MSN, which I would never go to, but it's the home page on my work computer, had a prediction for all 32 teams this year. While the Ravens are expected to match last season with a 2nd year QB, and the Steelers are expected to be all that and a bag of chips again (gee, there's a surprise). Cleveland, with a new head coach is expected to be over 500% and continue to improve, while the Bengals, with a new head coach, must necessarily take a step backwards this year.... and go 4-12. I just hope I can find betting odds saying the same thing. 4 wins? If I can find that, I am going to make them pay badly.....

Vegas has the Bengals at 6 wins. Remember me when you are a billionaire.

Can't worry about the experts especially since we are sure to be predicted to be bad by a whole lot more pundits before the offseason is over

(06-03-2019, 12:49 PM)Sled21 Wrote: MSN, which I would never go to, but it's the home page on my work computer, had a prediction for all 32 teams this year. While the Ravens are expected to match last season with a 2nd year QB, and the Steelers are expected to be all that and a bag of chips again (gee, there's a surprise). Cleveland, with a new head coach is expected to be over 500% and continue to improve, while the Bengals, with a new head coach, must necessarily take a step backwards this year.... and go 4-12. I just hope I can find betting odds saying the same thing. 4 wins? If I can find that, I am going to make them pay badly.....

People will always be skeptical of brand new HCs to teams with a losing record the year prior.
I just looked back at 2017 preseason predictions and ESPN had the Rams at 3 wins and 49ers at 2 wins. 
The Rams went on to win 11 games. 
49ers won 6. 49ers might have won more too if Garoppolo didn't get hurt, as the team was 5-0 with him as the starter.

(06-03-2019, 01:24 PM)ochocincos Wrote: People will always be skeptical of brand new HCs to teams with a losing record the year prior.

I hear ya.  We are on 3 losing seasons in a row, and this is the NFL where teams can be in the SB and then have a losing season the next year.  4 wins seems a bit low, but who know...if we can no longer count on 2 free wins for us via the Browns then things could be rough, I guess.

After Palmer defected and Dalton was deemed the started, I would have believed 4 wins was the ceiling for this team and they won 10 and went to the playoffs.

You just never know.

I think the real bet is whether Eifert plays more games than we win.

When expectations are low is when we seem to overperform...atleast under Marvin.

Make expectations high...and we fold.

(06-03-2019, 12:49 PM)Sled21 Wrote: MSN, which I would never go to, but it's the home page on my work computer, had a prediction for all 32 teams this year. While the Ravens are expected to match last season with a 2nd year QB, and the Steelers are expected to be all that and a bag of chips again (gee, there's a surprise). Cleveland, with a new head coach is expected to be over 500% and continue to improve, while the Bengals, with a new head coach, must necessarily take a step backwards this year.... and go 4-12. I just hope I can find betting odds saying the same thing. 4 wins? If I can find that, I am going to make them pay badly.....

Some guy's opinion.  Opinions are like assholes...

(06-03-2019, 01:24 PM)ochocincos Wrote: People will always be skeptical of brand new HCs to teams with a losing record the year prior.
I just looked back at 2017 preseason predictions and ESPN had the Rams at 3 wins and 49ers at 2 wins. 
The Rams went on to win 11 games. 
49ers won 6. 49ers might have won more too if Garoppolo didn't get hurt, as the team was 5-0 with him as the starter.

Cleveland has a brand new coach and had a losing record last year.

(06-03-2019, 05:20 PM)McC Wrote: Cleveland has a brand new coach and had a losing record last year.

I'm skeptical of them...

(06-03-2019, 07:08 PM)jason Wrote: I'm skeptical of them...

Me to, I'm not buying into the Browns hype - at all.

Unless zach taylor ends up being a disaster (which i highly doubt) then no way we get worse this year. Any talking head outside of Cincinnati generally has no clue what they are talking about.

Vegas really only have us at 6 wins? I am not a gambler but if i was that sounds like a good bet to take..

(06-03-2019, 12:49 PM)Sled21 Wrote: MSN, which I would never go to, but it's the home page on my work computer, had a prediction for all 32 teams this year. While the Ravens are expected to match last season with a 2nd year QB, and the Steelers are expected to be all that and a bag of chips again (gee, there's a surprise). Cleveland, with a new head coach is expected to be over 500% and continue to improve, while the Bengals, with a new head coach, must necessarily take a step backwards this year.... and go 4-12. I just hope I can find betting odds saying the same thing. 4 wins? If I can find that, I am going to make them pay badly.....

The experts are basing opinions like these off of:

1: Mike Brown still pays himself a GM salary.

2: The team did nothing on FA to move the needle. No major holes were fixed.

3: The Draft went with holes at the weakest roster position (LB) still evident

4: The new HC has never been a HC, and has only briefly ever been a OC at the college/pro level

5: The coaching staff vacancy process was a dumpster fire.

6: The Steelers own the Bengals

7: The Browns improved more than any other team in the Division, and have the youngest, most-talented roster of any AFC North team. It’s the Browns I know, but you can’t argue the talent.

8: The Ravens upgraded offensive weaponry, added some talent on defense, and made the Playoffs last year.


All of which adds up to a last place prognostication and a 6-10 record. My guess is 7-9.

(06-03-2019, 05:20 PM)McC Wrote: Cleveland has a brand new coach and had a losing record last year.

7-9 ain’t that bad, especially since it’s Cleveland. They also improved the roster significantly this offseason.

We’ve had 3 losing seasons in a row, have an unproven and inexperienced new HC who had trouble filling out his staff, and did absolutely nothing in FA as per usual...

Why are we upset that people are skeptical on us again?

(06-03-2019, 05:20 PM)McC Wrote: Cleveland has a brand new coach and had a losing record last year.

They also went out and made major moves to add a top 5 WR in OBJ and signed Hunt.

And while Kitchens is new as HC it was his offense that turned things around last season when Haley got fired. He’s going to be calling his own plays same as Taylor.

(06-03-2019, 02:22 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: When expectations are low is when we seem to overperform...atleast under Marvin.

Make expectations high...and we fold.

Very much agreed. This team is stupid when the spotlights are on them.

(06-03-2019, 12:49 PM)Sled21 Wrote: MSN, which I would never go to, but it's the home page on my work computer, had a prediction for all 32 teams this year. While the Ravens are expected to match last season with a 2nd year QB, and the Steelers are expected to be all that and a bag of chips again (gee, there's a surprise). Cleveland, with a new head coach is expected to be over 500% and continue to improve, while the Bengals, with a new head coach, must necessarily take a step backwards this year.... and go 4-12. I just hope I can find betting odds saying the same thing. 4 wins? If I can find that, I am going to make them pay badly.....

The article had Cleveland at 0.563 not 500%. They are slightly above 56% nothing near 500% (5.00). And they say our situation will trend down before turning up.  

All the writer did is push most of the high win/playoff teams up and low win teams down. It was a safe article that said nothing. Washington, New York, Oakland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Denver... all down. LA Rams, Philly, Indianapolis all up.

More so, this is our first coach in 16 years and about the 16th coach for Cleveland.

This is the same news that is always out there. I don't understand...

Betting odds has us at 6 wins and an 18:1 to win the AFCN.

(06-03-2019, 05:20 PM)McC Wrote: Cleveland has a brand new coach and had a losing record last year.

True, but they made a vast improvement from the year prior and their OC became their new HC. It's going to be the same offensive system but with OBJ (and later Hunt) added. It's not the same as bringing in a brand new HC who hasn't been with the team before, at least not IMO.

I personally think the Browns won't do much better than 9-7 at best and that the Ravens and Bengals will be better than people think, but I can understand the media views to this point. Cleveland did the flashy moves. The other teams didn't.

(06-04-2019, 09:32 AM)ochocincos Wrote: True, but they made a vast improvement from the year prior and their OC became their new HC. It's going to be the same offensive system but with OBJ (and later Hunt) added. It's not the same as bringing in a brand new HC who hasn't been with the team before, at least not IMO.

I personally think the Browns won't do much better than 9-7 at best and that the Ravens and Bengals will be better than people think, but I can understand the media views to this point. Cleveland did the flashy moves. The other teams didn't.

Neither did the article in question (9-7) nor Vegas (9 wins)