Insignificant wins or Justin Blackmon?

[mikeyP]

Should the Cleveland Browns lose their remaining games in order to position for the 2012 NFL Draft? On one hand, the young Browns could, perhaps, spoil home field advantage for rival Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens.

Despite those wins, though, both teams will likely capture yet another playoff berth come January.

Read on here--> Cleveland Browns: Browns Aiming for Draft Position or Wins? | Bleacher Report

[golfer704u]

Never ever ever play for draft position. No win is insignificant. Because with those losses? Sure you get a chance at justin blackmon, but you also make it harder for your QB to fight off the draftnicks who think we should draft the 4th or 5th best QB in the draft at that position instead. And NFL players do not like losing. If it goes on to long, you lose them.

[mikeyP]

I agree, just rousing up some discussion.

On the other hand though, remember when Mangini's team in 2009 rattled off 4 straight wins to save them from a 1-15 season?

Morale victories that didn't really help or give them any momentum going into 2010.

They did get Joe Haden though, and didn't miss out on many others because of their wins.

[golfer704u]

I don't want to debate Mangini again but I'd argue it not only saved his job in 2009 but it did help the team in 2010 because it showed the players that if they kept working in the system they could win. Same thing with this team. If this offense doesn't peform in the last few games and we don't win, do you think the players themselves will blame it all on Colt, or the lack of WR, or the Oline? or do you think they spend the offseason wondering whether or not they have a bad offensive system?

[mikeyP]

There have already been rumblings this season the players might not buy into Shurmur's system.

Losing out will strengthen those opinions, not just from the players, but from us too I think.

Hopefully, if we do lose, we will at least be competitive. I'd prefer competitive with an upset over the Steelers over losing out.

I don't know if/think it can happen though.

What if Beanie Wells decides to turn on beast mode again and run for over 200 yards?

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

If we were going for the #1 pick I would be all for losing out this season ...that not being the reality, we should try to win but we'll lose the rest of them anyway.

[Sez.EJ]

Blackmon is not the only draft pick worth having. There are around 6 wr's 6'3 or above with 1st or 2nd round ratings... Besides, who says we have to take a WR with pick 1a. maybe pick 1a is a badass DE, and we use pick 1b on the WR. If Hillis is not resigned, we may use pick 1a on the best RB. There are just too many variables... What is you lose those games and find that some other team trades up to leapfrog you for your player anyway. You cannot put all your eggs in 1 basket.. What if Blackmon is a bust..Then you've sold your soul to the devil by losing games on purpose for nothing.

So no.. you never throw games for draft position. You insult the current players and rip out any pride they have if you tell them to throw games. It's insulting becuase many of the players will not be with the team, and many may be playing the last football of their lives. There will be a lot of turnover again this offseason, as much of this year was spent trying to figure out who fits and who does not fit into the new offensive and defensive systems. It is disrespectful to the game of football IMO.. a cowards way out. You try to win every game. Period.

[mikeyP]

Don't get too emotional, Sez

[Sez.EJ]

MikeyP.. if you proposed that to a player on the team..you would probably be picking yourself up out of the dirt and looking for the bandages. Football is all about emotion and pride. I'm not too emotional... just the right amount of intensity. I'm just telling you like I see it and feel it.

I played on one of the worst HS football teams ever(Fairport Harding). We knew pretty much every week we were going to lose cuz we only had 22 guys on the roster which is the same amount as tried out for the team. .. So you had to have a lot of pride and desire to go give it 101% every week. So proposing to throw games does stir up some emotion in me.

[YtownBacker]

Sorry, but pretty fuckin dumb to even suggest laying down and losing games is an option to a real professional.

I also call BS Mikey on players not buying into Shurmur system. That's BS that comes from a place like Bleacher Report with no foundation or credible source.

[mikeyP]

Keep hating, jealous, miserable Youngstonian.

Read my convo with Golfer, it was a story to spark conversation. Not something I believe one way or the other.

And no where in the article I wrote did I write anything that was speculation as fact. So take your @$%^ty attitude somewhere else Y-Town.

As for Sez, I played for Newbury, so I know all about losing. We were 2-7 but beat Kirtland to ruin their playoff chances my junior year.

[Thaid_Up]

Originally Posted by YtownBacker

Sorry, but pretty fuckin dumb to even suggest laying down and losing games is an option to a real professional.

I also call BS Mikey on players not buying into Shurmur system. That's BS that comes from a place like Bleacher Report with no foundation or credible source.

+1 Never throw games for draft position. There have been numerous posts in other threads stating all those perennial playoff teams don't seem to have a problem when it's their turn on the draft board. You play to win. You're playing for pride and for these young players you're playing for some positive momentum going into the off season.