NFL playoff trend gives Browns extra hope for big 2023 season

Cleveland Browns have history working along their side in their quest to get back to the playoffs in 2023 for just the second time in over a couple of decades. According to NFL Communications, in 18 of the past 20 seasons, a team has finished first in their division after finishing last or tied for […]

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer

Aug 31, 2023 11:37 AM EDT

Cleveland Browns have history working along their side in their quest to get back to the playoffs in 2023 for just the second time in over a couple of decades.

According to NFL Communications, in 18 of the past 20 seasons, a team has finished first in their division after finishing last or tied for last.

This is good news for Cleveland, who took a step back in 2022 and finished with a record of 7-10. It was what you can call a lost season. The Browns finished behind the 9-8 Pittsburgh Steelers last season.

Cleveland operated with a backup quarterback for 11 games in 2022 before Deshaun Watson was reinstated from his suspension. Still, when their franchise quarterback returned they were still a .500 team at 3-3.

Over the off-season, Cleveland has revamped their defense in a big way, which was the main fault of the 2022 struggles. Outside of Myles Garrett last season there were just seven sacks on the starting defensive line. The Browns added Dalvin Tomlinson and Za’Darius Smith to be starters. Then, they went out and drafted Siaki Ika to be a run-stopper. Recently, Cleveland signed veteran defensive tackle Shelby Harris to help in the middle, too. Back in the draft, Cleveland brought aboard Isaiah McGuire who they hope can eventually help out. Maurice Hurst is another addition to the defensive line that will see the field.

Maybe the most important add this offseason was hiring Jim Schwartz to call the defense. Schwartz is a solid defensive coordinator with a resume to prove that. In the defensive backfield, Cleveland went out and got Juan Thornhill and Rodney McCleod to help bring things together.

All of these investments are what the Browns hope to have to help them reach their goal of getting back to the playoffs as they did in 2020. If history has anything to say about it, perhaps the Browns can be one of the teams that goes from worst to first.