We’ve all heard the phrase many times before. It’s the Same Old Browns. There’s always hope to start each season, but it tends to go south very quickly. This year has been no different in terms of wins and losses. The Browns are off to a 0-2 start. The defense has looked very good for about six quarters, then just like they always do, they fall apart.
The Ravens are a really good team, don’t get me wrong. But if you asked someone who didn’t watch the game, you’d think it was a blowout the whole time. The Browns actually had the game pretty close two separate times. It was 13-3 at halftime and at the end of the 3rd quarter, it was 20-10. Then, the Ravens went on to score 21 unanswered points to put the game out of reach.
DeAndre Hopkins had a deep ball catch to set up a touchdown, and another reception that he hauled in for the touchdown. The Same Old Browns we’re used to seeing, right? The defense did hold Derrick Henry to only 11 rushes for 23 yards, which would typically be a huge victory, but allowing 41 points from the other offensive players doesn’t really help.
The Same Old Browns were used to seeing let us down again today. They’re now 0-2 and well on their way to 0-6, with how tough their schedule is over the next four weeks. The Super Bowl-contending Green Bay Packers are up next. Then the Lions, Vikings and Steelers in that order. I fully expect to have the Browns in a tight game against the Dolphins in Week 7, fighting to get their first win of the season.
New Young Browns!
Time for the good news: The Rookies look really, really good. Today was the second game for Dylan Sampson, Carson Schwesinger, Mason Graham and Harold Fannin Jr. Quinshon Judkins and Dillon Gabriel also played their first NFL snaps today. All six rookies who have seen the field in Cleveland have shown some promise. The one who has stood out the most is Fannin Jr. Harold tied for the team lead in receptions today with five catches for 48 yards. Last week, he had seven catches for 63 yards. More impressively, he seems to be all over the field. Whether he’s getting huge blocks to open up lanes for the rookie backs, or pass protecting to try and keep Old Man Joe safe, Fannin Jr has provided me with a glimmer of hope.
Schwesinger and Graham, the only two defensive rookies drafted, are both starters on the Browns defense. Both have held their own and made some big tackles through their first two games. The two backs, Sampson and Judkins, have both shown incredible promise and look to be more effective than Jerome Ford in the early parts of the season.
I’m still hoping to not have to see much of either rookie quarterback until at least Week 7. There’s going to be fans calling for Gabriel or Sanders to start next week after Flacco’s dud in his Baltimore homecoming. But I think with how tough the schedule looks these first six weeks, I’d rather not throw them into the fire. Only time will tell whether I get that wish granted or not.
All-in-all, the Browns may suck this year, which should come as no surprise to us fans. But we acquired some pretty fun pieces in the offseason and are set up pretty well for next year’s draft to try and get two more. I hope I’m wrong and that we finish 15-2, but then again, these are the Same Old Browns.
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