Cleveland Browns: Competing Against Pittsburgh Steelers Will take Years

Patience Is Needed In Cleveland Where Patience Is In Short Supply

As the Pittsburgh Steelers return home from losing the Super Bowl, questions now come up in Cleveland about returning to the Playoffs and taking out the defending AFC Champions.

The Browns now are in their fifth rebuild since returning to the league in 1999. It's been one lousy draft after another and there is no quick fix to this. While the case can be made switching head coaches and front offices every two or three years is part of the problem, sticking with bad personnel for the sake of continuity doesn't solve any problems either.

The Browns have suffered from bad ownership, short-sighted coaches and the failure of egos run wild.

There's no telling if the current setup will work because we won't know until we see it. But the problem is the Browns fans want to win now. Browns fans are tired of losing, tired of watching other teams rebuild and tired of the excuses and bad drafts.

What the Browns need to do now is have a great draft, and see the results of that on the field in 2011. That is an attainable goal.

If the Browns at least can show the fans a kernel of hope, signs the offense is going to score and that the defense is coming together, the pressure will ease up. The fans are tired of seeing a franchise focus on the wrong things that don't result in a better team.

I do think Browns fans mostly are realistic about the team's chances in 2011, and if they see the team making progress, the patience will come. The patience disappears when they see a team afraid to score touchdowns, benching players for no good reason and not giving the young guys a chance to play when the veterans are blowing it.

For another look at the Browns, check out 15 Things Pat Shurmur Must Do To Rebuild The Browns.