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https://mail.profootballresearchers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3751
BD Sullivan wrote:They didn't really fall off that much for most of that period: They made the 1957 title game, should have made it again in '58. In '59, they had a 6-2 record and were tied with the Giants, then had consecutive one-point losses at home while the Giants kept winning. Then the Giants obliterated them in Week 11 to end any hope of a comeback.Jay Z wrote:So why did Paul Brown experience the 1956 to 1962 fall off?
In '60, they were a game behind Philly in Week 8, then lost to a weak Steelers team and tied the Cardinals to take them out of contention. The folllowing year, they were 7-3 and a game behind the Giants when NY came to Cleveland and won 37-21. Even in Week 13, they were still only a game behind the Giants and Philly, but a costly loss to the Bears killed any playoff hopes.
In '62, Jim Brown's sprained wrist didn't help matters, but it was obvious that Paul Brown's influence had worn off. In Week 12, they got blown out by the Cowboys and he then annoyed the hell out of the players by staying in Cleveland for the final week of practice (in the midst of heavy snow), instead of just going out to SF.