How Will the Cleveland Browns Finish Out the 2011 Season?

The Cleveland Browns are at the quarter point of the season, and have enjoyed a much-needed bye week after enduring a media storm regarding running back Peyton Hillis’ contract situation. The team is 2-2, but you’d think they were 0-4 with the general sense of dread in the minds of so many fans. That’s what a stumbling offense and a blowout before the bye week will do to you.

The Browns’ next game is a road match-up against the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 16. The Raiders are now 3-2, coming off a big road win against the Houston Texans. This team is by no means a pushover, and is playing for a lot of pride after the passing of owner Al Davis. Running back Darren McFadden presents a particularly tough challenge for the Browns, as he leads the league in rushing.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Browns after that, either. The team still has to play the suddenly-potent San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens (x2), and Pittsburgh Steelers (x2). Don’t expect teams like the Seattle Seahawks or the Jacksonsville Jaguars to be cakewalks, either.

The season is still early, and there is plenty of room for improvement, but now that you’ve seen the Browns play four games, where do you see this season heading? Can the offense stabilize itself? Will the defense continue getting pressure on quarterbacks? Most importantly, do you see the Browns as a team that can string together two, three, four, maybe even five wins in a row?

Let us know!