1982 Cleveland Browns season

Last updated

1982 Cleveland Browns season
Owner Art Modell
Head coach Sam Rutigliano
Home field Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Local radio WHK
Results
Record4–5
Division place8th AFC
Playoff finishLost Wild Card Playoffs
(at Raiders) 10–27
Pro Bowlers LB Chip Banks

The 1982 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 33rd season with the National Football League.

Contents

The Browns were among eight teams that qualified for the playoffs during this strike shortened season, and became one of only six teams to ever qualify for the playoffs despite having a losing record. [1] [2] [3] The Browns and the Detroit Lions from the same year are the only two teams with a losing record to qualify as wildcards. In the first round of the NFL playoffs, Cleveland lost to the Los Angeles Raiders 27–10.

The Browns' first round draft pick, rookie sensation linebacker Chip Banks earned 6.5 sacks in just nine games.

NFL draft

The following were selected in the 1982 NFL Draft.

1982 Cleveland Browns Draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
13 Chip Banks Linebacker USC
231 Keith Baldwin Defensive end Texas A&M
487 Dwight Walker Running back Nicholls State
5115 Mike Baab Center Texas
6162 Mike Whitwell Defensive back Texas A&M
8199Mark KafentzisDefensive back Hawaii
8204Van HeflinTight end Vanderbilt
8211Bill JacksonDefensive back North Carolina
9227Milton BakerTight end West Texas A&M
10255Ricky FloydRunning back Southern Miss
11282Steve MichutaQuarterback Grand Valley State
12310 Scott Nicolas Linebacker Miami

[4]

Personnel

Staff / Coaches

1982 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

Roster

1982 Cleveland Browns roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

rookies in italics

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 12at Seattle Seahawks W 21–71–0 Kingdome 55,907
2September 19 Philadelphia Eagles L 21–241–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 78,830
September 27 Cincinnati Bengals canceledCleveland Municipal Stadium
October 3at Washington Redskins RFK Stadium
October 10at Los Angeles Raiders Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
October 17 Baltimore Colts Cleveland Municipal Stadium
October 24at Pittsburgh Steelers postponed Three Rivers Stadium
October 31 Houston Oilers canceledCleveland Municipal Stadium
November 7 New York Giants Cleveland Municipal Stadium
November 14at Miami Dolphins Miami Orange Bowl
3November 21 New England Patriots W 10–72–1Cleveland Municipal Stadium51,781
4November 25at Dallas Cowboys L 14–312–2 Texas Stadium 46,267
5December 5 San Diego Chargers L 13–302–3Cleveland Municipal Stadium54,064
6December 12at Cincinnati Bengals L 10–232–4 Riverfront Stadium 54,305
7December 19 Pittsburgh Steelers W 10–93–4Cleveland Municipal Stadium67,139
8December 26at Houston Oilers W 20–144–4 Houston Astrodome 36,559
9January 2at Pittsburgh Steelers L 21–374–5 Three Rivers Stadium 52,312
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season Highlights

Week 1 at Seattle

Less than nine months after closing the 1981 season in Seattle, the Browns return to the Kingdome and defeat the Seahawks 21–7. Mike Pruitt accounts for 136 of Cleveland's 200 rushing yards and scores two touchdowns. The Browns sack Dave Krieg eight teams, three by rookie linebacker Chip Banks.

Week 3 vs. New England

In their first game after the 1982 NFL strike that wiped out almost half the regular season, The Browns fight their way through a heavy Cleveland fog and beat New England, 10–7, on Matt Bahr's 24-yard field goal as time expires. Bahr's winner comes three plays after Browns safety Clinton Burrell recovers a fumble by Mark van Eeghen at the Patriots' 20.

Week 5 vs. San Diego

James Brooks scores two touchdowns and Dan Fouts completes 18-of-23 passes as San Diego pounds the Browns 30–13, at Cleveland. Despite the loss, Brian Sipe completes 14 straight passes and stretches his overall streak to a club-record 33. He also surpasses the 20,000-yard career mark. Tight end Ozzie Newsome catches a career-high 10 passes and extends his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to a club-record 45.

Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh

Hanford Dixon intercepts three passes and the Browns keep their playoff hopes alive with a 10–9 win over Pittsburgh at rainy, muddy Cleveland Stadium. The poor conditions affect Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw more than Paul McDonald, who starts his first game in place of the slumping Sipe. Nose tackle Bob Golic enjoys a big game with eight tackles and one sack.

Week 8 at Houston

The Browns escape with a 20–14 win, thanks to critical fumbles by running back Earl Campbell. The first comes at the Cleveland 4 and the second sets up the Browns' winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Dave Logan scores one TD on a 56-yard pass from McDonald and Charles White scores the winner on a 1-yard run.

Postseason

RoundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecap
Wild CardJanuary 8, 1983at Los Angeles Raiders (1)L 10–270–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 56,555 Recap

Standings

AFC Central
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
Cincinnati Bengals (3)720.7783–16–2232177W2
Pittsburgh Steelers (4)630.6673–15–3204146W2
Cleveland Browns (8)450.4442–24–3140182L1
Houston Oilers 180.1110–41–5136245L7
AFC
#TeamWLTPCTPFPASTK
Seeded postseason qualifiers
1 Los Angeles Raiders 810.889260200W5
2 [lower-alpha 1] Miami Dolphins 720.778198131W3
3 [lower-alpha 1] Cincinnati Bengals 720.778232177W2
4 [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] Pittsburgh Steelers 630.667204146W2
5 [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] San Diego Chargers 630.667288221L1
6 [lower-alpha 3] New York Jets 630.667245166L1
7 New England Patriots 540.556143157W1
8 [lower-alpha 4] Cleveland Browns 450.444140182L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
9 [lower-alpha 4] Buffalo Bills 450.444150154L3
10 [lower-alpha 4] Seattle Seahawks 450.444127147W1
11 Kansas City Chiefs 360.333176184W1
12 Denver Broncos 270.222148226L3
13 Houston Oilers 180.111136245L7
14 Baltimore Colts 081.056113236L2
Tiebreakers
  1. 1 2 Miami finished ahead of Cincinnati based on better conference record (6–1 to Cincinnati’s 6–2).
  2. 1 2 Pittsburgh finished ahead of San Diego based on better record against common opponents (3–1 to Chargers' 2–1). Conference tiebreak was initially used to eliminate New York Jets.
  3. 1 2 3 Pittsburgh and San Diego finished ahead of New York Jets based on conference record (Pittsburgh and San Diego 5–3 against Jets’ 2–3)
  4. 1 2 3 Cleveland finished ahead of Buffalo and Buffalo ahead of Seattle based on conference record (4–3 to Buffalo’s 3–3 to Seattle’s 3–5).

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References

  1. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Co. p. 294. ISBN   978-0-7611-2480-1.,
  2. ↑ Seahawks defeat Rams 16–6 to win NFC West title, January 2, 2011, retrieved January 3, 2011
  3. ↑ "Panthers are fourth team ever to make NFL playoffs with losing record". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  4. ↑ "1982 NFL Draft Listing – Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on August 25, 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
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