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The Cleveland Browns: Inspiring confidence in opponents since 1999

By Joel W. Cade

Oct 30, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Jets outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (55) tries to sack Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Jets won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Jets outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (55) tries to sack Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Jets won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Browns are so bad that other teams will play harder to avoid the embarrassment of being the team that hands the Browns their first win.

The Cleveland Browns opponents seem to always find a way to rally and defeat the Browns. So far, conventional wisdom has placed the blame on the Browns players for missing tackles, assignments or for failing to execute. Although all of this is true, it misses another more fascinating explanation of what is currently going on.

The Browns are such a laughingstock around the league that opponents would rather die than be known as the team that lost to the Browns. The embarrassment of losing to Cleveland would affect the reputation of the players and organization as a whole. That is right, the Browns are so bad that losing to them would bring shame upon the losing team in the eyes of other NFL players and media.

Also, opposing players who compete against the Browns experience a boost of confidence knowing the Browns are their opponent. One can almost hear them saying, “It has been bad for us, but thank God we play the Browns. We can turn things around against them.”

The simple fact of knowing the Browns are on the schedule is enough to provide a confidence boost to opponents.

This phenomenon of an added boost of confidence has been apparent within the AFC North for years. Former players and media have made it known that the Browns will play tough, but will eventually find a way to lose the game. Anyone who watches the games know this is true, especially this season.

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Knowing in advance that your opponent will self-destruct provides an extra incentive to keep fighting when, against a different opponent, one might pack it in for the day.

By now this phenomenon has spread to the entire NFL as the Browns reputation is so low right now that every team in the NFL sees them as a beatable opponent. Head coaches do not want to have to explain to their fans or local media why they lost to the lowly Cleveland Browns.

If someone snuck into the New York Jets locker room at halftime on Sunday to hear the rousing speech that inspired the Jets to victory, one may have heard the following:

“We are losing to the Cleveland Browns. THE CLEVELAND BROWNS! If we can’t beat this team, then how bad are we really? Are you really that bad of a team that you cannot be the CLEVELAND BROWNS? Do you want to be known as the team who lost to the CLEVELAND BROWNS?”

By falling this low into the bowels of NFL hell, the Browns have made winning harder for themselves. They face not only an NFL team each week, but now they must fight against an additional confidence boost and against an opponent who will fight tooth and nail to avoid the embarrassment of losing to the Browns.

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You may think this is crazy, but it is absolutely real. During my years as a coach and player, I am embarrassed to admit I have given this half-time speech before. And I saw it again Sunday in Cleveland.

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