Super Football genius Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com started his preseason rankings today, placing the Cleveland Browns in last place. The article is filled with analytical gems such as this:
Beyond quarterback, the offense features plenty of potential weak spots and, at a minimum, question marks. Can second-round rookie Mitchell Schwartz step right in and take over for Tony Pashos at right tackle?
As if replacing the immortal Tony Pashos is a huge challenge.
Basically, the ranking reasons that somehow the Browns improved (we hope) noticeably at QB, RB, and RT to go along with their 10th ranked Defense and still got worse.
Somehow Cleveland was leapfrogged by truly pathetic rosters such as the Colts and Rams and Vikings and Jaguars.
Somehow a team that was competitive in all but 3 games last year is subject to this assumption:
It’s unlikely, however, that the Browns will be able to consistently compete in the first season of the Trent Richardson-Brandon Weeden offense.
Didn't they just consistently compete with the hellish Montario Hardesty-Colt McCoy duo???... sigh.
It's unworthy of arguing. Teams like the Browns will be subject to this type of lazy analysis - even by their own fans - until they turn it around. If you put, say, the Colts at #32, then their fans would complain that they shouldn't be below the Browns/Jags/Vikes/Rams. It's simple to look at the previous season's results and assume that this year will be a carbon copy. And knowing the Browns, they'll probably live down to these un-lofty expectations.
So bring it on, Mike Florios of the world. I'm sure even some people that know what they're talking about will preach the same thing.