Browns: Skorich era or Rutigliano?

[74_75_78_79_]

Two little multiple (two qualifiers each) playoff eras in Cleveland.

Almost like Ray Rhodes' time in Philly but each a bit better.

And one of Sam's playoff berths was that 4-5 strike-shortened one, but at least he mustered two non-playoff winners ('79 & '83, each at 9-7) to Nick's just one (7-5-2 in '73).

Sure-enough most remember the Cardiac 11-5 Sipe season of 1980 better than the 10-4 season they had in '72, but were they actually better? What both have in common, of course, is they barely getting eliminated by the very team that'd win-it-all in the end!

More going into the 1980 playoffs would have given the Browns a better shot to win-it-all than those thinking the '72 installment would do such a thing only because the playing field was more even in '80. Sipe & Co were one of the 'million' 11-5 playoff qualifiers with only three being 12-4. But, in 1972, a much tougher field! Even if Browns get by Miami in '72 which they almost did, sure-enough more would have seen Three Rivers and Big D/Wash as quite stronger obstacles to the Vince than Jack Murphy and Dal/Phi had the '80 team knocked off Oakland!

Yes, neither considered at all championship-caliber runs but fine ones just as well. Who do you think had more to hang their hat on?

[Brian wolf]

Even had Phipps and the Browns taken care of business in Miami, they dont beat the Steelers. The Steelers would have beaten the Redskins as well. Skorich did a good job but didnt have the talent like the 80 Browns. Even had Sam Rutigliano gotten past the Raiders, I believe Air Coryell would have won a shootout in SD. You never know though ... alot of tough players on that team.