Freeman: Get Used To It Browns Fans: Your Team Is Finally Good

[MoFlo]

Whenever I would tweet about how the Browns will be a surprising team this season, the responses would go something like this:

1. We stink. We will always stink.

2. Shut up.

3. You are aware of our history, aren't you?

4. We stink. We will always stink.

5. Shut up.

The Browns have been mired in a tar pit of muck and sadness for so long that their fans don't know how to see a good team right in front of their eyes.

There's no "yeah, but" here with the Browns. No ceiling to fall. No escape hatch. No impending doom. Browns fans have to get used to this important fact: You have a good team. You do. You really do.

It's OK. It's OK to breathe. To relax and enjoy without thinking an asteroid is crashing into the complex.

The Browns are in first place in the AFC North…alone. And it's not Week 1. The last time the Browns were in first place in the division after 10 weeks was 1994. Bill Belichick was the coach. That year, Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by Tonya Harding's bodyguard, Lawrence Taylor announced his retirement and on Jan. 19 the minus-20 degree temperature was the coldest day ever recorded in Cleveland. Though Browns fans would say their title drought is even more chilly.

The last time the Browns were in sole possession of first at any point during the season was Sept. 25, 1995.

Safety Tashaun Gipson tweeted his excitement:

View: https://twitter.com/Gipson_duos24/status/531553244641001472


None of this is to say the Browns are going to the Super Bowl. But this is to say this team is good—and beyond that: This organization knows what its doing, from the general manager on down.

That's been my point all along on the Browns. The incompetent Browns are gone. They're dead. RIP, The Fumble and The Drive. And whatever else.

The reason for optimism in Cleveland centers on two things: quarterback Brian Hoyer and that defense.

For months now, a number of team officials from across the sport were telling me that Hoyer was more than capable of leading the Browns to a new era. Over and over, they told me this. I bought in, but whenever I'd write or state something positive about Hoyer, I'd hear from Browns fans that he was terrible.

Now, I know I once called Hoyer a bum, but that was before people I trust started to tell me how wrong I was. And I was wrong. So I adjusted my thoughts. It's time for Browns fans to do the same.

Hoyer, to me, has elevated his play to the point where he's a top 20 quarterback, if not top 10 to 15. Some of you are rolling your eyes. But I'd take Hoyer over Jay Cutler, Nick Foles, Derek Carr, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Andy Freaking Dalton and maybe even Matthew Stafford.

Hoyer has played so well, I believe he's surprised even the coaches and front office people on the team. They clearly didn't believe in Hoyer or the team wouldn't have drafted Johnny Manziel.

Now, the Browns have a good problem. They've stumbled upon their quarterback of the future and it's Hoyer. Not Manziel. He'll have to eventually get traded.

The Browns defense is also huge. What the Browns did to Dalton is a misdemeanor in some states. The Browns forced Dalton to tie a career low in completions (just 10). Dalton also had his worst completion percentage at 30 percent and his passer rating was 2.0.

Two. Point. Oh my.

So here we are, the Browns in first place in their division. This isn't to say they won't go through growing pains. Or Josh Gordon won't break their hearts again. There will be bumps.
But look up, Browns fans. Look up. Now.

See the sky?

It won't fall. It will stay right where it is.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2261993-get-used-to-it-browns-fans-your-team-is-finally-good

 

[Ruken]

Really hope the team stays focused and doesn't get caught up in the hype. We fall in love with our own success and we are going to fall flat.

 

[AZ_]

They'll blow it in the playoffs.

Been their MO since Gary Barnidge wrestled bears in the late 70s

 

[Soda]

Someone wrote an article expounding on my "insufferable" take that Browns fans need to stop searching for the bad in the good and just enjoy it. Freeman is a credible writer, especially for a Bleacher Report guy.

Go Browns.

 

[Chris]

I know we aren't a Superbowl contender or anything yet, but the prospect of an era of exciting, competent football in Cleveland honestly has me super excited. I'm a firm believer that you need to do it for a couple years to actually have a culture change, but damn, hard not to like what we see so far.

 

[Juice is Loose]

I'll take Stafford over Hoyer but damn, I was thinking about the Cinci game at work today and I'm so pumped for Sunday. Don't think I've ever been pumped for a game on a Monday.

 

[Simmy]

Just got done watching the full game replay (I know...). Here's how I look at it:

- Yes, it was a "Browns" kind of game with a "Browns" kind of result. I was entirely ready to cash in a refund for my NFL League Pass at half time. But the reality is, they showed real fight and real promise in the second half. I know we're all sick of moral victories but this felt like something a little more. Yes, they blew it in the last 60 seconds ("Once Browns football, always Browns football" - we know) and yes this could've been a blowout and the beginning of another embarrassing season. But they really showed heart and a great deal of pride to fight all the way back.

I thought the game would've swung in Pittsburgh's favor after that fake punt on 4th down but we still managed to look the better team and gave ourselves every opportunity to win.

Yes, it was a "Browns" kind of finish - mostly. Let's be realistic: we essentially had no right to win that game from the beginning. And the fact that we crawled our way back into it was a miracle in itself. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to have won and am sick of "moral victories" as well, but something tells me it meant more than morality to this team last night. Something tells me it wasn't your typical "Browns" kind of game.

Only one way to find out, though: Let's see how they come out next week!

^^

I said that last week and I feel like today's game runs a mile in validating that. This isn't your typical Cleveland Browns - something is different. And it's exciting.

Without trying to toot my own horn too much ( ) I posted the above in the first two game threads. I certainly don't want to speak too soon, but I just had a feeling early on that this Browns team was different this time around. Something about the way they were playing had given me a lot of hope early on in the season, and that's something I've never been able to feel or say before about a Browns team I've watched in the past.

I'm certainly glad that it's been validated so far. Now I'm just crossing my fingers that all this hype doesn't choke the guys up - they just need to continue doing the little things right, playing the game the right way like they have the last few weeks. The worst thing that could happen now is that all this media coverage and attention drops them into a complacent lack of focus. Or even worse: the media attention becomes too much to handle for this team and acts as a catalyst for a negative mid-season fall.

But of course, what would a prosperous Browns season be without a little cynicism?

 

[Chris]

To be fair, we have people saying that every year after games early in the season. Eventually it was going to be true.

 

[Simmy]

To be fair, we have people saying that every year after games early in the season. Eventually it was going to be true.

Don't try to take the moment away from me, Chris!