Cleveland Browns: Going winless at home is a new low
The Cleveland Browns failed to win a home game for the first time since 1999 in what looks to be the team’s first 0-16 season in franchise history.
Cleveland Browns fans weren’t expecting much during the 1999 season. The team was forced to start over and it was just nice to have Browns football back in Cleveland.
The team finished with a 2-14 record that year, including an 0-8 record at home. But they did go on the road and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, so at least there was something to be happy about.
Cut to 2017 and one could argue there has actually been regression since the 1999 season. The Browns went winless at home for the first time since the inaugural season, and are likely going 0-16 for the first time in franchise history.
None of this is breaking news, but it really starts to show just how bad this team has been the past few seasons. With all of the lows, the lack of a home victory in 2017 stands out to me as the worst thing.
I honestly feel bad for fans who spend money on season tickets. The Week 1 optimism seen in the Muni Lot and in FirstEnergy Stadium slowly fades into what we saw last Sunday, when the stadium is nearly empty and fans are practically giving away tickets on the resale market. But who can blame them?
Even the 2000 Browns team won two home games, including one over the Steelers. Yet the 2017 version of the Browns only teased home victories, settling for heartbreaking defeats in front of the home fans instead.
Fans are searching for individuals to blame, and at this point I am at a loss. The team is clearly not a great one, but the coaching isn’t much better. Then there is the owner that can’t seem to stick with a plan and has legal problems of his own to deal with.
Lost in all of this is the fans, who continue to be loyal, even through what has been the worst stretch of football in NFL history. The least the Browns could have done was rally together and pick up a win at home, but even that was too much to ask.
We could have even counted a win in London as a home win, but alas, I hope that Browns fans who made the trip at least got to enjoy their vacation outside of that dud of a game.
The organization as a whole has a long road toward being competent, but the ticket sales reps may have the hardest job in 2018. How can you get people to spend money on an experience that simply isn’t enjoyable?
Next: Looking for reasons to believe in John Dorsey
Lowering beer prices may be a necessary start.