Chapter #8 Pre-season

Chapter 5: Remaining Preseason Games

Week 2: vs. Chicago Bears

Brady led two touchdown drives as we won 27-17. "Cleveland's offense clicking again behind Brady," reported ESPN.

Week 3: at Washington Redskins

A sloppy 24-21 road loss had critics questioning. "Was week 1 a fluke?" asked talk radio.

The critics from the media didn´t make me wait too much:

Akron Beacon Journal:

"This was an uncharacteristic sloppy performance from the Browns. They looked disorganized on both sides of the ball. Penalties and turnovers doomed them in this game. This loss brings them back down to earth after the flashy Week 1 win."

Cleveland Plain Dealer:

"Fans were getting carried away after that big opening victory, but this game showed the Browns still have work to do. The defense couldn't get any stops and the offense bogged down in the red zone. Consistency is the next step in Cleveland's rebuild."

ESPN:

"The hype train may have gotten ahead of itself for the Browns. They didn't look like the same sharp, well-oiled machine we saw in Week 1. Washington exploited their weaknesses and exposed a lack of discipline with penalties and turnovers. A reality check for Marty Schottenheimer's club."

NFL Network:

"This was an eye-opening dud of a performance by the Browns. They abandoned what worked for them against Chicago and got sloppy. If they want to legitimize themselves, Cleveland needs to brush this off and get refocused for the regular season."

Tony Kornheiser, PTI:

"I was skeptical of how good the Browns really are based on one win. This game in DC showed they still have flaws to correct. Growing pains are normal for a young team, but they can't afford letdowns like this if they want to seriously contend."

So in summary, the media saw this as a reality check for Cleveland that exposed lingering issues still to be fixed as their rebuild continues.

Week 4: vs. Green Bay Packers

Bitter rivals visited for our exhibition finale. "Let's make a statement fellas," Brady rallied the offense.

The defense forced 3 turnovers setting the tone. Coles scored two TDs on deep throws from Brady. Late 4th quarter, Brett Favre entered down 21-3.

After Favre connected on a long pass, trash talk erupted between members of both teams on the sidelines. Clifton and Urlacher attempted to calm tensions before a scuffle nearly broke out between players.

Brady capped a 95-yard drive with a touchdown to close a 28-10 victory. "Cleveland looks ready for the regular season," commented Joe Buck. "That defense is ferocious."

Our undefeated preseason home record, capped by domination of a rival, had confidence soaring entering the real season. Only two weeks remained until unveiling our rebirth on Opening Night.

Now, it´s time for the season to get started!

To be continued...