Is The NFL Ready For The Cleveland Browns To Be A Contender?
By Glenn Moore
The Cleveland Browns have won two games straight and sit at 3-2 to start the season. Is the NFL ready for the Browns to be a contender?
Get ready, NFL. The 2014 Cleveland Browns are 3-2 and are looking like legit contenders in the AFC North. With three winnable games coming up, the Browns could be in the driver’s seat for a late-push for the postseason.
To understand the importance of the season so far, you have to look back at previous seasons in Cleveland.
The last time the Browns reached the postseason was during the 2002 season, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a wild card matchup.
The Browns haven’t won more than five games in any season since 2007, where they finished 10-6, but failed to reach the postseason.
Brian Hoyer owns the highest winning percentage among the 20 quarterbacks to start a game for the Browns since 1999. He’s only started eight games, spanning over two seasons.
See how bad it’s been?
Granted, it’s only five games. A small sample of what this team could be, and with 11 games left, anything can happen. But Hoyer and the Browns have brought excitement and hope in a city where football dominates.
For the past few months, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have fans in Northeast Ohio buzzing about basketball. But with the Browns over .500, football has reclaimed the headlines while the Cavs prepare for their season.
The Browns have had success with players that weren’t even on the roster in the spring. They have had two rookie running backs contribute and help Hoyer be effective through the air.
And probably the biggest surprise has been the success of Hoyer at quarterback without talented wide receiver, Josh Gordon, who is suspended and comes back in Week 12’s matchup against the Falcons in Atlanta.
Also take into consideration that Jordan Cameron has been ineffective until Sunday’s game against the Steelers, you scratch your head on how the Browns have been winning games.
Granted, the Browns had to come back against the Tennessee Titans, one of the worst teams in the NFL, in record-setting fashion to grab the win, and had beat the New Orleans Saints with a late field goal.
The defense has been less than stellar too. The unit has been hit with the injury bug recently and will have to rely on second and third string players to get the job done.
Joe Haden has not had a Pro Bowl season and first round draft pick Justin Gilbert has not seen the field much.
But the defense continues to bend and bend, but not break in key situations. They have done enough to keep the offense in every game.
Notice how the Browns are relevant and turning heads in the NFL and I haven’t mentioned Johnny Manziel.
The Browns second first-round pick has only seen the field for a handful of snaps and has not played in the last two games. There’s been no need to have the Heisman Trophy winner play, as Hoyer has grabbed the reigns at quarterback and doesn’t look to let go.
Yes, Cleveland has been teased with fast starts by the Browns before. Go back to 2011 where they started 2-1 and last season when they started 3-2. Each season ended with a 4-12 record.
But there is something different about this team. New head coach Mike Pettine has stressed the motto “Play Like a Brown”. And he has changed the culture of the franchise, where in years past would lie down when faced with adversity late in games.
In previous years, the Browns would fold and let the downward spiral continue into each week. But consistent play at the quarterback position is key.
The hometown hero has won the hearts of fans, who were hoping for Manziel to start. He is not putting up fantasy football numbers, but he’s doing enough to win.
In eight games as a starter, Hoyer has put up some great numbers. He’s 147-for-245 for 1,839 yards. More importantly is his touchdown-to-interception ratio, which stands at 12-to-4. He’s only thrown one interception this season in 149 pass attempts.
The big news this week is whether or not Hoyer and the Browns would agree to a new contract, which would should put Hoyer over the $10 million a year mark. Is he worth that much? The debate rages on.
While Hoyer has earned to be in the spotlight and has put the Browns back on the football map, it will be interesting to see how the team handles the attention.
All the Browns can do is control their own destiny. If they can come out of their next three games with at least two wins, they enter an important Week 10 matchup with the Bengals on the road.
The Thursday night game will dictate if the Browns are contenders or pretenders. Until then, you can’t say these of the “Same Old Browns”.
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