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Cleveland Browns: Even when we win, we lose

By Christopher Markoch

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 31: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Buffalo Bills rushes during the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 31: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Buffalo Bills rushes during the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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The addition of Tyrod Taylor to the Cleveland Browns is getting positive reviews among NFL insiders. But it seems even elevating the worst quarterback room in football still can’t raise our division’s preseason ranking.

In the opinion of NFL.com columnist Adam Schein, the Cleveland Browns no longer have the worst quarterback in the NFL. In fact, in Schein’s opinion, Tyrod Taylor isn’t even the worst quarterback in the AFC North.

That’s progress.

However, in his preseason ranking of the NFL divisions by quarterback, Schein ranked the AFC North dead last. According to Schein:

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"“Big Ben is a future Hall of Famer — and he’s still playing great in the present. I am a big Tyrod Taylor fan, too — the 28-year-old never gets the credit he deserves as an efficient playmaker from the pocket. But Flacco is on the way out. And somehow, against all rational judgment, The Marv and Andy Show got picked up for another season. “– Adam Schein, NFL.com"

By itself, this is a fair analysis of the division, but when you look at his ranking of the other divisions, I must beg to differ. His presumptive AFC East starters are:

Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen
Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill
New England Patriots: Tom Brady
New York Jets: Sam Darnold

Beyond Brady, there’s the underachieving and enigmatic Ryan Tannehill who just lost one of his biggest weapons in Jarvis Landry to an AFC North team. And then there’s two rookies who haven’t played a snap in the NFL.

Even if you put AJ McCarron in place of Allen and Josh McCown (or Teddy Bridgewater) over Darnold, I think it’s reasonable to say that Flacco (a Super Bowl winning quarterback) and Dalton (who has at least led a team to the playoffs) should elevate our division.

Then consider the AFC South:

Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson
Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck
Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles
Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota

Luck hasn’t thrown a pass in an NFL game in, let’s just say, a really long time. The Jaguars (perhaps in error) took the ball out of Bortles hands in the AFC Championship game. Watson appears to be the real deal, but it’s an awfully small sample size and Mariota is on the rise, but certainly has his doubters.

I could even make a case against his elevation of the AFC West with a first-year starter in Patrick Mahomes) and the presumption that Jon Gruden will automatically raise the play of Derek Carr.

The AFC North is regarded as one of the toughest in sports, and with good reason. One of the reasons has been that, until this year, three of the four teams had a franchise quarterback. And two of those quarterbacks have at least one Super Bowl ring.

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With all that going for it, it’s hard to justify a dead-last ranking. What do you think, Browns fans? Give us your take.

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