1. Our O-line problem last year was 80% Center / 20% Marvel's back problem. Marvel had his bulging disc removed doctors say the problem is behind him and we signed Justin Hartwig at center - big improvement. Yes Faneca is gone but Kemo almost beat out Simmons last year at right guard and some say should have. A young Kemo vs. an aging Faneca. Not as big a drop off as you Browns fans hope and let's face it pass blocking was not Faneca's strength.
2. Yes we won 10 games and so did you. Not that it matters but we rested our starters the final game of the year last year so not beating Baltimore with our backups kept us from 11 wins. We were 9-3 before we lost Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Willie Parker, Marvel Smith, Ryan Clark and I probably missed someone. Now here's where you say everyone plays with injuries but take away 7 STARTERS from the Browns last year all within a 5 game span and you don't win 10 games. And please don't say you would have cause that's not a serious debate - that's just hot air.
3. What you call improvement is debatable. You gave a player who has a history of motivation problems 22 million guaranteed. Will he reward you? Maybe but there's also a chance he comes to camp at 400 lbs and gets hurt early and often. What is the story with Corey Williams? 7 sacks is a decent number but it was third on his own team. If you don't think Corey's play benefits from the double teams they put on Gbaja-Biamila and Kampman you are again not debating seriously.
Meanwhile you gave up your best defensive back and draft picks that could have helped your team. Saints only had to swap a 3rd round pick for a 5th round pick to move up and take Ellis. You gave up your third and Bodden. Patriots needs definitely included a starting corner. Chances are you could have made a deal but we'll never know. Who would you rather have? Shaun Rogers at 22million guaranteed or a much younger Sedrick Ellis?
A second rounder for Williams? We'll see about that one.
I'm sure you'll debate this with me but the Steelers absolutely improved their team. Another OLB in the third round to bring pressure is always important when you play the kind of defense we play and then the obvious ones in the first two rounds. The truly uninformed knock them for not picking O-line help. They did draft a great LT prospect IF he can get healthy. Admittedly a big IF but in the 4th round well worth the risk. He was one of the few OT's who was graded as a potential starting NFL LT. He fell because of injury problems as he should have. As for other O-linemen, what is the point in drafting an O-linemen if he can't make the team? Despite what many believe we have several Guards and Tackles. They are not superstars but they are good enough that a 5th, 6th or 7th round draft pick isn't going to take their job. Why waste a pick on someone who can't make the team?
We would have loved one of the better tackles to fall to us at #23 but it didn't happen. Besides, our biggest need going in to the draft was D-line not O-line. You won't get any argument from me there. We are thin at D-line and we need to make something happen there. We were not nearly as good when Aaron Smith went out last year and that is a concern.
4. Second game was neck and neck. Well yes it was but only because you had a 100 yd muff KO return for a TD, and a 90 yard return that led to a TD. Special teams counts so I won't argue the results but to use it as a predictor of the future is very misleading. I could make a much better argument from that game that you had 173 total yards of offense and ONE first down in the second half and that came on the last possession when we were in prevent. We let your receiver catch it underneath to try to run the clock out. Your guy missed from 55 yards I think. As for the bad calls in that game I don't remember them and I'm glued to the set on game days. I also watch Sportscenter ad nauseam and I don't recall the plays your talking about but if you say they were bad calls I'll take your word for it.
5. I don't see your off-season as rosy as you do so yes I think we will beat you twice. We had the number one defense in the league last year and all we did was get healthier. Ryan Clark will be back at safety and Polamalu and Aaron Smith are healthy.
Nobody runs against us and DA will struggle against our D. He struggled against everyone's D late in the year cause team's are figuring him out. Your own guys on this board aren't big fans. Well what do you have if you don't have a solid starting QB?
Offensively we get better every year. Roethlisberger had a gem of a season and now he has more weapons. Yes he needs time to throw but he had 32 TD's and 11 Ints last year while being sacked 50 times. The guy can play and your secondary will have a tough time with Hines, Santonio (3rd year breakout year for WR), Miller and now Limas. Your run defense has to improve with those additions (assuming they are not in the training room) but we also improved at Center and RB.
6. We are not going to agree. What fun would that be but please don't tell me I don't know football just cause I said we will beat you twice next year. Nothing has happened recently to make me think you guys can win even as many games as you did last year. As I hinted to above you had an incredibly "injury free" season last year. Much like we did in 2005. That doesn't happen very often. If it happens again this year you will be competitive but I still don't see more than 8 wins with that schedule and your problems at QB. QB is not a position to be unsure about and even your own fans are unsure about DA - and Quinn is truly an unknown.
My fingers hurt.
