The Browns Will Win If…

Let’s see. Hmm. So, maybe you’ve heard that the Browns have QB issues. And that their best linebacker is out for the season. And that apparently even when their defense holds on fourth and short it’s still technically a first down for their opponents. Gear!

The Browns actually improved on offense between the Buffalo game and last week’s loss in Pittsburgh. The defense played a solid first quarter. And then they got smoked. They were only in the game due to the Steelers’ running backs refusing to hold on to the ball for the entire third quarter. So, there’s not much hope going up against the one team that just smacked the Browns down in the pre-season. Right? Without further ado…

The Browns Will Win If…

Craig: …I say it every single week, but I am going to say it again.  If the Browns can somehow find an offensive rhythm of any kind.  They need to continue to run the ball as they have, but they need to find some success in the passing game.  Someone needs to catch the ball.  Someone needs to go for some YAC.  Someone who is a receiver needs to find a way to be holding the ball while also coming into contact with that painted area at the end of the field.  No, not the one behind the quarterback.  The one in front of the quarterback, please.

Scott: …we change things to “Browns will cover if.”  Since the week one debacle Baltimore, the Orange and Brown have managed to cover the spread on three straight occasions.  Of course, the majority of bettors took the favorite after watching the Browns lose by 21 and 31 points respectively.  But I digress.  Aaron Rodgers has been getting toasted by opposing pash rushers all season.  Assuming no flu, the Browns should have no issues getting to him several times throughout the game.  It will just be a matter of shutting down Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley on the receiving end in the event that Rodgers can get off a throw.  Oh, and we’ll probably have to do some work on offense as well.  Wildcat ahoy!

DP: …they score points. And tackle. And aren’t vomiting due to the flu. And decide to cover receivers and tight ends. And Josh Cribbs scores four touchdowns himself. Brian Daboll Brian Daboll Brian Daboll, Brian Daboll. Daboll! In all seriousness, the Packers’ main advantage is in the passing game. The teams are right next to each other in rushing stats on offense; however, the Browns are 31st in passing offense and the Packers are 10th. What makes it tougher even still for the Browns is that Green Bay is stellar on defense, allowing under 300 total yards per game. It doesn’t look good for the Browns.

RockKing: … Um, wow, these things are getting really hard to do. So, ok, how can the Browns win this game? The one thing I noticed when studying the Packers was that in their 3 wins they have 0 turnovers, and in their 2 losses they have 3 turnovers. This tells me that it is absolutely imperative for the Browns defense to create as many turnovers as possible for them to have a chance of winning. Beyond that, it’s just the usual. A Josh Cribbs TD return or 2 would be nice, continued improvement in the wildcat sets, WRs hanging on to the football, DA limiting his stupid throws, the O-Line improving their protection. You know, all that good stuff that never happens for the Browns. If they can do even half of those things while winning the turnover battle, I’ll give the Browns a fighting chance.

Rick: …This article originally published without my thought in at. Just had my name and three periods. I contemplated leaving it just like that. It seemed to reflect the Browns  chances in my opinion. And that’s what is so sad. We’re not playing the ’72 Dolphins this week. We are playing a 3-2 team at home. Should there really be this much dread about that? The name on the door is Cleveland right?

TD: …Honestly, the only way the Browns can win this game is if they can somehow keep the Packers offense off the field. That is not going to be easy, considering Aaron Rodgers seems to throw for 300 plus yards every single game. The one thing that plays in the Browns favor is the Green Bay offensive line – its among the league’s worst. If Kamerion Wimbley (isn’t sick), Shaun Rogers, and company can mount some sort of regular pash rush, it will go a long way towards slowing down the aerial assault.

Offensively, its simple – run the football. Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison, and the Wildcat. I want to see lots of it. You have to keep that Packers offense off the field. You know what else I want to see? More Mike Furrey! On both sides of the ball too.

Denny: If Laura Quinn-Hawk shows up wearing another abomination of a harlequin (get it – harle-Quinn!!) jersey but then throws it ON THE GROUND only to reveal a Quinn jersey, just as Eric Mangini pulls DA from the game and then BRADY COMES IN AND SAVES THE ORGANIZATION AND THE CITY FOREVERRRRRRRR.  Honestly I don’t know.  My feeling is that the Browns need to score a ton of points, because the defense isn’t going to slow anybody down.  Hopefully Eric Wright is fine and can play.  I don’t know if it’ll make a huge difference.  The main problem is this: the Browns can only really score on kickoff returns.  If the game is tied at halftime and Green Bay gets the second half kickoff, the Browns are toast because they’ll only get the ball after GB scores.  Better start getting your coin toss rituals ready, kids.

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What say, there, fuzzy britches?