For all the talk about how the Lions are horrible, with their 19-game losing streak, it’s almost a good thing that Detroit got the monkey off its back.

Now, the focus is on the NFL’s truly horrible – the Cleveland Browns.

There.  I said it.

You can hate me all you want, but it’s true.  Just watch the games.  Even before the season, before any football was played, I have a question for Browns fans: was there seriously any reason for optimism?

Let’s see here… Brady Quinn was in a quarterback battle with that stud named Derek Anderson.  That says something about Quinn the way the Browns WANTED to hand the job to him but couldn’t because he couldn’t actually truly win it.  Of course, he still got the job nonetheless.  Then you have an aging running back who was great about five years ago when he was running over, who else, the Browns.  A good tight end, albeit a very disruptive one, leaves, but another disruptive passcatcher (Braylon Edwards) remained.  Actually, if I was a Browns fan, I’d probably have the most pride in Shaun Rogers and Phil Dawson before the regular season.

And hey, a few games into the season, I’ll even give props to Abram Elam.  He’s played extremely well.  And we can’t forget Josh Cribbs.  Field position is so key, and Cribbs does his best to put the Browns offense in good position.

But that’s where it all stops – the Browns have no offense.

When the Tigers score more runs than the Browns score points, and the Tigers didn’t have a huge day at the plate, that’s not a good thing.  While it’s very early to judge, Quinn’s inability to throw the ball downfield after a few years in the league is disturbing considering all the hype surrounding his league entrance and the talk of being a league cover boy.  I’ll give Quinn that much, about going to the weight room – the guy is ripped.  But that’s not translating where it’s really important – on the football field.

And if you’re a Browns fan, get ready for a long season.  The Lions at least have a quarterback who can zing it downfield, although Matthew Stafford does throw the ball inaccurately quite a bit and he makes some bad decisions.  But it does look like Stafford can grow.  And the Lions offense will grow too.  Megatron is just too good.  Kevin Smith is young and exciting.  That offensive line will be built.  The defense signed a good number of solid veterans.

Just to let the reading audience know, I sincerely am not a Browns hater and I sincerely am not a Lions fan.

I’m just an NFL fan keeping it real.