Last time Browns were in first place: Revisiting the 2014 AFC North standings before it fell apart

Last time Browns were in first place: Revisiting the 2014 AFC North standings before it fell apart originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Todd Monken has spearheaded a resurgence of sorts in the Browns‘ ranks — so much so that it has images of the Cleveland teams of old dancing in the minds of some of the team’s most avid supporters.

Perhaps that’s not a good thing. The Browns have often flattered to deceive in recent campaigns, occasionally showing signs of liveliness, only to fall away at the pivotal moment of the season. After downing the Buccaneers and Panthers in back-to-back games, some of a Cleveland disposition are hoping for an about-face — a turn towards consistency from one of the NFL’s most snake-bitten franchises.

Then, on Thursday night, the Browns outlasted the rival Pittsburgh Steelers to take sole possession of first place. However, the organization’s ascent to the top of the charts — at least within its own division — in 2014 suggests that even a brief dalliance with relevancy isn’t a precursor to yearlong success.

With that, here’s what you need to know about the last time the Browns took sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

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Last time Browns were in first place in AFC North

The Browns took sole possession of first place by improving to 3-1 in Week 4, ending a 12-year drought without reaching that mountaintop.

Cleveland last climbed to the top of the AFC North rankings in 2014, surging to first under the watchful glare of first-year head coach Mike Pettine.

The Browns appeared to be on the brink of a memorable campaign after 11 games, taking sole possession of first place in early November after beating the Bengals in Week 10. The result, coupled with a Steelers win over the Ravens in Week 9, rocketed Cleveland to first place at 6-3.

There were signs that it would prove difficult for the Browns to maintain their performances. Cleveland’s defense was stout under Pettine, surrendering a little over 20 points per game. Its offense was far less effective, however; the Brian Hoyer-led outfit finished with fewer than two touchdowns on six occasions, while no skill player eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark.

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A playoff berth appeared to beckon for the Browns, even after a defeat to the Texans in Week 11. Pettine’s bunch turned things around with a Week 12 triumph over the Falcons to move to 7-4. Cleveland was comfortably in the race for a Wild Card berth and still had a real chance to contending for a divisional crown.

Then, the wheels fell off. The Browns dropped each of their final five games, relegating them to a 7-9 record. Cleveland averaged just 11.4 points in that spell, a putrid tally that fell well behind league averages.

The Browns finished the year with 12 passing touchdowns across 16 games, three fewer than the next closest team. The remainder of the AFC North continued to flex its might down the stretch — so much so that Cleveland was condemned to a last-place finish in the division. The Brown wouldn’t escape that abyss until 2018, when they finished third.

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