2011 Cleveland Browns Predictions
Written by Steve Janus
The Cleveland Browns ended up going 5-11 in 2010, but this team was a lot better than their final record indicates. Cleveland had nine losses by 10 points or less. They were one of two teams to beat the New England in the regular season, crushing the Patriots 34-14 at home. They have a ton of young talent that is coming together, and are excited about new head coach Pat Shurmur. The Browns are one of the teams that could surprise in 2011, but they have a couple of tough road blocks ahead of them in the AFC North, as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens both come into the season as legit Super Bowl contenders. Here’s a closer look at what the Browns will bring to the table on both sides of the ball.
Offense:
Injuries to Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace forced the Browns to start rookie quarterback Colt McCoy ahead of schedule. McCoy ended up starting the final eight games of the season. He won just two of those starts, but showed enough to impress the coaches and earn the starting job for the 2011 season. When McCoy has time to throw he is extremely accurate, but his lack of arm strength is a concern when he is under pressure. He has a chance to shine in Shurmur’s West Coast offense.
Making things a lot easier for McCoy is the fact that he has one of the strongest running backs in the league behind him in Peyton Hillis, who led the team with 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. Opposing defenses have to load the box if they want any chance of keeping Hillis in check, which should open up the passing lanes for McCoy and the receiving corps. Cleveland also added free agent running back Brandon Jackson and gets back second-year back Montario Hardesty, who had his promising rookie season ended in training camp last year.
The Browns are hoping that West Coast attack will benefit starting wide outs Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie. Last year,tight end Benjamin Watson led the team with 68 catches and Hillis finished second on the team with 61. While Cleveland still plans on using Joshua Cribbs in the passing game, they are excited about the addition of rookie wide out Greg Little.
The Browns are lock and loaded on the left side of the line with tackle Joe Thomas, guard Eric Steinbach, and center Alex Mack, but they are still trying to improve the right side. It looks like second-year guard Shawn Lauvao will team up with veteran tackle Tony Pashos to open the season.
Defense:
The Browns are also making the move from 3-4 defense to a 4-3 defense, as Dick Jauron takes over for Rob Ryan as the new defensive coordinator. A couple of draft picks figure to make a big impact right away on the defensive line, as defensive tackle Phil Taylor and defensive end Jabaal Sheard both figure to make their way into the starting lineup. Marcus Benard and Brian Sanford figure to compete with Sheard at end, while Ahtyba Rubin figures to be the guy to team up with Taylor inside.
At linebacker, the Browns will start veterans Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong at the two outside spots, while D’Qwell Jackson figures to be the guy in the middle. Jackson is a bit of a concern, as he has played in just six games the last two seasons (missed all of last year), but when healthy he is a very productive player.
The secondary features two outstanding young defensive backs in corner Joe Haden and strong safety T.J. Ward, who are both coming off impressive rookie seasons. Haden led the team with six interceptions, while Ward led the team with 105 tackles. Sheldon Brown figures to start opposite of Haden, while Usama Young and Mike Adams continue to compete for the starting free safety spot.
Prediction: 3rd AFC North, 5-11 Overall – With scheme changes on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, I don’t think the Browns are quite ready to compete with the likes of the Steelers and Ravens in the North. I look for them to remain a very competitive team, and if McCoy improves faster than expected this team could end up finishing with nine wins or more.
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