One Game Changes A Lot

The Browns started the season with 25-1 odds to win the Super Bowl.  Sunday’s shellacking (which, apparently, I was way off on) has increased those odds to 55-1.  Seriously?  One game?  I was right there watching it and yes, the Browns looked horrid on both sides of the ball.  But one has to take into account that for all intents and purposes, this was the first game of the season and many key players were nursing injuries throughout the preseason.  Playing without Donte’ Stallworth or Joshua Cribbs was an obvious blow, but these are simply excuses I am making for sloppy play from professionals – say it again – professionals.  In the end, a better effort should have been expected.

That being said, how could the Browns drop so far in the odds, though?  The odds to win the AFC Championship are now 45-1, compared to 12-1 to open the season.  It seems just a bit off that the odds could change so dramatically after one week.  I would like to reference the Browns’ first game last year (a 34-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers), which led to a 10-6 season.  However, I won’t (I realize I just did…go with me here) because it’s a new season and anything can happen.  This just needs to serve as a quick wake-up call.  As Shaun Smith said earlier this week, “we’ve got to win.”

The oddsmakers are not looking favorably on the Browns the rest of this season, but that’s just fine.  It’s a little excessive to put the Browns down so much after just one game, but that’s just the way it is in the relationship between Cleveland sports and the rest of the world.  It’s not a sob story, just the truth of the matter.

By the way, just how CUTE was it that Tony Romo and Terrell Owens were having a squirt fight on Sunday?!  I just can’t get enough of those two – I need more coverage of them on ESPN.  I rage about my campus with a full head of anger when I realize that the Cowboys are not featured enough on the “worldwide” sports network.