There's no overwhelming joy for The Rhino after yesterdays win over the Raiders. More like a sense of relief. The Rhino also notes that when playing a team as bad as Oakland, it's hard to get a gauge on how well you actually played. And with the playoffs a pipe dream, he's just interested in Romeo and Phil giving him something to believe in heading into next season. Visit the Vinny & The Hornless Rhino Blog at http://www.vinnyandthehornlessrhino.blogspot.com/

I wish I could get worked up about this win; I really do, but all I can muster is a little relief. I'll take it though, because at least it keeps alive a glimmer of hope that this season might actually amount to something.

No, by "amount to something," I don't mean a playoff berth, a winning season, or any other utterly unrealistic expectations. I'm not that big of an idiot. What I'm looking for out of this season is something to justify my belief in Savage and Crennel, and that means progress on the field. Specifically, more than six wins. The odds are stacked against that happening, but I think (and hope) that most Browns fans are so fed up with the steady diet of spin and bullshit that the prior regime force fed to us that we'll only believe the team's getting better when we see it in wins and losses.

There were plenty of positives to take away from today's game if you're a "glass is half full" person. The special teams were, in fact, pretty special. Kellen Winslow looks to be a legitimate red zone force. The 2005 edition of Reuben Droughns finally showed up. Joe Jurevicius showed why he caught 10 TDs last season. Charlie Frye was tough and showed a nice touch at times, although if he tries to force another end zone pass late in the fourth quarter I swear I'm going to...um...uh...scream impotently at my TV and have another beer.

Maybe the most astonishing positive of the day was the fact that with the exception of his inexplicable decision to hand the ball off to Droughns on 3rd and 15 in the second quarter, Maurice Carthon was competent, and at times even inventive.

Then again, it was the Raiders. And if, like me, you measure the current regime's progress by wins and losses, then you've got to admit that looking at the schedule, six more Browns' wins are going to be damn hard to find. Come to think of it, the next win is pretty hard to find. But you know what? You can't get seven wins without getting your first one, and the Browns managed to do that today.