1983 Cleveland Browns season

Last updated

1983 Cleveland Browns season
Owner Art Modell
Head coach Sam Rutigliano
Home field Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Local radio WHK
Results
Record9–7
Division place2nd AFC Central
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers LB Chip Banks

The 1983 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 34th season with the National Football League.

Contents

Season summary

In a season which was eerily similar to the 1979 campaign, which was arguably the beginning of "The Kardiac Kids" period, seven contests were decided by seven points or less, with the Browns going 4–3. Like the '79 and '80 seasons, the Browns scored often and gave up almost as many points, with the Browns scoring 356 to their opponents' 342. Quarterback Brian Sipe, in his last season with the Browns before jumping to the USFL, had 26 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions, nearly the same ratio (28-to-26) he had had in 1979. It was a good way to go out for Sipe, who had lost his starting job to Paul McDonald late in the 1982 season and then re-gained it in the '83 training camp. Fullback Mike Pruitt, in his last great season with the Browns, rushed for 1,184 yards. And finally, in his last season in Cleveland before being traded to the Denver Broncos, wide receiver Dave Logan was second on the team in receptions with 37, but that was far behind the team-record 89 hauled in by Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome in a season that could be dubbed "The Kardiac Kids' Last Hurrah". [1]

Offseason

NFL draft

The following were selected in the 1983 NFL draft.

1983 Cleveland Browns Draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
241 Ron Brown Wide receiver Arizona State
368 Reggie Camp Defensive end California
5122Bill ContzOffensive tackle Penn State
6145 Tim Stracka Tight end Wisconsin
6149 Dave Puzzuoli Nose tackle Pittsburgh
7176Rocky BelkWide receiver Miami
8209Mike McClearnGuard Temple
10262Thomas HopkinsOffensive tackle Alabama A&M
11288Boyce GreenRunning back Carson Newman College
11305Howard McAdooLinebacker Michigan State
12316 Paul Farren Offensive tackle Boston University

[2]

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecap
1September 4 Minnesota Vikings L 21–270–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 70,087 Recap
2September 11at Detroit Lions W 31–261–1 Pontiac Silverdome 60,095 Recap
3September 15 Cincinnati Bengals W 17–72–1Cleveland Municipal Stadium79,700 Recap
4September 25at San Diego Chargers W 30–243–1 Jack Murphy Stadium 49,482 Recap
5October 2 Seattle Seahawks L 9–243–2Cleveland Municipal Stadium75,446 Recap
6October 9 New York Jets W 10–74–2Cleveland Municipal Stadium78,235 Recap
7October 16at Pittsburgh Steelers L 17–444–3 Three Rivers Stadium 59,263 Recap
8October 23at Cincinnati Bengals L 21–284–4 Riverfront Stadium 50,047 Recap
9October 30 Houston Oilers W 25–195–4Cleveland Municipal Stadium68,851 Recap
10November 6at Green Bay Packers L 21–355–5 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,089 Recap
11November 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–06–5Cleveland Municipal Stadium56,091 Recap
12November 20at New England Patriots W 30–07–5 Sullivan Stadium 40,987 Recap
13November 27 Baltimore Colts W 41–238–5Cleveland Municipal Stadium65,812 Recap
14December 4at Denver Broncos L 6–278–6 Mile High Stadium 70,912 Recap
15December 11at Houston Oilers L 27–348–7 Houston Astrodome 29,746 Recap
16December 18 Pittsburgh Steelers W 30–179–7Cleveland Municipal Stadium72,313 Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 2

Brian Sipe throws four touchdowns to lead the Browns to a 31-26 win at Detroit. Sipe becomes Cleveland's career leader, raising his TD total to 135 (surpassing Frank Ryan) with throws to Ricky Feacher, Mike Pruitt, Ozzie Newsome and Dave Logan. Pruitt also rushes for 137 yards.

Week 4

Harry Holt, a 25-year-old NFL rookie, catches a 48-yard touchdown pass from Sipe on Cleveland's fourth play of overtime as The Browns beat The Chargers, 30-24, at San Diego. Holt catches his first NFL touchdown after Matt Bahr forces overtime with a 32-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in regulation.

Week 6

Linebacker Tom Cousineau records 15 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery while leading Cleveland to a 10-7 win over the New York Jets. His interception stops a Jets drive at the Browns' 5-yard line and his fumble recovery stops New York at the Cleveland 9. The Browns' only touchdown is scored by wide receiver Bobby Jones on a 32-yard pass from Sipe.

Week 8

The Browns lose a tough one at Cincinnati, 28-21, when Bengals' cornerback Ken Riley intercepts a Sipe pass and returns it 42 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Riley's 60th career interception spoils a three-TD pass performance by Sipe.

Week 12

After going eight seasons without a shutout, the Browns made it two straight with a 30-0 rout of the Patriots at Foxboro. One week after posting a 20-0 win over Tampa Bay, Pruitt runs for 136 yards and Matt Bahr kicks three field goals. The defensive star is linebacker Chip Banks, who returns an interception 65 yards for a touchdown and records two sacks. Cousineau and Hanford Dixon each intercept two passes.

Standings

AFC Central
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
Pittsburgh Steelers (3)1060.6254–28–4355303L1
Cleveland Browns 970.5633–37–5356342W1
Cincinnati Bengals 790.4384–24–8346302L1
Houston Oilers 2140.1251–51–11288460L1

Personnel

Staff / Coaches

1983 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

Roster

1983 Cleveland Browns roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

rookies in italics

Awards and records

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References

  1. ↑ "Season summary and statistics at Cleveland Browns.com". Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  2. ↑ "1983 NFL Draft Listing – Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
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