I didn't give up on him. I gave up on him being able to do it alone even with an inept coach and FO.

Now I won't hold my hopes for him to be Burrow of old until we see him given the injury, but even pre-injury, I thought we learned he couldn't carry the Franchise alone?

You guys still think he can cover for an inept coaching staff, front office etc? I'll respectfully disagree.

Based on what I've seen up to this point and knowing the HC, OC and DC are all the same next year:

HOME
Baltimore Ravens L
Cleveland Browns W
Green Bay Packers L
Kansas City Chiefs L
Los Angeles Chargers L
Minnesota Vikings W
Pittsburgh Steelers L
Jacksonville Jaguars W

AWAY
Baltimore Ravens L
Chicago Bears L
Cleveland Browns L
Denver Broncos L
Detroit Lions W
Las Vegas Raiders W
Pittsburgh Steelers L
New York Jets W

It's possible that the FA haul and draft make a massive improvement to the team and they can win more, but I'm having trouble seeing more than 6 wins with that schedule based on what we saw this year from these teams. And I wouldn't be the least bit shocked at 4-5 wins. I don't think Burrow alone can carry this team and overcome. I don't think living on the prayer that the team remains 100% healthy leads to a lot more wins, either.

2-15 and another record breaking year as the defense gives up 50,000 rushing yards

5 wins seems about right, especially with Burrow’s uncertain timeline and by most measures, a lame duck head coach that should have been fired last Monday. Good luck attracting quality assistants to a sinking ship.

(01-06-2021, 12:31 PM)jj22 Wrote: I didn't give up on him. I gave up on him being able to do it alone even with an inept coach and FO.

Now I won't hold my hopes for him to be Burrow of old until we see him given the injury, but even pre-injury, I thought we learned he couldn't carry the Franchise alone?

You guys still think he can cover for an inept coaching staff, front office etc? I'll respectfully disagree.

He won't have to carry them alone. They already said they are going to address the line this year. That means he will have Mixon and Bernard and a healthy run game, and more time in the pocket. I expect him to really shine next year if they truly improve the line.

With a pretty major overhaul of players I could see maybe, maybe 6 wins ? But I'd bet we get a kicking the tires in free agency, aaahgain. And we finish 4-12.

Cue the usual excuses in post season Zac gets 3 year extension.

Wash, rinse, repeat for ever and ever.

(01-06-2021, 01:36 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: With a pretty major overhaul of players I could see maybe, maybe 6 wins ? But I'd bet we get a kicking the tires in free agency, aaahgain. And we finish 4-12.

Cue the usual excuses in post season Zac gets 3 year extension.

Wash, rinse, repeat for ever and ever.

(01-06-2021, 01:23 PM)Sled21 Wrote: He won't have to carry them alone. They already said they are going to address the line this year. That means he will have Mixon and Bernard and a healthy run game, and more time in the pocket. I expect him to really shine next year if they truly improve the line.

This FO has already focused on and addressed the line a number of times in the last 5 years (1st and 2nd round picks at OT, C) FA tackles and guards, and we yet here we are. So this same group addressing the line again doesn't aspire confidence in me.

The story in this same old script ends the same every time. 

(01-06-2021, 01:56 PM)jj22 Wrote: This FO has already focused on and addressed the line a number of times in the last 5 years (1st and 2nd round picks at OT, C) FA tackles and guards, and we yet here we are. So this same group addressing the line again doesn't aspire confidence in me.

The story in this same old script ends the same every time. 

Addressing the OL in FA is completely different than the draft. You’re getting proven players.

We’ll see if they’re serious about bringing in top guys. Can’t be more Hart, XSF, types.

It depends on what we do in free agency and the draft, but I am confident that we can beat (or at least compete to win) against:
The Browns
The Chargers
The Vikings
The Jaguars
The Bears
The Broncos
The Lions
The Jets

And then I think, in the best case scenario, we could take a win away from:
The Steelers
The Raiders

I don't think we'll win all of these games, but I think it's possible in each game.

So I'm going to go ahead and predict 7 +/- 2 wins. Give me the Browns at home, the Bears, the Broncos, the Lions, The Jets, the Jags, the Chargers and then a chance against the Steelers and Vikings.

The truth is, no matter who we play we have a chance as long as Joe is our QB. He's just that talented.

(01-05-2021, 10:00 PM)thompson19osu Wrote: Knowing the opponents for the 2021 season, what do you guys predict for wins/losses?

With Lou returning and the offensive juggernauts we face, I see 4 wins +/- 2 either way. Regardless the schedule is brutal and we are looking at another losing season. Again there is not much hope when we return a coach with 6 wins in 2 seasons and a DC who allows a defense to give up 400 yards rushing.

I don;t see brutal outside of division, of the other 10 games, only KC and GB had winning records this year..could be worse, could have faced AFC East and NFC West or South...

Outside of division I see 5 to 6 possible wins, hope we can get 2 wins in division for 7-9 to 8-8

Too many factors to factor in to make a prediction this early. Does Burrow start in game 1? Does Atkins come back and if so is he healthy? What FA's do we sign? What players do we cut or not resign? How does the draft go for us? etc.

IMO we are already at a disadvantage next season bringing back a head coach and defensive coordinator that after two seasons have shown me little to nothing that warranted being brought back for a third. We're also at a disadvantage retaining the same GM yet another year.

(01-06-2021, 04:04 PM)BrownAssClown Wrote: Too many factors to factor in to make a prediction this early. Does Burrow start in game 1? Does Atkins come back and if so is he healthy? What FA's do we sign? What players do we cut or not resign? How does the draft go for us? etc.

IMO we are already at a disadvantage next season bringing back a head coach and defensive coordinator that after two seasons have shown me little to nothing that warranted being brought back for a third. We're also at a disadvantage retaining the same GM yet another year.

IMO we are already at an advantage next season bringing back a head coach and defensive coordinator that after two seasons have gotten screwed by injury history and retiring/quitting players.  They won't take a fully healthy roster for granted, and will win.

As much hate as Tobin gets, he freaking crushed this past draft.  Best draft class overall in quite some time. 

The only prediction I care to make is that Zac Taylor will break Dave Shula's record of quickest to 50 losses. He's definitely on pace, and Mike's "patience" is as strong as ever.

(01-06-2021, 02:37 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: It depends on what we do in free agency and the draft, but I am confident that we can beat (or at least compete to win) against:
The Browns
The Chargers
The Vikings
The Jaguars
The Bears
The Broncos
The Lions
The Jets

And then I think, in the best case scenario, we could take a win away from:
The Steelers
The Raiders

I don't think we'll win all of these games, but I think it's possible in each game.

So I'm going to go ahead and predict 7 +/- 2 wins. Give me the Browns at home, the Bears, the Broncos, the Lions, The Jets, the Jags, the Chargers and then a chance against the Steelers and Vikings.

The truth is, no matter who we play we have a chance as long as Joe is our QB. He's just that talented.

Until the run defense is fixed the Browns will likely sweep the series. It’s hard to win when the other team is going to rush for 150+.

(01-06-2021, 05:54 PM)t3r3e3 Wrote: Until the run defense is fixed the Browns will likely sweep the series.  It’s hard to win when the other team is going to rush for 150+.

Eh, we should have beaten them the second time and, while we were 2 scores out most of the game in the first game, we did end the game within a possession.

We're not too far off.

(01-06-2021, 05:41 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The only prediction I care to make is that Zac Taylor will break Dave Shula's record of quickest to 50 losses. He's definitely on pace, and Mike's "patience" is as strong as ever.

Unsure if there is an NFL owner/GM record for quickest to 300 losses but Mike is closing in.

(01-06-2021, 05:55 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Eh, we should have beaten them the second time and, while we were 2 scores out most of the game in the first game, we did end the game within a possession.

We're not too far off.

True, but I don’t expect the Browns to regress much in the run game. The young tackles will be better in 21 most likely.

Way to early to tell ,teams change every year,and add in injuries. No prediction till draft is over at least.

(01-06-2021, 12:31 PM)jj22 Wrote: I didn't give up on him. I gave up on him being able to do it alone even with an inept coach and FO.

Now I won't hold my hopes for him to be Burrow of old until we see him given the injury, but even pre-injury, I thought we learned he couldn't carry the Franchise alone?

You guys still think he can cover for an inept coaching staff, front office etc? I'll respectfully disagree.

It has happen before where a QB still wins games with a weak coach and bad decisions by ownership..looking at Rivers he had chaos through the years with Chargers and Luck at Colts. and they were able to wins games.   I will never buy that it is always coaches and ownership that totally hold a franchise QB a from winning games..  Detroit has been more dysfunctional than Bengals in the last 10 years and Stafford still averaged 6 wins a year in his career (72-90 record). Hell Mayfield was 6-7 as a rookie with then the dysfunctional browns.   

Burrow needs to still show he can wins some games before I can believe he is in the category of a Rivers or a Luck or even Stafford.