NFL Season Previews: The Browns and Bengals

Well shit, we're about three weeks away from the NFL season starting (and almost a week away from my FFL draft!) and I haven't previewed any NFL teams in places I've lived in. Let's start with two that probably won't make the playoffs this season:

The Cincinnati Bengals

You know how certain teams like the Jets, Cowboys and 49ers have their designated "superfan," who dresses up in some wacky outfit and always makes a fuss at home games? I think the Cincinnati Bengals superfan shouldn't be this guy; rather, it needs to be a guy dressed in horizontal oranged and black pinstrips, with an orange bandanna over his eyes (with eyeholes, of course...thinking of that reminds me of the Lions/Bengals game from 2005 where some Lions fan had a LIONSVISION bandanna without the eye holes, it was incredibly funny).

The Bengals will continue to have a strong offense, although the running game took a nasty hit with Kenny Irons tearing his ACL in a pregame and having to sit out this entire season. Maybe Chris Perry shapes up as a result? Time will tell. Unfortunately, I can't say we're going to see Cincy in the playoffs this year because of two factors:

• The AFC North is almost like the Wild West this season, with no team holding an overwhelming advantage over anyone else (the expection being the Ravens' D)
  
• Heading into Lewis' fourth year of coaching we still don't know what to expect from the Bengals defense, particularly their pass D. Two years ago people said this is what killed the Bengals against the Steelers (and in other regular season games), and yet, has it really gotten better? The only stellar addition I can think of is Jonathan Joseph and he's a pothead. I just don't know with these guys.

However the Bengals do have a Powerball in play:

Palmer might just say "fuck it" and throw for 4,000+ yards, 35 TDs and almost single-handedly win 4-5 games this year. Who the hell knows. Rudi needs to stay healthy, though.

Cleveland Browns

I approach this preview shuffling my shoes, keeping my head buried towards my chest, as I know only two things about the Browns:

• Brady Quinn, and


• They haven't been relevant since the originals left for Baltimore (although that's more Art Shell's fault...it really is incredible he...wait, I won't write it...)

The great news in Cleveland is that people give a damn. The bad news is that they don't seem to have the personnel to upend, once and for all, the Steelers or Ravens. Charlie Frye can't hold a tuning fork to the Raven's defense, who's to say Brady would in his first season?

Is Braylon Edwards finally going to shape up and play like a first round pick, or will he be the next Peter Warrick? How much does that O-line improve with the heralded Joe Thomas as its anchor? If you're a non-Browns fan (like myself) can you name a single defensive Browns player? 2007 has all the makings of a very gritty, gut-check year, akin to what the Arizona Cardinals had last season. Over/under for Browns wins: 6, easily. And I bet you they'll get to that point as well. Expect the AFC North to be a very tense (and at times ugly) division this season.