Have you had a slip of the Cleveland Kool-Aid yet? It’s now fully available and has been sampled be yours truly. I said it in my previous review of the AFC North, Cleveland will win their Division. After watching them today, I still feel true to my previous prediction. Yes, the first two slipped away, yet due to injuries the Cleveland Browns have found their Quarterback. Colt McCoy has shown that he can lead this team. The exception of a Chansi Stuckey fumble on a 3rd Punt attempt, Colt might have been 3-0 against 3 of the Elite in the NFL. He has figured out how to manage games. Brian Daboll, Cleveland’s Offensive Coordinator, has taken off the handcuffs and is now fully using all parts of the Cleveland playbook. We haven’t seen it all, but Daboll is giving McCoy a lot to work with, especially given their past young Quarterbacks.

On top of Colt McCoy’s tremendous play comes the little known til this year, Peyton Hillis. Hillis has become the Beast of the AFC. His physical running style is now feared throughout the league. It has given an identity to this young Cleveland Browns’ Offense. Hillis has 644 yards this season on 133 carries through 8 games bringing smash mouth football back to the Browns. Peyton’s success has given the opportunity for Cleveland to develop their young, inexperienced receiving corp into a serviceable group.

The Cleveland Browns true identity lies within Rob Ryan’s Defense, for without them the Browns would not have been in every game this year. Yes, they lost leads in the fourth quarter in the seasons first two games, but with a resurgence of confidence from the Offense, the Browns now have figured out how to close games. Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady all have had problems recognizing the Defensive responsibilities due to Ryan’s creative Amoeba Defense. The additions of Sheldon Brown, Chris Gocong, and Scott Fujita have proven to be more than locker room leaders, they are the ring leaders of this Defensive Chaos first developed by Buddy Ryan, and now redefined by his son Rob. Their knowledge of the game has made the transition for rookies T.J. Ward(S) and Joe Haden(CB) into impactful, positive experiences.

Head coach, Eric Mangini, entered this year riding a four game winning streak, and new football czar, Mike Holmgren, looking over his shoulder. The unfortunate two loss start already had Cleveland fans calling for the likes of Holmgren, Jon Gruden, even Bill Cowher to take over. Mangini has stayed the course, selling his system and now finally seeing the results. A continuation of success will only secure his job and prove once again that a solid group of his type of players can compete at a winning level in the NFL. Eric Mangini built the nucleus of the New York Jets for Rex Ryan, even helping them to secure Mark Sanchez, and gift rapping Braylon Edwards. This upcoming Sunday the Jets will learn just how much they lost when they lost Mangini.

On November 7th, 1995 the Cleveland Browns fans voted to raise $175 million to renovate Cleveland Municipal Stadium for Art Modell. We all remember what happened from then on! Fifteen years to the day later, the Cleveland Browns announced to the NFL that they are back, by whooping the NFL leading New England Patriots 34-14. Thanks to Roger Goodell, the last two games of the season will mean something, with both Baltimore and Pittsburgh coming to Cleveland to finish out the season.

In 2002, the Browns needed their last two games against Baltimore and Atlanta to clinch the Wild Card berth. In 1988, on a snow filled day, the Browns beat the then Houston Oilers to clinch a home Wild Card game against the same Oilers. It’s in our history here in Cleveland, and now the fans once again Believe in Cleveland, as our team has grown to Believe within themselves.

AFC North

2009 Regular Season Standings:

Cincinnati Bengals: 10-6
Baltimore Ravens: 9-7
Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7
Cleveland Browns: 5-11

Cincinnati Bengals: Marvin Lewis has finally given Carson Palmer everything he should need. Terrell Owens, Antonio Bryant, Jermaine Gresham (1st Round Pick, TE), Jordan Shipley, and Dezmon Briscoe all to compliment Chad Ochocinco and Cedric Benson. Sounds like Cincinnati is out to have back to back winning seasons. That is if they can all find their roles, gel, and Benson isn’t suspended. Defense will be stout again. Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga need help from the D-Line to be more effective linebackers. Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph lead the excellent Secondary, but the middle of their schedule kills their chances, 8-8.

Baltimore Ravens: In this year’s draft the Ravens filled needs at Linebacker with Sergio Kindle. Terrence Cody to sure up the Defensive front, Ed Dickson to upgrade Todd Heap. They nabbed Anquan Boldin formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, giving Joe Flacco another proven play-maker. Problem with Baltimore now is their Secondary. Ed Reed, Lardarius Webb, and Fabian Washington are all coming back from injures, and the Ravens depth is just not their. Terrell Suggs promises to be better than his off year last year, so we’ll see. Even with Ray Rice improving, Baltimore can only claw it’s way to 8-8.

Pittsburgh Steelers: What do Antwaan Randle El, James Farrior, and Bryant McFadden have in common? They are all back in Pittsburgh for another go round. The Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger his Center of the future, Maurkice Pouncey, but Big Ben won’t be there for his first four games at least. Mike Wallace has to now take over a primary role at receiver for the jettisoned Santonio Holmes. Rashard Mendenhall will have to carry the Steelers often throughout this season, and that might be to much. The addition of Jason Worilds to the Defensive front could be a plus, and the Linebacking core are better than solid. Pittsburgh’s biggest problem will be their Secondary with their best addition being McFadden. Troy Polamalu could return as healthy as ever yet the Steelers will be over matched in a pass happy league. They take their bumps at 7-9.

Cleveland Browns: The Cleveland Browns enter this year under the new watchful eye of Mike Holmgren. Holmgren decided to keep Eric Mangini but overhauled the quarterback position adding Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, and Colt McCoy(3rd Round Pick). Holmgren stressed that the Quarterback was the most important part, so Mangini heard: Stop the Quarterback. The Browns traded for Sheldon Brown, to help under-rated Eric Wright. They also drafted three more improvements for the Secondary including #7 pick Joe Haden. Defensively the Browns are deepest at Linebacker, grabbing Free Agent Scott Fujita from the Champion, Saints. Cleveland has a solid Offensive Line anchored by Joe Thomas. Jerome Harrison was a beast at the end of last year, but the Browns got him help in Montario Hardesty. That will be the biggest battle in camp with six backs all looking for touches. Jake Delhomme will rebound from last year and improves Cleveland’s Air Assault. Unknown, under estimated, and fueled off the high of winning the last four last year, the Browns surprise finishing 9-7.

2010 Regular Season Standings:

Cleveland Browns: 9-7
Baltimore Ravens: 8-8
Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8
Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-9

We as fans, finally had the opportunity to make our feelings known on a global scale, and these two devoted individuals have gone and messed it up. Absolutely nothing that will benefit the fans, or the product put before us, by these men meeting with Mr. Lerner. The only one who benefits is Lerner. He makes a necessary statement after the 30-6 loss to Chicago going into the bye week. He then takes a 20 minute meeting to prevent his organization from losing millions more from the Monday night sit out. It’s very easy for Mr. Lerner to say the right things, throw a few names around of help he’s seeking, and thank and reward them for being such loyal fans. In truth, if Cleveland fans would really boycott, not only the kickoff but the first quarter, you’d see some changes. The average stadium is 80-85% filled at kickoff, we are 1-7, we’ll be lucky to get 85%(62,220) to show. Take away 20,000 (2000 emails x 10, everybody has friends) boycotting kickoff, and we are at 58%(42,220) for kickoff.  You think anyone will notice the more than half filled stadium, wondering why so many people are actually there.  Great boycott.  Do you feel like you did your part?

Now really boycott.  Try staying away for the whole first quarter.  I know it’s hard, we are willing to show up year after year, no weather, no record, no hope, still there.  Just tailgate a little longer, spreading the word.  The vast majority going to this game are the faithful, and they tailgate.  That 20,000 can quickly grow when it’s one big party.  I can see the blimp shot now, empty stadium, and lots full of tailgaters.  That would make a mark.  That would take notice by the NFL, their sponsors, and especially Mr. Lerner.  We’d probably lose any chance at Prime time games for the foreseeable future, so no Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday nights, and definitely no London.  Consistency finally, for our players and for the fans.  We play Sunday afternoon, period.  That’s a small piece of the boycott pie.

I’ve read a wonderful book by Terry Pluto-”False Start: How the New Browns Where Set to Fail”, that gave me great insight as to how this organization was reborn.  The Cleveland Browns are a NFL ship with Lerner at the helm, destination unknown, course the same.  If we all lean to one side, maybe we can do more than rock the boat.