Browns' Legitimacy

5-3
We felt and stated several weeks ago with the Browns' 2007 schedule shaping up to be as difficult as an Ohio State non-conference slate, Cleveland could very well go 9-7 or even 10-6 this season.

The win over Seattle puts them in a very good position at the halfway mark. It was the first step toward legitimacy.

While playing "murdered row" - Miami, bye week, and St Louis - we reflected that if they could go 2-1 against Seattle, Pittsburgh & Baltimore, the Browns would have a real shot at post-season. One win on the road in the next two weeks puts them at 6-4 with six winnable games left on the schedule. A 4-2 mark down the stretch is very possible. That's 10 wins - the magic number that usually gets you in.

I don't belive in luck, but sometimes, things go your way - like the Rams having to play without their best player (starting RB) for much of the game or the officials overturning a Seattle first down late in the game when the evidence was inconclusive - at best. The Browns seem to be living right in '07. Good for them.

Who Needs Defense
When your offense scores nearly 30 points every week, your defense only needs to make a few key stops to give your team a chance to win. That's been the case the past couple games with the defense making key stops on short yardage downs to get off the field in key moments. The only part of the defense that has been somewhat effective this fall has been the team's short yardage unit.

Mid-Season Grades
We'll go by units.

QB - DA gets a B+. ..He's won the games he should win at QB playing behind nearly flawless protection, coupled with a solid running game and a very good group of wide receivers. He needs to step up and play well against a good opponent on the road before we consider changing our mind that he's only between the 30th to 60th best QB in the free world.

RB - B+...The ground game has been solid. Not great, but solid.

WRs - A-...Winslow is a Pro-Bowl talent, JJ is a quality #2 and Braylon is Braylon - an excellent athlete who may also go to Hawaii while leading the NFL this season in both TD grabs and drops.
OL - A+...They run block pretty well and have kept DA not only upright, but given him excellent passing lanes from which to throw.

DL - D...No run defense and no pass rush.

LB - D...I can't point to five big plays by the Browns' LBs after eight weeks of play.

CB - C...Bodden is solid and the rookie (Wright) is learning.

S - D...The safeties have not covered at all, nor have they provided consistent run support.

Special teams - B+...The only real blemish was the blocked FG versus the Raiders. That one hurt.

RC - B+...No, I'm not giving Romeo an A even thought the Browns are 5-3. The record is a residue effect of the schedule as much as anything else.

Remember, legitimacy arrives when you beat good teams in their building. The Browns have two shots at it in the next two weeks.