was a disaster in Denver back in 2009 and 2010 to the point that they ended up firing their front office and bringing John Elway in. People give him a little too much credit for trading away Smokin' Jay Cutler for bag of chips (Kyle Orton) and getting Demayrius Thomas and Eric Decker (neither of whom were really all that great when Peyton Manning wasn't throwing to them). Denver was able to right their ship so quickly thanks to a strong 2011 draft where they got Von Miller and then having a Hall of Fame QB choose them as his destination for 2012.

McDaniels was also an embarrassment by getting Denver into a Spygate controversy. As Pats fans used to jokingly say; it was like Bill B. sent him to Denver to cause a bunch of trouble and then hire him back lol.

Reich has been a great help to Andrew Luck but I think Chris Ballard also deserves a lot of credit as GM. He was a big reason why the Chiefs were able to build up so quickly under Andy Reid and now the Chiefs have a pretty bad defense since Ballard left. Fixing the offensive line and their defense has been the main priority. Andrew Luck looks like he can be a future elite QB now that he has an o-line to protect him and a defense that can make stops.

Andrew Luck is undefeated vs the Titans. A lot is riding on that game as the Titans will be trying to finally beat Luck and for both teams, it's a playoff spot on the line.

Second game is Bears vs. Vikings, this is the win-or-go home game for Cousins in that maybe if he has a great game not just statistically but can lead his team to an important win against a division rival and make the playoffs, maybe he can quiet at least a few of his critics who say he's an eventual bust in Minnesota. The Vikings are probably one-and-done in the playoffs anyway this year but maybe in terms of little self-confidence for the future that's he's not just some middle of the road QB who wins 7-8 games a season and puts up decent stats, but will never take his team to the next level. Likely Cousins has shown he's the type of guy already anyway, well see a very good game anyway.

If the Bears play their starters, they can put an end to Minnesota and help the Eagles make the plyoffs. Eagles or Vikings isn't going to matter, neither of them are winning in Chicago during the playoffs.

In my predictions, I have the Bears advancing to L.A. and potentially knocking the Rams out. I think we face them in the NFC title game and they will be our biggest test.

Bears are in a position to really dominate the NFC North in the future. They have hands down one of the best defensive players in the league and they have a bunch of young talent on that defense around him. They've found the right offensive minded coach, though I am not sold on Mitch Trubisky and his accuracy problems. Trubisky seems more dangerous with his legs than his arms, but maybe he can develop in the future.

The Vikings will be looking for a new OC under Mike Zimmer (his 5th in a 4 year span, not a good look) and then there is Detroit who is always mediocre at best.

The Packers won't be a threat for a while since they are going to paying Aaron Rodgers such a ludicrous amount of money. They'll never be able to build a team and make a deep playoff run and Rodgers himself has declined to such an extent that no one should worry about them.