Bodog Beat

Brady Quinn vs. Derek Anderson will be one of the interesting stories for the Cleveland Browns this year. (AP Images)

Remember two seasons ago how the Browns were an up-and-coming team that just missed the playoffs? Now this club seems in need of a major overhaul in the wake of last season’s 4-12 record, which included a season-ending six-game losing streak. New coach Eric Mangini has begun the purge.

A weak receiving corps would appear to be weaker this year, with rookie Brian Robiskie probably having to start in Week 1. Projected 2008 No. 2 WR Donte Stallworth, who was a major disappointment last year the few times he played, probably will be suspended for the season by Roger Goodell following that auto incident in Miami that killed a man. Tight end Kellen Winslow was jettisoned to Tampa Bay, but he took a major step back last year as well when he was healthy. Former Pro Bowl WR Braylon Edwards is still around, but he was shopped during the offseason after having 25 fewer catches than in 2007 and a touchdown drop from 16 to 3. He also led the NFL in dropped passes.

Who will be throwing Edwards the ball this year? That question supposedly won’t be answered until well into training camp, although most believe that Brady Quinn will beat out Derek Anderson. Running back Jamal Lewis seems on the way down, but at least the offensive line should be a strength.

The defense ranked 26^th in the league last year and probably will be in that range again. It was especially bad against the ground game, which is never a good thing in a division with Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

Here is the Browns’ 2009 schedule, and we’ll break it down after:

Sept. 13 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.

Sept. 20 at Denver Broncos, 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 27 at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.

Oct. 4 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.

Oct. 11 at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.

Oct. 18 at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m.

Oct. 25 vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.

Nov. 1 at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.

Week 9: Bye

Nov. 16 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 22 at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.

Nov. 29 at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.

Dec. 6 vs. San Diego Chargers, 4:05 p.m.

Dec. 10 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m.

Dec. 20 at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.

Dec. 27 vs. Oakland Raiders, 1 p.m.

Jan. 3 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.

Strength of schedule: 25^th (opponents combined to go 114-140-2, .449, in 2008)

Projected record: 4-12

Bodog over/under total: 7

Bodog odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 80/1

I don’t see how this team can approach Bodog’s win total of seven, in all honesty. Obviously injuries played a big role in last year’s terrible season, but unless Quinn is Joe Montana this club is at least a year from even sniffing .500.

The NFL seems to love Cleveland, as the Browns open at home for the 11^th straight year. However, I see the Browns losing their first six games, a nice bookend to last season’s season-ending six-game slide. Cleveland is 1-9 in its past 10 season openers, so forget a Vikings upset, and surely won’t be favored in any game but that Oct. 4 matchup against the Bengals. However, Cincy has won four of the past six in Cleveland.

I think the Browns can take out the Packers for that first win on Oct. 25 but won’t see victory again until playing at Detroit a few weeks later. Then it looks like four more losses in row – hey, the Chiefs have to beat someone. Cleveland will finish 2009 with back-to-back home wins against warm-weather teams Oakland and Jacksonville. That will give the Browns three home wins this year, which at least is an improvement over last year’s 1-7 record.

At least the Browns can see if Quinn is the future this year, assuming he stays healthy, and possibly get something of value for Anderson in an offseason trade.

NFL Futures, NFL Player Props and NFL Teams Props are already up in the Bodog Sportsbook!