The Browns are off to a 2-2 start and while the playoffs are a distant objective that the 2020 Browns accomplished, the process of getting there is full circle. The 2020 Browns earned a Wild Card berth, ending a 17-season drought of being unsuccessful in achieving postseason football.
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The team had low expectations, was projected eight wins or less, and was in a stacked division. Many of their leaders on both sides of the ball were in their first few years in the league. Coaching changes and getting their feet wet were more concerns.
With all the doubt came success. With all the questions came answers. With all the nerves came praise. So, how did they get out of a season with so many doubts, the answer could be many things.
The 2023 Browns Seek First Playoff Appearance Since 2020 Season
2020 Browns Start Fast, End Fast
The 2020 Browns opened the year at the Baltimore Ravens, where they suffered a whopping 38-6 defeat. Many fans and spectators may have very well given up then. Not the team though, they rallied off four big wins the next four weeks including a 49-38 shootout at the Dallas Cowboys.
They had another four-game win streak weeks 10-13, and won two out of their last three games. They carried the momentum into the wildcard round where they stomped the Pittsburgh Steelers 48-37.
WIDE.
OPEN.@AustinHooper18 for SIX!📺: https://t.co/NyBDmNclTK pic.twitter.com/1jPksbh4WD
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 11, 2021
Their season ended in heartbreaking fashion when they lost at the Kansas City Chiefs 22-17. Ending the season with an overall record of 12-6. The best Browns season in a long time led by many players who were still adjusting to the league.
The 2020 Browns Roster
If you stack up the 2020 Browns roster to this year’s, it’s almost a no-brainer that the current team is better. However, the playoff team played loose yet stayed smart.
Baker Mayfield was very young and was a starter for all 16 games. He finished with 3,563 passing yards, 165 rushing yards, 27 total touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Baker.
Mayfield. pic.twitter.com/GsqECRNkrh— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 3, 2021
He let his skill position players make plays and took good care of the ball to keep his team in winnable situations. The team’s strength on offense was on the ground with the 1-2 punch of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Chubb played in 12 games and put up great numbers of 1,067 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
Hunt, a change of pace back, played in every game and started five games when Chubb was banged up. He posted 841 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on the season. He added 38 receptions for 304 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.
The 2020 Browns had eight players with 180 receiving yards or more and spread the wealth through the air. Jarvis Landry led the charge with 72 catches and 840 yards, followed by Rashard Higgins, Odell Beckham Jr., and Austin Hooper, who all had at least 319 receiving yards.
Eight players had multiple touchdown catches with the leader being running back Kareem Hunt. The offense helped out the defense by letting them rest and not letting teams get ahead by too much. Comparing the defensive side of the ball from that team to the current team also shows just how hard they played.
Defensive Studs
Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward were on the team and the best players on that side, but were very young. Guys like B.J. Goodson and Malcolm Smith led the team in tackles, and defensive linemen Sheldon Richardson, Larry Ogunjobi, and Olivier Vernon were getting to the quarterback.
The 2020 Browns averaged 25.5 points per game, 14th best in the NFL. The defense averaged 26.2 points per game, 21st in the league. They were great on the road, winning five of eight road games, adding a road playoff win as well. They also swept the Cincinnati Bengals and beat the Steelers at home and in the playoffs.
The team played fast, physical, and looked like they had a lot of fun while doing it. The current team should follow that model this season.
Looking Ahead with the Current Roster
The 2023 Browns have a similar roster and the potential to bring Cleveland another postseason berth. Quarterback Deshaun Watson needs to mimic Baker Mayfield by protecting the ball better and spreading the wealth along the outside.
With Chubb out, running back Jerome Ford will be tasked with moving the sticks on the ground. Kareem Hunt returning is crucial to helping Ford get acclimated.
The wide receiver room has the most proven guy the Browns have had in years with Amari Cooper and a crafty addition in Elijah Moore. They have depth at the position along with a great tight end in David Njoku. The offense needs to sustain drives and keep the defense off the field, as that is when they are at their best.
The two leaders of the defense from the 2020 Browns remain and have more help than they did in the past. Defensive end Za’Darius Smith, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and safeties Grant Delpit and Juan Thornhill give this defense top-five potential week in and week out.
Getting hot and staying hot in the middle of the season was a recipe for success the last time the orange and brown saw the postseason. Those win streaks, along with a tight-knit squad, are what this current team can resemble when at their best.
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Main Image: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
