Even though the Cleveland Browns are coming off a victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, you're not going to see very many people in the media favoring the 2-5 Browns to defeat the 6-1 New England Patriots this Sunday. ESPN's Adam Schefter is going against the majority projection though and thinks that Cleveland will come away with a victory. After the jump are the reasons for his prediction.
"Cleveland seems to play its best football against good teams, evidenced by the fact that they've beaten the defending Super Bowl champion each of the last three years, including the New Orleans Saints on the road two weeks ago," Schefter said. "I think they're coming back home. I think that they're coming off a bye week. I think the Patriots are coming off a game that took some things out of them, a great win over the Minnesota Vikings, where everybody thought a game like that could go either way.
"I just think that Cleveland is this tough, crafty football team. New England's the best team in football right now. You're not going to get an argument from me on that. I just think on one Sunday, I think it's going to be a tough game for them."
So how are they going to win, Schefter was asked?
“In Cleveland’s last seven wins, dating back to last October, they have averaged in those seven wins, 91.4 passing yards,” Schefter explained. “So how are they going to win? However the hell they’ve won the last seven times. By throwing for 91.4 yards, forcing 2-3 turnovers, by getting a Josh Cribbs special teams play ... that’s how they win.”Source: ESPNBoston.com
Nobody else at ESPN is picking the Browns to win, as you can see here. Sports Illustrated's Peter King, meanwhile, is going against the Browns. He likes New England to win 23-13:
In his first three NFL starts, Colt McCoy has faced the best team in football, Week 6 version (Steelers, at Pittsburgh); the defending Super Bowl champion (Saints, at New Orleans;, and the best team in football, Week 9 version (Patriots, at home). That'd be like Colt, the ex-Texas QB, opening his college career at Alabama, at Oregon and home to Oklahoma. Brutal. If he comes out of it even 1-2 and completing 63-ish percent, the Browns have to give him the rest of the year to see if he might be the answer.
What do you think Cleveland's chances of winning this Sunday are?
In other news, Eric Mangini confirmed this morning that rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will get the start against the New England Patriots. Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme will both miss Friday's practice again, but Mangini noted that there is a chance Wallace will be on the team's 45-man active roster Sunday (instead of Brett Ratliff). That means Delhomme should probably be completely ruled as "OUT" for this week. I don't think this means McCoy is the starter the rest of the way; when all three quarterbacks are healthy, Mangini still has a decision to make.
0 recs | 66 comments
I voted for the Browns. Why not?
emily522 - November 5, 2010
Why bother reading these blogs if you dont think the Browns are going to win? This is a vote “for Browns fans”. i hope the Browns to win every week no matter what. If you dont share that same passion GTFO!
BrownEye - November 5, 2010
Big difference between “hoping” for the Browns to win, and then basically the question in the poll, which can almost be thought of as, “would you put money on the Browns winning, straight up?” I’m sure 100% of Browns fans “hope” for the Browns to win.
Chris Pokorny - November 5, 2010
And, the “hope” factor always plays into the results of the poll still, as you can see from the 2:1 results of the poll as of my comment here.
Chris Pokorny - November 5, 2010
At the time of my comment the poll was a little different… But none the less i agree with your points
BrownEye - November 5, 2010
I learned a loooooong time ago not to put money on the Browns.
North Coast Flea - November 5, 2010
I only bet on cock fights.
golanbatrac - November 5, 2010
the last time I went to one, I had some great tamales.
Dawg Nuts - November 5, 2010
gotta keep your head on a swivel in a vicious cock fight.
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
comment removed
Villeslgr - November 5, 2010
Wanting them to win and thinking that they will win are two completely different things.
Buckeye Brad - November 5, 2010
not for a true fan
Villeslgr - November 5, 2010
forgot the /sarc
Villeslgr - November 5, 2010
Very true, unless the fan is delusional.
Simmsinns - November 6, 2010
Despite all the signs in thE Browns favor, I gotta pick the Pats. Trap game, bye week, and the 4.5 point line, I think the Pats pull out a 4th quarter win.
Anybody else surprised at the line? As the saying goes, “the line is saying something,” I think the Browns have a good chance. When a 6-1 team faces a 2-5 team, the spread is typically closer to 7 when at the dog’s home (and 10-12 at fave’s home).
In the end I don’t see all of the things that Schlereth predicts actually falling into place.
One other prediction- we just may see the fumblerooski this Sunday.
Spidey - November 5, 2010 via mobile
Shocked by that line — think we deserve it but surprised others realize that. Where’d you see it?
TheDriveStillHurts - November 5, 2010
Given the animosity the two coaches feel for each other, I see the Browns pulling all stops to beat the Patriots, meaning trick plays again.
But Belicheat will be ready for them….will he be able to stop them?
allsides - November 5, 2010
Like TDSH, I am shocked by the line, but I guess vegas is respecting the fact that we play tough teams within a TD
I agree though that we probably lose it in the 4th.
bross09 - November 5, 2010
Some places have the line at 4. I dont know where it opened, but I would have guessed at least 6, based on team records and the general media coverage.
Then again, the folks in Vegas actually get paid for this stuff, so they should know a thing or 2.
Spidey - November 6, 2010 via mobile
Picking against the Browns brings bad karma.
elsandito - November 5, 2010
JustBob - November 5, 2010
<3
troy145 - November 5, 2010
If we can keep NE in 3rd and long, I think Cleveland wins this game. If they are getting first downs with ease, I think we are in trouble.
Prediction: Ward gets his first INT this game. He is reading QB’s pretty well. I think he steals one off of Brady on Sunday
Kimble_79 - November 5, 2010
Browns 11 — Patriots 5
golanbatrac - November 5, 2010
how did you come up with those numbers, do you envision a safety or two
Steve n NC - November 5, 2010
He does that each week.
emily522 - November 5, 2010
he predicts baseball scores for football
bross09 - November 5, 2010
He sees the future. Which is
Villeslgr - November 5, 2010
And “yay!” about Colt starting.
emily522 - November 5, 2010
McCoy should be the starter with Ratliff as his back up. Let the other guys get healthy, and play if we need them. Like all horses, a COLT only gets better the more you run it. I would like to see Wallace still come in and do the “Cyclone” with Cribbs, but Seneca as the starter – NO.
J. W. - November 5, 2010
BTW – Of course I voted the Browns. No other way about it…. Long Live the Browns!
J. W. - November 5, 2010
Schefter is right on: we need turnovers and some Cribbs special teams play and any other magic we can sprinkle on top.
I hope we can get Hillis going and let Brady watch the game from the sidelines.
Western Reserve - November 5, 2010
does Cribbs have a return TD (or even a long one yet) this season?
what happened there?
that frustrates/disappoints me.
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
he’s a marked man. i can’t remember any great returns, but i think that if they do more of that homerun throwback thing teams will focus a little more on that and it could open things up for him.
davus - November 5, 2010
I think that throw to Wright was half to catch the Saints off-guard and half to open up opportunities of Cribbs later on this season. Hopefully we’ll see some more honest coverages now that teams know we have a plan for when they over-pursue.
dvbb - November 5, 2010
i missed this play.
did Cribbs like pitch it off to Watson on a return, to add some yardage?
I’m curious if Cribb’s focus on WR-ing or whatnot is affecting the return game. Do you think we’re devoting the same tools/practice to it as in previous years?
did we over-emphasize it in the past due to it being our (only) strong point?
i feel like if we had the return game of previous years, it could push us over the edge in some close match ups.
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
Cribbs started on a punt return on the right side of the field. He then stopped after grabbing all the defenders attention, then threw a bomb back to the other side of the field to Wright who then sprinted to like the 10 yard line.
SpecialBrownie - November 5, 2010
Wright did something right?
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
right.
davus - November 6, 2010
Re: the play, it looked like it was a designed play rather than improvisation.
As to the return game in general, I don’t think the WR duties are what is holding Cribbs back. It looks to me as though he is just not getting any room to move with the ball. Dunno if that is a function of the return team not holding the coverage team in check long enough or what.
JustBob - November 6, 2010
it’d be good to know. we used to score touchdowns there.
discoinferno083 - November 6, 2010
Any given Sunday…
It proved itself 2 weeks ago. Could it happen again? I doubt it but I’m a Browns fan so I sustain hope. The offense better come out of it’s shell. We can’t depend on 14 points from David Bowens every week.
CW78 - November 5, 2010
Bill Simmons is worried about the Browns beating his Patriots. He has us ranked 21st in his NFL Power Poll (sounds about right) and says this about the team:
Buckeye Brad - November 5, 2010
Axis of Abomination – hilarious.
I think that also applies to most of the QBs since 1999.
da36chamberz - November 5, 2010
And to our OL til we drafted Thomas.
North Coast Flea - November 5, 2010
That’s a clever costume idea.
emily522 - November 5, 2010
Glad to hear McCoy is getting the start again. Schefter makes a valid point about McCoy having to start against Pit, N.O., and now N.E. – talk about the rookie meat grinder. I have to vote Browns, because every week I think we have a chance to win. Here’s hoping we pull out some more David Copperfield plays and catch N.E. looking ahead on the schedule.
da36chamberz - November 5, 2010
I should also mention I love the headline for this post, I read it the first time without the colon and thought it was very yoda-esque.
da36chamberz - November 5, 2010
I want the Browns to win more than I want to leave work right now at 3:38 (pretty damn bad) but its hard to imagine the Pats caught flat footed by trickery like the Saints were. Two huge upsets in a row? I hope so but . . .
Les Fleurs Du Mal - November 5, 2010
Sadly, Brady’s not likely throw 4 picks.
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
well neither did anyone think Brees would throw 4 either ….
talonk - November 5, 2010
Brees also had an atrocious outing against Arizona, didn’t he?
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
I’m going to be at the game and when I’m at the game I ALWAYS pick the Browns to win. The last game I attended? About 2 years ago Giants vs Browns. I was also at the game Jan first 1994 when the Belichick-led Browns knocked of the Pats in the AFC Wildcard playoffs. I can feel the mojo, the winds of change are blowing, the Browns have an extreme karma deficit to make up and there’s been a hoot-owl howling at my window now, for 6 nights in a row…
Brownsyup - November 5, 2010
that Giants game was amazing. What a party.
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
i voted browns… i read a good article that gives me hope in the browns…. and mangini. if this is a depiction of the feel in the locker room it sounds like the browns believe they are going to win… i am expecting big things this week.
crazyL80 - November 5, 2010
seriously.
i’m not expecting a win (sorry…being realistic).
but it is really good to start getting props/recognition from the media.
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
I’m still not sure that this offense can consistently move the ball, so the Browns are going to need more outstanding special teams and defense this week to keep it close. If St can at least give them good field position and the offense can move the ball we could be looking at not just an upset, but a huge upset.
(This message brought to you by the Council for Positive Thought)
JustBob - November 5, 2010
right. i have similar thoughts above.
discoinferno083 - November 5, 2010
i’ll be at the game, so i’m really hoping for a victory … but this team hasn’t had a stumble all year, and they’re just not talented enough to keep that rolling, even w/ the bye. ne is too tough: 28-13 ne
DontCallMeJoey - November 5, 2010 via mobile
Yeah, that scores seems about right to me. My biggest worry is Brady will handle the pressure just fine and torch us, like the Pitt game where we kept almost getting to BR. But I’ll work up a big ol’ batch of optimism by game time.
dgcambridge - November 6, 2010
Speaking of blitzes, has anyone noticed any real creativity there for the Browns. To my untrained eye it looks like everyone just makes a bee line to the QB, no crossing or delays. Is that really all we are doing or am I just missing the finer points?
JustBob - November 6, 2010
i would agree with your pash-rush analysis.
i hate the “almost” getting to the QB.
discoinferno083 - November 6, 2010
Not sure what you consider a stumble, but I would have to say that the leads given up in the 4th, the interceptions, the big passes given up all constitute stumbles. In fact I would argue that a lot of the near picks dropped by our DBs – the ones that should have been fairly easy catches – constitute more stumbles.
So, I see your score as likely as long as we continue to stumble, but a win for the Browns if we can stop stumbling.
JustBob - November 6, 2010
I think the Browns win 24-16! I can’t wait to get back downtown to the lakefront. NO home game for 3 straight Sundays SUCKED!!!!! Here we go Brownies here we go !!!
todd44140 - November 6, 2010
How do you beat them?
Run your routes underneath and break the fly and post patterns from that scenario, because all their DBs do is lurk. Spread and vary your gaps against their oversized 3-4 linemen and use a fullback to bust up the first linebacker. Run east and west or north and south, but whatever you do commit totally. If they´re not blitzing let your QB scramble with his arm cocked.
On defense, when they collapse the line, don´t rush them, linger, linger, go. Find a way not to create a gorge when they stretch the field. I know there´s no bump and run, but try to run with the receivers, they´re not immune to people breathing down their necks. Absolutely cover the slot receivers at all times, they use that pop pattern to open up their long routes, don´t give it to them.
mooncamping - November 6, 2010
Schefter actually looks like a genius right about now …
talonk - November 8, 2010
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