Sam Rutigliano Browns discussion

[74_75_78_79_]

Just one full-season playoff berth which, of course, was their famous 1980 campaign - Sipe's tour de force! Brian was lifted from struggling anonymity thanks to Sam himself arriving. Other 'Kardiac' seasons besides that one. You had '79 & '83. A 'debate' thread on who was better between those 9-7 teams may be warranted. But '79 & '80 weren't too far apart either. Difference was the finale, each against Cincy. Had each finale been the other way around, both teams would have been 10-6. In such an event they do, indeed, miss the playoffs in '80 being that the tie-breaker would have gone to the Pats who blasted Cleveland in the opener. However, Browns beating the Bengals in 1979 - not sure if they make the playoffs or not. This is because both they and the Broncos (who didn't play each other) would have shared conference records at 7-5 apiece.

In Sam's tenure, you also had a losing-season 'Kardiac' version that was 1981 - close losses instead of the other way around! That opening MNF slaughtering at home courtesy of blue-jersey-ed Chargers, 44-14, had to tell you how that campaign would go. But still some respectability for what it was worth. They did beat AFC-champ-to-be, CIncy, at Riverfront early and then later on handed Champs-to-be, SF, a loss at Candlestick before losing-out rest of way as the Forty Niners would win-out!

Most of the Rutigliano years involved Cleveland's offense being ranked high as the defense was ranked low. This also goes for '81. What, I guess, made the difference in the esteemed 1980 season was that, yes while D was still ranked low yardage-wise, they were significantly better in points-allowed. Sam's first year heading Cleveland, 1978, not a bad start at all! 3-0, 4-2, 5-4, and 7-6 starts at least flirting with the playoffs en route to 8-8.

With '82 being, FWIW, the other playoff berth under Rutiigliano, if you ask how things would have turned out had that season went full, answer looks to be not good. Not only was their defense ranked low, but their offense was beneath the middle as well. 1983, the "last hurrah" of the era with more 'Kardiac'-ness, had the defense in their 4th season under Schottenheimer pretty much 'catch-up' to (make that, surpass) the offense. They were ranked #9 as the offense was, no not top-5 this time, but at least in the top-10 at #10 itself. Browns were 8-5 and in good position to catch, and pass, the falling Steelers. But Denver and a very bad Houston team in Wks #14 & #15 respectively had other ideas. They were 8-7 and that was that. Their finale win over the 10-5 'Burgh was against a team that already clinched the division. 1-7 start the following season, enter Marty as HC.

I never knew until now that Rich Kotite and Dick MacPherson were assistants for Sam!

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

I always liked Sam Rutigliano. He coached the Browns soon after I started watching the NFL -- I don't even remember who their coach before him was.

That AFC Central was TOUGH during his tenure! Back-to-back Steelers-Oilers AFC Championship Games and yet the Browns finish at/over .500. I remember researching for an Oilers project and finding out that the AFC Central had the best record in football at one point -- over the course of a few seasons. After the Steelers dynasty ended it was soon the Bengals time to shine, making the Super Bowl 16 under Forrest Gregg. Cleveland just had that one fantastic year under Rutigliano that ended infamously the year that all AFC playoff teams finished 11-5. That AFC Central produced three Super Bowl teams in four years while Rutigliano coached!

The Browns seemed to often be in the playoff mix, hunt for division title. The tough OT loss one year against the Steelers -- I think it was a 36-33 final or something like that. Fantastic game. I think they beat the Cowboys on MNF during Staubach's career as well under Rutigliano. They were a very good team under him, I thought.

[74_75_78_79_]

I always liked Sam Rutigliano. He coached the Browns soon after I started watching the NFL -- I don't even remember who their coach before him was.

That AFC Central was TOUGH during his tenure! Back-to-back Steelers-Oilers AFC Championship Games and yet the Browns finish at/over .500. I remember researching for an Oilers project and finding out that the AFC Central had the best record in football at one point -- over the course of a few seasons. After the Steelers dynasty ended it was soon the Bengals time to shine, making the Super Bowl 16 under Forrest Gregg. Cleveland just had that one fantastic year under Rutigliano that ended infamously the year that all AFC playoff teams finished 11-5. That AFC Central produced three Super Bowl teams in four years while Rutigliano coached!

The Browns seemed to often be in the playoff mix, hunt for division title. The tough OT loss one year against the Steelers -- I think it was a 36-33 final or something like that. Fantastic game. I think they beat the Cowboys on MNF during Staubach's career as well under Rutigliano. They were a very good team under him, I thought.

Yes, indeed, the AFC was rugged, as you say. Especially in both '79 and '80 in which three teams posted winning records! And the team that didn't have a winning record each of those years? Yes, Cincinnati, which may be why they suddenly went Super Bowl berth in '81! Heck, they only played against seven losing teams total in '79/'80! That (and Forrest Gregg, and - perhaps - changing to 'tiger stripe' helmets/unis) certainly toughened them to immediate-contention!

But to the subject-at-hand, the Browns, that '79 game at Pittsburgh was an outstanding game! One that makes you wish that OT would go back to 'sudden-death' as well as being reminded that the best 'sudden-death' games are the ones that go to the very end of that 5th quarter as that one did! Dave Logan played one hell of a game but even better was Franco! This may be #32's best game or at least one of them! Steelers at 9-3 just came off getting thunder struck at the Murph as the 8-4 Browns just came off another OT game, a win at home against playoff-bound Miami. Had Browns actually pulled it off at the 'Burgh, thus ending the Three Rivers losing-streak seven years prior, Houston (coming off that Campbell-vs-Dorsett Turkey Day Classic victory) would have been in first at 10-3 as Browns & Steelers would have been tied for second at 9-4. It would have made that division race quite more interesting than it already was!

Brian Sipe...

Had Burt Reynolds been an NFL QB instead of an actor, he would have been Ken Stabler (and vice-versa).

Had Burgess Meredith been an NFL head coach instead of an actor, he would have been Jerry Burns (and vice-versa).

Well if #17 would have been an actor, he would have been..Bill Bixby (and vice-versa) - plain and simple!

[Brian wolf]

Brian Sipe reminded me of Clint Eastwood ...

[Gary Najman]

One of my all-time favorite players was Browns RB/KR Dino Hall. He was the smallest player in the NFL, yet it appeared he was a Rutigliano favorite. I remember he started wearing uniform #1, but he changed it later to #26. His long rushing TD against the Cardinals in 1979 is also one of my all-time favorite plays, with Willis Adams’ great blocks.