Browns moving up in the preseason rankings
ESPN’s preseason NFL rankings have the Browns ranked 9th. Interestingly enough, the Browns vaulted up 4 spots from 13th in the last rankings. Oh, by the way, today is May 12th which is roughly 4 months from the start of the regular season.
Personally, I don’t see the point in ranking the teams so soon. The reason I say this is because there is certainly going to be some surprises that will make these rankings obsolete by October. After all, in last year’s preseason rankings the Browns were ranked 31st, while the Packers were 24th, and the Super Bowl champions New York Giants were ranked 17th. Some notable flops last year include the Ravens, Saints, Broncos, Bungles, and Jets who were all ranked in the preseason top 12.
For the hell of it, let’s pick a surprise and a flop from this year’s list. There is sure to be a few from each group considering the fact that the league is set for parity. Don’t worry, your reasons don’t have to make much sense considering how far the Browns have come in the past year.
My Surprise Team: St. Louis Rams…If the line stays healthy, they’ll enable Steven Jackson to dominate under new OC Al Saunders play-calling. The defense is improving enough to compete in the NFC for a wild card. This may be a hunch more than anything.
My Flop Team: Washington Redskins…I just can’t see this movie ending too well. Dan Snyder seems to interfere too much and needed Joe Gibbs to bail him out of embarrassment and into respectability. Now Jim Zorn is HC and it seems he let his teenage kid draft the team like it was his Madden “franchise” by going WR, TE, and WR with their three second rounders. They have holes on both lines and they ignored them.
Now its your turn.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
My Surprise Team: 49ers
Frank Gore is a beast and one of the top 5 RB’s in the NFL. Alex Smith and Vernon Davis could also be studs in time.
The defense is looking to improve as Willis grown into an All Pro and the addition of Justin Smith is huge.
Also, with Martz now at the helm… he may just be able to right this ship in one of the weaker divisions.
My Flop Team: Packers
Ok.. I may be the only White male that does not like Brett Farve. But I honestly cannot stand the guy. I am making this pick because Farve is still in the organizations head. And no this isn’t just an Aaron Rodgers sucks post.
I don’t think it will matter at what level Aaron Rodgers plays, I feel Bretts “lingering” around in the shadows is going to mess with the psyche of the team. At least for a few years…. Or until he signs with the Bears.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Surprise: Bills - I like the Rams as well on that list, but I think Buffalo surprises a few people this season…
Flop: Steelers - I just can’t see how they improved in the offseason.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Surprises: Bills. I agree with Scott on this one. A losing season last year, but I found their playing improved as the season moved along. I think they will only get better this year.
Flop: Patriots. I am going to resist the almost Pavlovic urge to say this one goes to the Steelers. I think losing that Super Bowl will nag them all season long.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Just to interject, Alex Smith is one of the biggest busts in NFL history and will remain as such
May 12th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
ahh… Biggest bust in NFL history ?
Come On… he hasn’t taken the NFL by Storm.
But..
Ryan Leaf, Harrington, Couch, Akili Smith…… Alex Smith ?
Ouch.
His Career is too young to add to this list just yet. and… that was BEFORE he became a member of the Greatest Show on Turf version 2.5.5.
Optimism.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I wouldn’t really put Couch on that list. In his first 3 seasons he threw for 6,970 yards and 39 TDs. In his first 3 seasons, Alex Smith has thrown for 4,679 yards and 19 TDs. If you are going to use Couch, I think Alex Smith would have to be on the list of all time busts. But again, I think Couch was just a mediocre QB. Not horrible, not great. Who knows, with the kind of talent around him that the Browns have now, I think Couch could have actually succeeded.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I agree…both Couch and David Carr should be in the “what if…” categories since they were the first picks of expansion franchises that did poor jobs in surrounding the QB’s with any talent whatsoever. Most notably: offensive linemen.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Definitely agree with Rock, Couch was mediocre and not deserving of the #1 overall pick, but its a shame his arm went dead because it would have been nice to see what he could do with an offensive line, a running game, and a receiver or two, because he never had any of those things
Surprise team? Would have said Rams, but if I have to pick another team it would definitely be the Jets. Their O-line is much better than it was last year so they should get a running game going, and they are in a pretty weak division (minus NE)
The flop for me is the Titans, even though they are only ranked 16th. They still don’t have any receivers and no proven running back, and Vince Young can only put up bad passing numbers for so long before people start to notice
Honorable mention for Flop is the Patriots, because their secondary is not very good anymore. Lost their 2 starting CBs, and Rodney Harrison is still old.
May 12th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Suprise Teams: The Saints are definately up there with the likes of Duece McAlister coming back and some new defensive blood. The Texans are also looking like a good team but their downfall will be their division. And other than the Patriots, the brothers across the Erie (Bills) have an easy division and a good team; I see a Browns-style rise just because of that.
Flop Teams: I want to say the Patriots will have a super bowl hangover here, but as they won’t make it back, they still have an incredible offense and will be back in the playoffs, whether we like it or not. But the other team that I want to fail ,*****burgh, will. I know draft guys are in love with what they did, but they ignored their most glaring need (O-Line), and as we saw with the Browns last year, a good line equals a good team.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
OK. I hate the Couch comment.
I hated putting him up there and regretted when I did. I agree with all. Tim Couch would still be in the NFL and winning games somewhere if he had any help what so ever. Not only did the front office ruin him in Cleveland. They damaged his body so badly they screwed his career.
*Retract
May 12th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
And.. I appreciate you guys “giving me the business” for making the mistake of putting him up there.
May 12th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Mr. Yuk
All wasn’t lost for Tim in Cleveland…he did walk away with a Heather Kozar.