Wednesday Morning QB (Week 10)
There has been no better sports city this past year than that of Cleveland that has seen plenty of success throughout the last year.
It all started with the AHL championship that has gone relatively unnoticed as the Cleveland Monsters won the Calder Cup.
Then came the UFC where Stipe Miocic, born in nearby Euclid, Ohio, won the heavyweight championship and later defended it in Cleveland.
Then came the big one when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the first professional championship since the Cleveland Browns won in 1964.
The latest success was in the MLB where Cleveland found their way to the World Series, although they did come up short.
Cleveland had long been a place where the worst teams called home as they struggled to see any success in any sport.
It didn’t matter what it was the teams and the athletes they had from their area were all in rough shape.
It all changed this year as it has gone from one of the worst sports cities in the USA to one of the best with great teams all over the city.
There is one that has been keeping the old tradition alive though as among all of the success the Cleveland Browns, once the pride of the city.
The Browns have had an interesting history as they were once a top team in the league and were a building block of the NFL.
Then they were moved to Baltimore in the middle of the night only to return as an expansion team a few years later.
The years that they were not a team ended up hurting them more than anything has hurt any team since the NFL was established.
Their expansion status led them to the obvious struggles at the start of their return but they remain that expansion type of team years after they re-entered the league.
The Browns name has been destroyed after years of ownership changes, coaching changes, and quarterback changes.
They have consistently seen owners that want to be a big part of the running of the team which never works out well in this era.
These owners have been extremely impatient with their coaches and their teams leading to instability throughout the years.
That instability in the executive side and the sidelines has also led to insecurity on the field.
Putting together a team is not an easy thing but there has never been a team worse at it than the Browns since 1999.
They have consistently passed over some of the top prospects in the fame and they seem to make every wrong decision that could be made.
The list is endless of the great players that the Browns have passed up in the draft despite having top picks throughout the years.
Just this year they passed on Carson Wentz for a number of picks and while Wentz has helped the Eagles to a winning record the Browns remain in quarterback limbo.
After signing Robert Griffin this year the oft-injured quarterback was supposed to at least bridge the gap until the next young QB could develop.
Then Griffin did what he is known for and was injured leading the Browns to scramble for quarterbacks all of which have gone down with an injury at some point this year.
The Browns have suffered as a result as their top picks have not panned out while they continue to try to find a quarterback.
It has led to the worst record in football and a serious chance at never winning a game this season.
So far they have not been able to win a game as they have come close every now and then but have never been able to pull it off.
They seem like they are headed to one of the worst records in NFL history as 0-16 looks like a real possibility.
Even if they can manage some wins they do seem to have the top picking the draft locked up and another chance to right the ship.
There is not a lot of faith in the group after the last draft but with Deshaun Watson sure to enter the draft this year they may have the chance to get a franchise quarterback.
Then again top prospects have come to Cleveland and failed before as the Browns continue to have an issue in trying to find their way back to relevance.
For now, they trudge through the last part of the season hoping to avoid becoming the second 0-16 team ever while they continue to be the forgotten team in a now bustling sports city.
Fifth Quarter:
(Thoughts on this week in the NFL)
Jeffrey’s Suspension
Alshon Jeffrey has been one of the best receivers in the game when he can stay on the field but he won’t be there for the next four weeks as he was suspended for violating the NFL Performance Enhancing Drugs policy
Griffin on the Return Path
The Browns are still the worst team in football but they might have a chance at a win as Robert Griffin III seems to be ready to return to the line-up before the season is over as he continues to recover from his early-season injury
Romo’s new Role
Tony Romo is finally ready to return to the line-up but he won’t be coming back to the same team as the Cowboys have moved on to their rookie tandem and when Romo does return he will be a back-up
Key Scores:
Baltimore Ravens 28-7 Cleveland Browns
– It is always an interesting game as the Ravens are the team that moved the Browns in the mid-1990s and the Browns would always love to get their revenge but they couldn’t do it this time as they remained winless
Tennessee Titans 47-25 Green Bay Packers
– All is not good in Green Bay as the Packers continue to struggle through their season as they fell behind early against the Titans and never caught up with the Titans taking an easy win over a team that is supposed to be a Super Bowl contender
Dallas Cowboys 35-30 Pittsburgh Steelers
– The Cowboys continued their strong season on the backs of their rookies as they took on the Steelers and took the win only ensuring that Dak Prescott will remain the starter for the rest of the year
Seattle Seahawks 31-24 New England Patriots
– For many the Patriots didn’t seem like they were going to lose another game throughout the season but the Seahawks were ready for Tom Brady and his revenge tour as they took the win to solidify themselves as the top team
Next Week:
New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers (Thursday, November 17th; 8:25 pm ET)
– The Saints and the Panthers are two teams with plenty of talent but little follow through this year as they have struggled to get anything going and they will try to get something going in this game
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Detroit Lions (Sunday, November 20th; 1:00 pm ET)
– In the NFC North there are no teams that seem to be playing well enough to win but as the season enters its second half the Lions are moving their way up and they hope to continue that movement with a win over Jacksonville
Green Bay Packers vs. Washington (Sunday, November 20th; 8:30 pm ET)
– The Packers are trying to figure things out after a season full of disappointing losses and they hope to avoid another as they take on Washington trying to find their way to the top of the NFC North
Houston Texans vs. Oakland Raiders (Monday, November 21st; 8:30 pm ET)
– For Oakland, the season has not gone better while the Texans have surprised many while they stayed under the radar and now both face-off as both teams hope to get a win and continue to fight for the top spot in the divisions
The Sport Addiction 