The open their season at home this weekend against the . After failing to win a single game last season, the Browns are heading into this season hoping for a fresh start with two new quarterbacks.
WKSU commentator thinks the team can improve from their 0-16 season.
Really, It Can鈥檛 Get Any Worse
鈥淏rowns fans often say, 鈥榠t can鈥檛 get any worse,鈥� and of course it鈥檚 a dangerous thing to say as a Browns fan because it can always get worse,鈥� Pluto said.
The Cleveland Browns are a combined 4-44 over their last three seasons going 3-13, 1-15 and 0-16.
They officially can鈥檛 lose any more games.
鈥淲hen you hit zero, it鈥檚 not like Premier League Soccer where you get bumped down to the minors, you鈥檙e guaranteed to stay in the NFL.鈥� Pluto said.
The Kansas City Model
The team hired former Kansas City Chiefs General Manager before the end of last season to turn things around.
They have yet another new starting quarterback this year, former Buffalo Bills QB .
鈥淣ow this is where John Dorsey went back to his formula in Kansas City,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淗e brought in Alex Smith, a smart quarterback who doesn鈥檛 turn the ball over with strong leadership. Brings in Taylor - same thing.鈥�
Taylor has a winning record in Buffalo going 22-20, including a trip to the playoffs last season marking their first appearance in 18 years.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 significant.鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淥ne, he鈥檚 adjusted to playing in terrible weather and second, he鈥檚 used to being on a team casted as a loser.鈥�
Veteran Leadership
This is what Dorsey wanted, an adult leading the team.
鈥淭he year before it wasn鈥檛 fault, he was only 21-years-old and he played just two seasons at Notre Dame,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淭he Browns had historically awful quarterback play, not bad, not terrible 鈥� historically awful.鈥�
The Browns led the NFL last season with six interceptions in the redzone. Tyrod Taylor only threw four interceptions all season long.
鈥淩ight there you go, okay, if you stop throwing the ball to the other team you鈥檙e gonna win a few games,鈥� Pluto said.
The Rookie QB To-Be
The Browns used the #1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft on University of Oklahoma quarterback
鈥淛ohn Dorsey put his signature on this pick,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淭here was a lot of debate of who was the best quarterback in the draft.鈥�
Pluto adds that he didn鈥檛 like the Mayfield pick, but his play in practice and the pre-season won him over.
鈥淚 think he has a chance to be pretty good, I鈥檓 not saying great, but pretty good.鈥� Pluto said.
The Browns are now in a position to let their rookie quarterback watch and learn.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 the greatest thing, he doesn鈥檛 have to play day one.鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淚n the past, the Browns have ruined rookie quarterbacks by playing them right away.鈥�
When the franchise came back in 1999, they played then rookie over veteran after a dismal first-half.
鈥淐ouch took a beating the rest of that year and throughout his career.鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淚n his last two seasons with the Browns he went 15-15, but there was so much physically wrong with him he couldn鈥檛 play anymore.鈥�
Couch was out of the league at 26-years-old.
Can The Browns Win Four Games This Season?
Five games.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 realistic, four to five.鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淩emember you鈥檙e at zero, if you go to five, you will have won more games than the last three years combined.鈥�
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