Must win game, right?

[swerb]

Let's face it ... the Browns realistic best case hopes for this season are to try and somehow navigate through this weak early season schedule, win some close games, get some luck ... and be at 7-4 heading into their final five games of the season against the Ravens and Steelers, with the roadie to Arizona in the middle.

To have any shot to do that, they gotta win this one, right? Dropping home games to Cincy and this dog Miami team in weeks 1 + 3 - no way they survive that and win 6 of their next 8. Plus the Inbred and Rats have layup games this week. We gotta keep pace and hope they sustain key injuries.

Dolphins suck. We lose this game, realistically, any hopes of doing what the Indians did ... surprisingly staying in this thing deep into the season, are shot.

[mattvan1]

I'd like whatever you 're taking that gives you that unbridled optimism.

I don't see a "must-win" game until 2012.

[e0y2e3]

2012? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Two Years Minimum Away.

Slight chance in 2013 of mattering.

Need to at least crush another draft then develop all those young fucks for a year before this management will even contemplate plugging wholes w/ FAs. If they crush another draft, spend a year around .500 while they develop those kids then hit FA they have a shot of being a real live NFL team in 2013.

And of course this also all is also contingent on the coach not sucking ape shit.

[peeker643]

"And of course this also all is also contingent on the coach not sucking ape shit.

You paint such pretty pictures with your words.

But to answer the question, yes, this is a must win game to remain relevant in 2011 as much as remaining in any race.

Issue being, Dolphins are probably better, much more desperate and have lost to two likely playoff teams. 0-3 may be death for Sparano and the Dolphins. They're cornered.

No walk in the park.

[mattvan1]

But to answer the question, yes, this is a must win game to remain relevant in 2011 as much as remaining in any race.

The Browns have not been relevant since the Steeler Sunday night beat down in September '99. It would be nice, and maybe one day it will happen. Don't get me wrong, starting 2-1 is a helluva lot better than 0-3.

But I don't think 2-1 makes them anymore relevant to the NFL at large. Hope I'm wrong.

[hiko]

Everyone has a concept of where this team is, and they're all probably wrong.

A win makes them 2-1, gives them the first winning record in the first 3 games since 2002, and keeps them ties for first. It allows them to go one more game with the concept that they're in this thing. Whether that is true or not, the season will tell. As long as you're tied for first, you're relevant.

A loss drops them to a familiar 1-2 and solidifies the idea of another lost season in the fan base (and maybe the players).

I wouldn't call it "must win", but it's a pretty important game psyche-wise for a young team like this if they want to make something of this season.

[mistero]

5 year plans??? In todays NFL?? You gotta be joking. They may burn this year but if we are not in the play offs by next year people will be fired. And rightfully so.

[mattvan1]

5 year plans??? In todays NFL?? You gotta be joking. They may burn this year but if we are not in the play offs by next year people will be fired. And rightfully so.

LOL. Maybe you're right. But I can tell you this
Lerner ain't gonna fire Walrus
Walrus ain't gonna fire Heckert or SHUR MUR
Maybe Jauron gets put on an ice flow in Lake Erie

Other than that, the crew you see is the crew you have for awhile. Certainly past 2012. All they need to do is win a few more this year and manage 8-8 next year. Channeling Jim Mora - Playoffs? Playoffs?

[peeker643]

But to answer the question, yes, this is a must win game to remain relevant in 2011 as much as remaining in any race.

The Browns have not been relevant since the Steeler Sunday night beat down in September '99. It would be nice, and maybe one day it will happen. Don't get me wrong, starting 2-1 is a helluva lot better than 0-3.

But I don't think 2-1 makes them anymore relevant to the NFL at large. Hope I'm wrong.

Word.

I'm speaking in terms of the 2011 season only. 2-1 will keep fires burning here. 1-2 will begin a death vigil. Until they go 2-2 the week after. Then everything will be rainbows and kittens.

So it goes.

[mistero]

If we go 4-12 or 5-11 this year, this place will be a ghost town. I really think at long last the losing is taking it's toll. No one is blindly impressed with Holgren anymore. Wins or Lerner needs to sell in 2013.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

If we go 4-12 or 5-11 this year, this place will be a ghost town. I really think at long last the losing is taking it's toll. No one is blindly impressed with Holgren anymore. Wins or Lerner needs to sell in 2013.

Lerner ain't selling the team. What he needs to do and what he actually does, are two very different things.... as we've seen through this amazing run of unending suck.

Plus a new owner isn't really going to change anything IMO.

[e0y2e3]

I've been as hard on Lerner as anyone over the years, but if hiring a very respected HMFIC in Walrus fails he will have tried every single avenue to putting a team together, form college coach, to pro coach w/ pro scout, to well respected head coach running everything to HMFIC installing a system. If he fails it's because the Browns are just ass cobbler, not for a lack of trying everything and anything.

In other news, this team is sewage, so whatever.

[British_Pharaoh]

4th quarter debacle of week 1 could smart even more if we win today.