Bengals 34, Browns 17
I can assure there was no misprint. I took the Browns to win, because I just had a feeling. Erik apparently felt the same way.
But I forgot the biggest issue when predicting games: The best team usually wins.
The Browns are not as good as Cincinnati, and no offseason move could have changed that.
You will hear the phrase "work in progress" more than a few times. And, being that its Cleveland, it's easy to scoff.
But the Browns are getting better. Fans will just have to accept that the process will be slow.
Romeo Crennel will promise no quick fix, nor should he. The last quix fix came in 2002, and the team is still paying for it.
Here are my observations from Sunday's loss.
* Better pass rush this week, and Kamerion Wimbley looks like a superstar in the making.
* We need to see more of Kellen Winslow in the offense. Let's be honest -- we sometimes laugh at what he does or says, but he has been the team's most consistent receiver through two weeks. And I pity the tacklers. He needs to be the primary weapon on offense.
* Braylon Edwards dropped at least three key passes. He caught the long pass, but it's easy to forget that he is in many ways still a rookie. Despite his ability and attitude, he's still going to have lapses.
* The play-calling was again atrocious. But dropped passes and missed reads make offensive coordinators look like idiots.
* Someone complained when I ranked Carson Palmer in just the top five when ranking the league's quarterbacks. Sorry. He may be the second best quarterback, but is certainly no lower than third. Tom Brady may be better, but he won't be for long.
* The defense was not great, but it can't be against the Bengals, who have way too many weapons.
* CBS color man Solomon Wilcots said "pick your poison" about 12 times in the first half. Annoying.
* Charlie Frye will be fine.