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Written by Jason Nimrichter (AZBrowns)
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Saturday, 22 December 2007 |
We’re officially back
The Cleveland Browns were not supposed to do this. By now, the Browns were supposed to see Brady Quinn take over an offense in flux. They were supposed to in the market for a new head coach, perhaps trying to lure Bill Cowher out of retirement. After week one, many predicted the Browns to be in the predicament that the Miami Dolphins or San Francisco 49ers are currently in. My, how things have changed. 
The Browns stepped into week 2 fresh off a whoopin’ at the hands of the arch-nemesis Pittsburgh Steelers. It appeared things were not going to get any better. Cincinnati was coming off of a hard fought victory over a team that was considered by man a Super Bowl contender- The Baltimore Ravens. Eccentric wide receiver Chad Johnson was bragging about how he was going to jump into the dawg pound given the opportunity. Nobody gave the Browns a chance and nobody could have predicted what happened over the course of the season.
It appeared to be another run-of-the-mill schlacking at the hands of what was once considered a superior team. Carson Palmer drove the Bengals for seven points on their first drive and Derek Anderson threw an incompletion on the first five passes he attempted….. Then someone turned the light on for the Browns.
We all know the Browns “shocked the football world” by defeating the Bengals, but the craziness didn’t end there. A blocked field goal, a “discussion” about a field goal, 2 made OT field goals, a botched TD call at the end of a game, and the snow blizzard game are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how strange this season has gone
Fast Forward to today.
Not only are the Browns getting respect from their own fan base again, but they are getting respect from the fans across the nation and the media alike. With the Browns currently sitting in the last wild card position with a chance to clinch with a win against the Bengals , fans are anticipating the first playoff appearance by the Browns since the 2002 season. This is a much different team than then. At the time, the Browns were already pushed against the cap and winning with smoke and mirrors. There was speculation that many players would be let go for salary cap purposes. When the season ended, Jamir Miller went on with his life; Darren Hambrick, Earl Holmes and Dwayne Rudd took their mediocrity elsewhere; the Browns had a QB controversy between two very mediocre signal callers and the Browns playoff contention was brief and quite frankly, embarrassing. It was that offseason where the hole was dug and the Browns lied in for four full seasons. The previous regime sold out the future for a chance to be mediocre for a season or two and the mess was left behind for whomever wanted to clean it up.
Enter Phil Savage and fast-forward to August 2007.
This version of the Browns are not only young and talented, but they have the coaching staff and front office in place that was sorely lacked since Marty Schottenheimer was rudely kicked out of the door. Don’t expect any fire sales. Don’t expect any knee-jerk, Butch Davis-esque decisions. Don’t expect any more draft blunders (who really drafts a long snapper?). On no Browns fans, we are led by a professional in the front office.
What has seemingly come together simultaneously was once thought to be a pipe dream. Braylon Edwards emergence wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to be the loud-mouthed malcontent that was the second coming of Terrell Owens. Kellen Winslow had micro fracture surgery and many questioned his career. Charlie Frye was not the answer (ok they were right about one thing), but neither was Derek Anderson. Brady Quinn was supposed to be rushed into work and the offensive line, including top pick Joe Thomas, was supposed to struggle. The defense… well ok, they aren’t the second coming of the Steel Curtain, but they certainly have made progress that has helped the Browns sustain their playoff pursuit.
Unlike the last Browns playoff team, this team has cornerstones in place that have proven themselves that aren’t in danger of leaving. The players are seemingly having more fun than any Browns team since Bernie Kosar’s perm-mullet connected with Webster Slaughter’s jheri curl and it shows.
More than anything it shows through the fans. While the Browns haven’t had any problems selling tickets, getting people to show up to a week 15 game in blizzard conditions is another. Since the Browns returned, the Browns have had a difficult time filling the seats even though tickets were sold even when the weather was permitting. The Bills game showed a vibrant stadium with an aura that I have not seen in nearly 2 decades. The Browns fans are rocking again, hoping and praying they finish the job.
If anything has come out of this season, it’s relief. Hope has been instilled not only in the Browns franchise, but among the fans. There is no talk of “next season” at this point. There is no talk about the draft and there is no talk about the players who have actually spent the season on the practice squad. The only thought on the players, fans and city of Cleveland are the Cincinnati Bengals. The fans know that a win guarantees a playoff birth but there is more than that. What makes it that much more special is that unlike in 2002, no matter what happens the rest of this season, we will go into the 2008 season EXPECTING to make the playoffs. If the goal is realized and the Browns finish the job, fans won’t be talking playoffs in 2008... They will be talking the magic phrase that starts with “S” and I am not talking about any four-letter words.
The Browns return is officially listed in the history books as 1999.... But people will refer to the 2007 season as the year the Browns returned to the NFL. |
