Parity is a word that gets thrown around a lot related to the National Football League. Fans hold onto to this word for dear life because it is the only thing that keeps some of them coming back year after year. They want to believe nothing more than this will be the year that their favorite team wins their division and makes a run to the Super Bowl. In fact, there is currently a 10-year run of last place teams in one season winning their divisions the following season. The NFL suits on Park Avenue love it that the “any given year” and “any given Sunday” ideas are pervasive throughout the league. It’s one of the many reasons why professional football is the king of all sports in the United States. Unfortunately, the rising tide has not lifted all boats. Since returning to Cleveland in 1999, the Browns have not really benefited from the parity that has given nearly every other team a moment or two in the spotlight. Cleveland is one of only two teams (Detroit) to have double digit seasons of losing 10-plus games. However, the Lions have still managed to make the playoffs twice – most recently after the 2011 season – while the Browns are working on a 10-year streak without making the postseason. Will 2013 be the year that Cleveland breaks the streak? Can they make it 11 consecutive years that a team has gone from worst to first? Both of these questions will be answered definitively over the next 13 weeks, but the state of the AFC North gives them their best chance in years to answer both questions in the affirmative. Their quest to win the division continues with a Thursday night match-up with the Buffalo Bills. Here are three reasons that I believe the Browns will win the game and stay in first place.
The Browns defense is the most underrated unit in the league.
The Browns have been able to scratch out a 2-2 start because their defense has played like one of the better units in the league despite lacking the fanfare. They are in the top 10 in nearly every significant defensive category. Their most impressive statistic is that they are leading the NFL in yards/carry allowed (2.9 yds/carry), which will be critical to continue against the two-headed rushing attack of the Bills. When Buffalo inevitably turns to the pass, the Browns will be able to unleash a pass defense that allows the second lowest yards per attempt and a pass rush that has accumulated 14 sacks in the first four games. Last week, the Browns defense snuffed out a significantly more talented offense for the Cincinnati Bengals, so I don’t think they will have any trouble putting the clamps on the Bills.
Since Brian Hoyer became the starter, the Browns finally have the look of a competent offense.
Nearly across the board, the Browns have improved on offense since Brian Hoyer took over at quarterback and Trent Richardson was traded to Indianapolis. When the trade was announced, the popular view was that Cleveland was throwing in the towel on the 2013 season in an attempt to improve their draft position. However, the emergence of Hoyer, along with the return of the talented Josh Gordon from suspension, has transformed the Browns offense. With Gordon’s field-stretching speed and big play ability, the Browns have been able to make more chunk plays, which has improved their yards per attempt and yards per play over the first two weeks. In addition, Hoyer has developed a nearly telepathic connection with Jordan Cameron in the red zone, which has made Cameron the best red zone tight end not named Jimmy Graham. The improvement of the offense coupled with the fact that the Bills are not very good on defense will help the Browns play their most efficient and explosive offense of the season.
The Dawg Pound will make its presence felt.
The City of Cleveland has to be one of the most tortured sports towns in America. The first incarnation of the Browns nearly made it to the mountain top only to be cut down by “The Drive” and “The Fumble.” Since they have come back, the quality of play has been a combination of a train wreck and a murder scene. Cleveland fans have had to deal with Lebron James taking his talents to South Beach and a World Series title drought that stretches back to 1948. They just suffered through another kick in the balls last night as the Indians lost a wild card game to the Tampa Bay Rays despite the fact that the Rays played on Monday and the Indians were riding a 10-game winning streak into the playoffs. I think it is safe to say that the Dawg Pound and its affiliates are going to be lathered up to release its collective frustrations on the visiting Bills. I think Cleveland fans are smart enough to understand that the AFC North is there for the taking for the first time in forever and they can’t allow winnable home games to escape them. For all of these reasons, the Browns will get an emotional boost from playing at home.
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