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The last two weeks of the NFL season were bittersweet for the Browns.  It is incredibly hard and somewhat selfish to be disappointed in a 10-6 season.  Yet, disappointment was abundant after watching the team lose to the Bengals in a game which could have clinched a playoff spot for the Browns, and having to endure watching the worst game of the year, in Tennessee vs. Indianapolis, with playoff hopes riding on Indianapolis’ absolutely pathetic second and third string going against the slightly less pathetic Tennessee Titans.  Still, after calming myself down and looking back retrospectively in a positive manner, the turnaround from going 4-12 to 10-6 is plenty more than just about anyone expected or asked for.

There is a lot to look forward to for next season.  As of now, it is up in the air as to who will be the starting quarterback, which is nothing new.  But the situation at quarterback is vastly different that that of previous years.  It seems as though Anderson is going to be put on the trading block, probably entirely due to his performance in the biggest game of the year against the Bengals and over the last four or five weeks of the season.  Brady Quinn is going to be the future, as the organization has a lot vested in him.  It is just a matter of when, and for whom or what, Anderson will be traded to another team.  Phil Savage has earned my trust and the trust of many others in his abilities to build a winning franchise, and I see no reason to oppose anything he does.

The team must solidify the defensive line for next year.  Besides that, the defense improved greatly toward the end of the year and looked to be coming together as a very solid, young unit.  Hopefully LeCharles Bentley and Gary Baxter can come back and make positive contributions next season.  The quarterback situation will work itself out, and it seems as though Jamal Lewis will be around at least another year.  The process of rebuilding the team made unbelievable strides this year, and it should only get better.

On paper, next years’ schedule is pretty brutal.  But if this year was merely a preview of how good the team could be, opposing teams will be saying the same thing about their schedule if the Browns are on it.  So let's applaud this years’ team for giving the fans and the entire organization an incredibly entertaining season.  And let's enjoy and remember how nice it is to have an actual season, rather than just an off-season of rebuilding, to look forward to.

Tags: cleveland browns