Cleveland Indians add five minor leaguers to 40-man roster
November 23, 2015Buckeye Roundball Roundup
November 23, 2015The Cleveland Browns (2-8) have not been much fun to follow during the 2015 season. They have gone from finding seemingly new ways to lose close games in the early portion of the season to becoming a weekly blowout victim in the weeks leading up to the bye. Even a dyed in the wool Browns fan might be struggling to find legitimate reasons to watch this team each week. However, there are many reasons why the 2015 season might end up as a historic one in Browns lore. Some of those reasons are even positive.
All statistics taken from pro-football-reference.com unless otherwise noted.
Offense statistical tracking
Best passing seasons
Passing yards: 2,602
Team record: 4,040 (2013)
Current pace: 4,163
TD to INT margin: +10
Team Record: +18 (1965)
Current Pace: +16
Completion%: 63.1
Team Record: 63.0 (1953)
Offensive coordinator John “Flip” Defilippo can certainly take blame for some of the offensive failings. However, the passing game has exceeded any reasonable expectations in 2015. Coach Flip has utilized career backup Josh McCown, the often decried Johnny Manziel, undersized receivers, an unheralded tight end, and young running backs to put together what might end as one of the finest passing seasons in the history of the Cleveland Browns.
There are many reasons to be upset with the Browns this season, but if the team ends up setting the passing records for most yardage, best completion percentage, and best touchdown to interception ratio, then it will be difficult to put much blame on the passing game.
Worst rushing seasons
Rushing yards: 756
Team Record: 873 (1982 in a strike-shortened nine-game season)
Team Record (16 games): 1,085 (2000)
Current Pace: 1,209
Rushing yards (per carry): 3.35
Team Record (per carry): 3.23 (2000)
Rushing touchdowns: 2
Team Record (least): 4 (2005, 2011, 2013)
Current Pace: 3
The complete lack of a run game makes the passing numbers even more impressive. The Browns look as if they will avoid a worst-ever total rushing yards as they currently average 76 rushing yards per game, which is likely enough to break past the 1,085-yard mark (they averaged 68 yards per game in 2000). However, being in such company — during the infancy of the expansion franchise when the offensive line was first being built — is horrific.
Total yardage is not the only area of concern, as the yards per carry is near-worst as well, and the Browns are currently on pace to set the all-time worst total rushing touchdown mark. Perhaps Johnny Manziel’s theatrics will help buoy the final numbers, but it is still disheartening that an actual running back seems absent.1
Defense statistical tracking
Rushing defense
Rushing yards per carry: 4.58
Team Record: 4.77 (1969)
Rushing yards: 1,387
Team Record: 2,736 (1999)
Current Pace: 2,220
Not only do the Browns struggle running the ball, but they struggle stopping the opponent from running as well. They do not look to set any team records in ineptitude against the run, and the current pace of 2,220 rushing yards against would be merely the 14th worst. However, if their yards-per-carry-allowed average falls to a mere 4.63, then they will be the second worst in franchise history (their current 4.58 figure is fourth worst).
Passing defense
TD to INT margin: +15
Team Record: +19 (1990)
Pace: +24
2015 is the only season in Browns history in which the defense has allowed more than three times as many touchdown passes (21) as they have intercepted the opposing passer (six). The current pace of allowing 24 more passing touchdowns than interceptions would absolutely shatter the franchise-worst distinction held by the 1990 team. The actual yardage allowed has not been terrible, but the effects of the opponents passing game have been devastating.
Fewest sacks: 16
Team Record: 17 (2008)
Current Pace: 25
One reason the opposing passers have been so effective in the passing game has been a complete lack of pressure on the quarterbacks. The 2015 Browns are currently on pace to have the third-worst sack total during the 16-game era, ahead of only the 2005 and 2008 teams. The complete lack of a pass rush was seen in their latest game when the Pittsburgh Steelers inserted a hobbled Ben Roethlisberger, who then proceeded to pick the defense apart on his way to 379 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
Offense & defense combined
Rushing yards margin
Rushing margin: -632
Record margin: -1,586 (1999)
Current pace: -1,011 (Third worst in team history behind 1999 and 2000)
The current Browns have been often compared to the expansion version of the team as their lack of ability to stop the run is only matched by their lack of ability to run the ball themselves. While they will not likely achieve the horrendous margins of the expansion franchise, they do look to only be better than those initial two seasons.
Penalties
Penalty Yards: 743
Team Record: 1170 (1978)
Current Pace: 1188
Paul Brown would not be proud. If the yellow flags have seemed to litter the field more often and for more disastrous results than any other year in your lifetime, it is because this team is on pace to be the most penalized in Browns history.
Penalty to rushing yardage margin
(h/t to Jacob Rosen)
Penalty Yards: 743
Rushing Yards: 756
Differential: +13
Only the 2005 Arizona Cardinals and 1946 Detroit Lions have ended a season with more penalty yards than rushing yards. The 2015 Cleveland Browns have a chance to become the third such team, as they have just 13 more rushing yards than penalty yards thus far.
NFL worst sack differential since 1999
(h/t to Jacob Rosen)
Current: -20
NFL worst (since 1999): -42 (2000 Carolina Panthers)
Current Pace: -32
The Browns have sacked the opposing passer 16 times while allowing their own quarterback to be sacked an NFL-worst 36 times. If they continue at their current pace, they would end up as the eighth-worst in the NFL since 1999. With Johnny Manziel’s rolling tendencies, they might inch higher up the list.
Game result tracking
Most 14+ point losses in a row
(h/t to Jacob Rosen)
Current Streak: 4
NFL Record: 7 (2008-2009 Browns & 2007-2008 Rams)
The record for the most 14-plus-point losses in a row in a single season is six, held by seven different teams. The feat was most recently accomplished — if you will — by the 2013 Jacksonville Jaguars. Playing a Monday Night Football game against the hobbled and Flacco-less Baltimore Ravens should end the streak, but until it actually ends, it should be noted.
Sweep season series with Baltimore Ravens
Current: Beat the Ravens in Baltimore 33-30 on October 11. Play the Ravens in Cleveland on Monday, November 30.
Season sweeps of Ravens: 2001 & 2007
Noting this because 1) it might happen and 2) because many Browns fans seem unaware there have been seasons in which the Browns have taken the Ravens to the woodshed twice. Sure, there are more the other way around, but the Ravens cannot sweep the Browns in 2015.
Win at least one game each against the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals.
This feat has never been done by the Cleveland Browns in a single season. The odds are long as the Steelers and Bengals both defeated the Browns rather handily in their first meeting and are both pushing for a playoff position. However, if coach Pettine is looking for motivational factors down the stretch, then I could not imagine there being a better one.
Finish with the worst record in the NFL to claim the first overall draft selection
Cleveland Browns number one overall NFL Draft selections:
2000: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State
1999: Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky
1954: Bobby Garrett, QB, Stanford
(In 1985, Bernie Kosar was the first pick of the first round in the supplemental draft.)
Despite the failings of the 1999-present era Browns, the only season in which the team has achieved the NFL-worst record was their expansion year. Of course, the team also had the first pick of the NFL Draft in 1999 for the actual expansion season.
The only other seasons when the Browns had the first overall selection were in 1954 and the 1985 supplemental draft. The 1954 pick was given to the Browns at a time when the NFL held a lottery for draft selections. The previous season, the Browns finished 11-1 while losing to the Detroit Lions in the 1953 NFL Championship game. The 1985 supplemental selection was acquired from the Buffalo Bills in a trade.
But no, I will not be rooting for the Browns to finish with the worst overall NFL record.
Did I miss anything you are tracking?
- I enjoy Duke Johnson, but his 3.0 yards per carry is horrendous. He has been a blessing in the passing game, not so much in the running game. [↩]
8 Comments
Ah, mg, just because I’m the insufferable %@*#& that I am and a little churlish today, I am compelled to point out that these are not “potential” records that the Browns could break, they are actual existing records that they could break.
On the other hand, mad props to you for not going all “died” in the wool on us.
Also, congrats to you and the rest of the WFNYacs for not mailing it in and instead putting so much work into covering a team that is such a lost cause.
You are correct (obviously). I was so excited I found a few positive tidbits I completely botched the placement of “potentially” in the title. Apologies.
The only way to botch the placement of “potentially” is to place it at all. If you were thinking of writing “could potentially,” that would be incorrect since it is redundant—or at least superfluous. Just write “17 records the Browns could break.”
My pet peeves are getting some great exercise today.
Or just save everybody the time and write “17 records the Browns will break.”
I’m not so confident about them beating both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but I love the optimism.
I love excessive superfluous gratuitous headlines!
Ooops. I meant to type “Records of futility the Browns will break.”
Shouldn’t there be some acknowledgement of the “passing era” that the NFL is currently in, considering the Browns’ current threat to break a record set two years ago by….Jason Campbell and the Weed Man (had to look up who Browns QBs were all the way back then…)? I think they’ve been significantly aided by the current environment…(of course, it could be argued that bad teams just spend a lot of time trailing and need to throw more…)
Enjoyed the article. Never good to be “in contention” for breaking records set by the ’99 and/or ’00 Browns….