Dawgs By Nature
If you look at this current iteration of the Cleveland Browns compared to last season, some will argue the teams are the same. In some ways, those people are wrong, but the team is likely going to be picking in the top five of the upcoming NFL Draft, again. The Browns are in the midst of a mini-rebuild. Many believed that the team should do a full reset, but a full reset would only complicate things further and extend the years of the rebuild.
At 3-9, the team’s already grim with hopes to win the division all but done, so now the evaluation period has begun. In terms of how the team has looked throughout the season, it’s a mixed bag of results. It’s fair to say the negatives outweigh the positives.
Going into this season, no one expected the team to do anything spectacular. Opening day, the team would’ve started out 1-0 against the Cincinnati Bengals if it weren’t for a missed field goal from kicker Andre Szmyt. But the team showed that with a strong defense, it can compete with anyone. It’s just the offense and special teams were the two units costing this team at the wrong possible times.
In a season that has been frustrating for pretty much all fans, it might be difficult to look for positives. If the ball had gone the opposite way, Cleveland would be in the AFC North division race right now, considering how weak the division is. Of course, 6-6 would be better than 3-9, but the persistent mistakes from a young team have the team at the bottom of the division instead of fighting for the division crown.
Every fan wants the team to fire someone for why the team is where it is now, but they aren’t going to get their wish. Despite the record, the team finds new ways to lose, and it’s mainly due to how young the roster is and often them not getting out of their own way.
In a year that has many fans frustrated, there are positives to look for. Considering the rookie class has many key contributors and potential franchise cornerstones to build around, those are the things to feel good about. Defensive end Myles Garrett is still on the team as well.
In a year filled with potential bright spots, those bright spots are overshadowed by the negatives. It’s an unfortunate reality, but it’s the way it is.
