The Browns figured that their breakthrough 2007 season would be reflected by
a bit of recognition and notoriety in their 2008 schedule.
What they received extended beyond their wildest dreams.
The NFL rewarded the Browns for their 10-6 record and blossoming offense with
five nationally televised games, including three at home.
The spotlight, however, also indicates brutal competition. The Browns play
seven teams that qualified for the playoffs last season and nine games against
opponents that placed among the Top 10 in the NFL defensively a year ago.
And if you think you can remain accustomed to setting aside Sundays at 1 p.m.
to watch the Browns, think again. They play four Sunday late afternoon games in
the first seven weeks along with two on Sunday night and three on Monday night.
The Browns jump right into the fire from the first kickoff. Here is an
analysis of each game on their regular season schedule (opponents 2007 record in
parenthesis):
Sunday, Sept. 7: Dallas Cowboys (13-3), 4:15 p.m. at Cleveland Browns
Stadium (FOX) – The secondary and revamped defensive line will be
severely tested by prolific quarterback Tony Romo and brash wide receiver
Terrell Owens. The Cowboys averaged 27 points a game last season while the
pass-rushing skills of DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis wreaked havoc on opposing
offenses.
Sunday, Sept. 14: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), 8:15 p.m. at Cleveland
Browns Stadium (NBC) – Some gaze into their crystal balls and declare
the Browns AFC North favorites, but they must prove they can bump off their
arch-nemesis first after nine consecutive defeats. The Steelers were again
stagnant in the off-season, but the Browns have always struggled to contain
quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Willie Parker, who gained 1,300
yards in 2007. And a defense that is perennially one of the stingiest in the NFL
against the run would appear to be as unyielding as ever.
Sunday, Sept. 21: Baltimore Ravens (5-11), 4:15 p.m. at M&T Bank
Stadium (CBS) – Revenge will be on the minds of the Ravens after having
been swept by the Browns in 2007 for the first time in five years. But do they
boast a quarterback that can achieve their goals? And will former Heisman Trophy
winner and Ohio State standout Troy Smith be that quarterback? Only time will
tell, but the Ravens will certainly need to re-establish themselves as a
defensive force to regain contender status.
Sunday, Sept. 28: Cincinnati Bengals (7-9), 1 p.m. at Paul Brown
Stadium (CBS) – The Queen City soap opera has run for years now. And
the plot thickened during the off-season when explosive wide receiver Chad Johnson demanded to be traded. If he sticks around, he will again team up with
T.J. Houshmandzadeh to provide the Bengals with one of the premier tandems in
the NFL. But then, Cincinnati has been saddled with one of the worst defenses in
the league for several seasons. The Browns hope to avenge a Game 15 defeat to
the Bengals in 2007 in which they lost control of their own destiny and
ultimately knocked them out of the postseason.
Monday, Oct. 13: New York Giants (10-6), 8:30 p.m. at Cleveland
Browns Stadium (ESPN) – The surprise Super Bowl champions will be
playing with a bull’s eye on their backs. Eli Manning began dressing in a phone
booth once the playoffs began, transforming himself from a mistake-prone,
average quarterback into a superman. But it was the sack-happy Giants defense,
led by defensive end Osi Umenyiora, which keyed the stunning run to a title.
Sunday, Oct. 19: Washington Redskins (9-7), 4:15 p.m. at FedEx Field
(CBS) – The Jekyll-Hyde Redskins collapsed in the second half of 2007
and the Browns, who could use a relative breather in this schedule, hope the
guys from the nation’s capital continue to regress. The Redskins yielded 25
points a game after midseason, but Clinton Portis remains among the consistent
and effective running backs in football.
Sunday, Oct. 26: Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5), 4:05 p.m. at
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (CBS) – The Jaguars recently signed
David Garrard to a long-term contract, displaying their confidence in the highly
efficient quarterback. He doesn’t throw often, but when he does, the ball either
ends up on the ground or in the hands of a teammate. He completed 64 percent of
his passes with a mere three interceptions a year ago. But it was running backs
Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew that sucked defenders into the box and
allowed Garrard to find open receivers.
Sunday, Nov. 2: Baltimore Ravens (5-11), 1 p.m. at Cleveland Browns
Stadium (CBS) – By this point in the season, we’ll know which direction
the up-and-down Ravens are heading. They generally finish under .500 or in the
playoffs and, as usual, the strength of their defense will go a long way in
determining their success or lack thereof. Baltimore registered 60 sacks in
racking up 13 regular-season wins in 2006, then managed just 31 last season.
Thursday, Nov. 6: Denver Broncos (7-9), 8:15 p.m. at Cleveland Browns
Stadium (NFL Network) – Few NFL teams have proven as consistently
strong as Denver, which experienced its first losing season since 1999. Browns
featured back Jamal Lewis must be licking his chops over the prospect of playing
against a team that ranked 30th in the NFL last year against the run. But the
team that has brought so much misery to Cleveland fans over the years has beaten
the Browns in seven games meetings. The Browns should enter this one with
tremendous motivation regardless of records.
Monday, Nov. 17: Buffalo Bills (7-9), 8:30 p.m. at Ralph Wilson
Stadium (ESPN) – How will an 11-day layoff affect the Browns? That
question will be answered in front of the usual sellout crowd in Buffalo and a
national TV audience. The Bills played surprisingly well last season and even
made a playoff push before falling in The Blizzard Bowl in Cleveland. This game
will feature two of the premier special teams players in the NFL in the Browns’
Joshua Cribbs and the Bills’ Roscoe Parrish, who led the league in punt return
average at 16.3 yards.
Sunday, Nov. 23: Houston Texans (8-8), 1 p.m. at Cleveland Browns
Stadium (CBS) – It took Houston six years to reach .500 and average
more than 20 points a game. Their success was greatly attributed to former first
overall draft pick Mario Williams, who fulfilled his promise by registering 14
sacks in 2007. It remains to be seen if last year was an aberration for the
Texans or the beginning of ascension as a legitimate playoff contender.
Sunday, Nov. 30: Indianapolis Colts (13-3), 1 p.m. at Cleveland
Browns Stadium (CBS) – This might be a game that belongs on national
TV, particularly for viewers who prefer shootouts, though Indianapolis has
certainly overturned its reputation as a defensive pushover. A key match-up here
is the Browns offense against an underrated Colts defense that surrendered an
NFL-best 16.4 points a game last season. But then it’s easy to be ignored when
quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Joseph Addai and wide receiver Reggie Wayne are playing on the other side of the ball.
Sunday, Dec. 7: Tennessee Titans (10-6), 1 p.m. at LP Field (CBS)
– Perhaps the Browns will remember which team beat them out for the final AFC
playoff berth last year and use it as motivation. Much of the Titans’ offensive
hopes will be riding on the arm of Vince Young, who clearly regressed in 2007.
The Titans do run the ball effectively and also feature Pro Bowl linemen Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch on a defense that ranked fifth overall in the
NFL.
Monday, Dec. 15: Philadelphia Eagles (8-8), 8:45 p.m. at Lincoln
Financial Field (ESPN) – There has been less controversy swirling
around this team since Terrell Owens left, but also less winning. The team still
boasts two talented skill position players in quarterback Donovan McNabb and
versatile running back Brian Westbrook. They also landed what many believe to be
the prize free agent of the off-season in Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel, who
should bolster an already tough red zone defense.
Sunday, Dec. 21: Cincinnati Bengals (7-9), 1 p.m. at Cleveland Browns
Stadium (CBS) – It’s quite possible the Bengals will be playing the
role of spoiler again by this point in the season. But if Chad Johnson indeed
finds his way to greener pastures, will quarterback Carson Palmer have the
weapons to overcome what has been a porous defense? That will likely remain the
critical question for Cincinnati throughout the year.
Sunday, Dec. 28: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), 1 p.m. at Heinz Field
(CBS) – What could be more dramatic than two bitter rivals clashing
with playoff berths on the line in the regular-season finale? And what could be
less dramatic than one or both teams resting their regulars in preparation for
the playoffs? The Browns might require at least one win against the Steelers in
2008 to reach the postseason. One defeat of Pittsburgh in 2007 would have earned
them a division title and forced the Steelers to watch the playoffs from their
living rooms.