Browns 2012 Season Preview

Well Browns fans, it's a brand new season and we've got a brand new signal caller under center.  What else is new in Cleveland though right?  Regardless of fans who believe Colt McCoy deserved one more shot this season, myself included, Brandon Weeden is the dude who will trot onto the field this Sunday against the Eagles.

Let's take a second to remember how great the Browns were last season...Okay moving on now to 2012.  The Browns have a tough schedule this year and if they are not careful could end up with a similar win loss record to 2011.  The team will take on the Giants, Chargers, Cowboys and a Denver squad led by Peyton Manning this year in addition to two contests each with the Ravens and Steelers.  If you ask me, those match ups could get a little sloppy.

Call me a pessimist if you so choose but I've come to realize with Cleveland sports you must be a realist.  There is no sense in sugar coating a group of traditionally subpar professional sports teams seeking their first title since 1948.  However, there is one positive we can look forward to this season and it rhymes with Brent Trichardson.

That's right, you guessed it the Browns will look to their 21 year-old, father of two, Trent Richardson, to provide some hope for a successful season; and by successful I mean a season with 5 or more wins.  Anything that is an improvement over last season would be just dandy, baby steps right?

Richardson is coming off of knee surgery, which may lead some to question his durability in the league, and he did not play a single down for the team during the preseason.  He had a stellar career at Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to the 2012 National Championship and was drafted #4 overall by the Browns in this year's NFL Draft.  On the defensive side of the ball look for third year players Joe Haden and TJ Ward to lead the way.  If both can remain healthy and if Haden can avoid a 4 game suspension for substance abuse the Browns' secondary may be an improvement over last season.

The Browns will look to bring the heat on defense and try to take down the elusive Michael Vick.  Vick will be wearing a kevlar vest to protect a tender midsection when the game begins on Sunday at 1 pm.   A couple solid hits on Vick and he could be knocked out of the game.

Expect Richardson and Weeden to find the endzone at least once and how could we forget Phil Dawson.  He'll chip in at least one field goal before the clock hits triple zeroes.

Week 1 Prediction:  Eagles 24      Browns  17