Optimism in short supply with another Browns season on horizon

Sometimes, you just need to enjoy winning, no matter how it occurs.In August of 1994, when I was visiting my aunt in Dayton, she bought us tickets to a Cincinnati Reds game.But there was a baseball strike, and the game was canceled.It just so happened, though, that the Cincinnati Bengals had a preseason game against the Detroit Lions that week, so we got tickets to that, instead. No one in our group was a Bengals fan, but hey, it was live sports.In the 1990s, the Bengals were not very good. They posted one winning season and made one playoff appearance in the entire decade.In 1993, under coach David Shula, Cincinnati was 3-13.Now, it was 1994, but not much seemed to have changed. Shula was still coach. Many of the players were the same.But against the Lions on that night, the Bengals (or at least the preseason version of the Bengals) looked like superstars.The Bengals thumped Detroit, 38-14.Bengals fans, disheartened as they were, cheered along with joy. They got up after each Cincinnati touchdown and chanted "Who-Dey." Eventually, the fans around us encouraged my brother and I to join in.I did so reluctantly, given my allegiance to the Browns.But, when in Rome.The Bengals fans enthusiasm impressed me that night. They'd been through a string of bad seasons, and it seemed as though they knew another was on the horizon (and indeed, Cincinnati didn't win again until November, en route to another 3-13 campaign).But on this night, none of that mattered. The Bengals were winning.They were going to enjoy it.The Cleveland Browns start the 2025 season Sunday, against Cincinnati.The Browns had one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history last year.Looking at the roster going into Sunday, I have a nagging feeling they're going to be in for another tough year.Joe Flacco, at 40 years old, is the team's starting quarterback. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and consistent enough to hold off the team's draft picks, Dillon Gabriel and Shadeur Sanders.But I'll be surprised if Flacco can hold off the pair all season. As much of a breath of fresh air as Flacco was with the Browns in 2023, he hasn't played 16 games since 2017. So Cleveland will likely have to win games with rookies under center, which rarely works. Or, rather, rarely works for this franchise.The Browns have some talent, of course. Defensive end Myles Garrett and corner Denzel Ward are back. The defense should be decent.Will that be enough to win?Probably not. In some ways, it feels like the team is already looking to 2026, when it will have two first round draft picks.Quarterback Deshaun Watson will likely be released next offseason. There might be bright things in the future.Stop me if you've heard that before.But for this year, I tend to think the Browns, if healthy and lucky, can win about seven games. Otherwise, they could be looking at another 3-4 win season and more promises about the future than success in the present.But like those Bengals fans some three decades ago, I'll try to enjoy the good moments and cherish the wins.Even if there may not be many to celebrate. THIS WEEK: It would be much easier if the Browns were playing the 1994 version of the Bengals. The 2025 version of Cincinnati isn't perfect, but when you have Joe Burrow playing quarterback, you always have a shot at the Super Bowl. MY PICK: Bengals 35, Browns 13