Five Times the Browns Should Have Made the Playoffs...........But Didn't
Following the NFL fallout from the Browns signing notable players such as Kareem Hunt, Olivier Vernon, Sheldon Richardson, and Odell Beckham Jr., many fans and analysts have picked the Browns to win the AFC North, as well as ending their (now going on 17 year) playoff drought. However, many people have also predicted that due to the Browns past of being a consistent loser, that the acquisition of so much talent could turn the organization into a dumpster fire. This is always a possibility. However, what most of the naysayers overlook is that if not for bad luck (and bad offense), the Browns could have made the playoffs several times outside of just the 2002 season. Here are the five biggest times the Browns came oh-so-close to playing in January/February.
5) 2010 Browns
Record: 5-11
It probably doesn't make sense to have a team that finished 5-11 listed as someone narrowly missing the Playoffs, but this Browns team is notable for their stingy defense (only allowing more than 20 points 4 times all season), as well as the sole breakout season of Peyton Hillis, who would later grace the cover of Madden 12 the following year.
They're also notable for losing seven games by a touchdown or less. Some of this games include losing Weeks 1 (17-14) & 2 (16-14) to the Bucs and Chiefs, respectively, as well as a stunning 24-20 Week 11 loss at Jacksonville, despite the defense forcing five straight turnovers (one of them being a fumble recovery touchdown).
Had the Browns simply scored one more touchdown in all of those close contests (or, had the offense scored exactly 21 points every single game of the season), this Browns team would have finished at approximately 11-5.
4) 2001 Browns
Record: 7-9
This Browns came up just short of missing the playoffs primarily due to offensive struggles and letting a handful of winnable game slip right through their fingers. Some examples of these include getting edged out at home Weeks 1 (9-6) and 9 (15-12) to the Seahawks and Steelers respectively, as well as an embarrassing Week 8 27-21 OT road loss to the Bears in which the Browns blew a 21-7 4th quarter lead. On top of that, who could forget the infamous Bottlegate incident?
Had the Browns scored just one more touchdown in each of these four games, they would have also finished 11-5 for the year.
3) 2014 Browns
Record: 7-9
This Browns team was notable for getting off to a fast start, only to fall apart at the end. The 2014 Browns lead the AFC North Division at 7-4 at one point, only to lose their last five games.
One noteworthy loss included Week 1 at the Steelers, the same game that Antonio Brown kicked the Browns punter in the face. Trailing 27-3 at one point, the Browns made a furious rally, tying the game at 27, only to lose on a last-second field goal, 30-27. (They would overcome a 28-3 road deficit against the Titans the following week.)
More noteworthy losses included getting edged out by the Ravens (23-21) and Colts (25-24) at home, as well as some tough road losses to the Panthers (17-13) and Ravens (20-10), the last of which included letting go of a 10-3 4th quarter lead due to an exhausted defense. Had they been able to successfully close out these five games, they would have finished an astounding 12-4.
After 2014, the Browns would eventually let go of their starting quarterback for most of the season in Brian Hoyer, the only Browns QB as of the end of the 2018 season to have a winning record as a starter (10-6).
2) 2018 Browns
Record: 7-8-1
We can't talk about the Browns narrowly missing the Playoffs without talking about last season. Behind record-setting rookies Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb, the Browns fell juuust short of the postseason, despite a coaching change halfway through the season.
The failure of the Browns making the postseason in 2018 can be primarily blamed on three things: kicking woes, coaching, and bad calls by refs.
Refball cost the Browns crucuial games against the Raiders Week 4 (a bad spot) and Ravens Week 17 (early whistle on a Lamar Jackson fumble that would have gone for a touchdown the other way).
Kicking woes cost the Browns critical wins vs the Steelers (Week 1), Saints (Week 2), and Ravens (also Week 17).
And lastly, bad coaching played a part in the Browns failure to make the playoffs as well. Todd Haley's predictable offensive playcalling and Hue Jackson's "nice guy" demeanor were serious impediments to the team attempting to turn things around in the W-L column. It also doesn't help that he tried to "strategically" bench rookie stars Baker Mayfield AND Nick Chubb (who didn't start until Weeks 4 and 7 respectively, due to Tyrod Taylor getting injured and Carlos Hyde getting traded to the Jaguars). With Hue Jackson and Todd Haley, the Browns played in FOUR overtime games and struggled to a 2-6-1 record. After those two were fired, the Browns proceeded to go 5-3, including going 5-2 the last seven games of the season. At the end of the 2018 season, Baker Mayfield broke the NFL rookie TD passing record (27), and Nick Chubb broke the Browns rookie rushing record (996 yards).
All-in-all, had the Browns had better coaching and kicking (and even better refs), they would have finished the season at 12-4.
1) 2007 Browns
Record: 10-6
Many people vividly remember this season, for, as of the end of the 2018 season, this is the last time the Browns finished with double-digit regular season wins since 1994. Coming into 2007, expectations were low, seeing as how the Browns offense could barely average 14 points a game in 2006. Expectations were even lower after a 34-7 opening day home loss to the Steelers. After that game, the Browns suddenly came alive, finishing the season at 10-6 and narrowly missing the playoffs due to the Titans edging out the Colts in Week 17.
What is notable about this Browns season is 1) the (late) resurgence of Jamal Lewis at RB, 2) the breakout season of Derek Anderson, and 3) a brief flash of greatness from Braylon Edwards (who caught a Browns franchise-record 16 TD passes).
It's also notable how many games they lost came down to the wire. Out of their six losses, four of them were decided by less than a touchdown. These include a Week 3 26-24 road loss to the Raiders (due to a last-second blocked field goal after nearly overcoming a 16-0 deficit), a Week 10 (31-28) road loss to the Steelers (noted by this amazing kickoff return TD by Josh Cribbs), a Week 13 (27-21) road loss to the Cardinals (despite Larry Fitzgerald being sidelined with an injury), and a Week 16 (19-14) road loss to the Bengals (in which the Browns fell just short of erasing a 19-0 deficit)
Had the Browns scored just one more touchdown in each of those four close losses, they would have finished the season at a staggering 14-2.
All-in-all, let's hope that the Browns adopt a killer instinct coming into the 2019 season and accomplish what all these other Browns teams failed to do.....which is make the postseason.
