On Dec. 24 the Cleveland Browns found themselves in a battle with the San Diego Chargers. The Browns went up by double digits earlier in the game but found themselves having to hold off the charging Chargers. Down by three with seconds remaining on the clock, San Diego had a chance to tie the game and send it into overtime. Josh Lambo’s kick sailed wide, and the game was over. The Browns won.

For most NFL franchises, a win like that is one of many wins throughout the course of a season. For the Browns, it was the only win they could muster all year. The game against the Chargers was the 15th of the season, and coming into that game the Browns were an abysmal 0-14.

The following week, riding high after their first victory of the season, the Browns fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime to close out the year. The Steelers were resting several of their starters to prepare for the playoffs the following week and had nothing to play for.

The Browns had several chances to win in the team’s first 14 games this season. They lost four of those games by less than six points. One more touchdown in those games could have made the hapless Browns a much more respectable 5-11. But in most of those games Cleveland was a few big plays away from winning.

Six quarterbacks threw passes for the Browns this season. They were Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, Terrelle Pryor Sr., Charlie Whitehurst, Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan. Pryor, a wide receiver who played quarterback in college, threw nine passes for the Browns this season.

Aside from their quarterbacks, the Browns also have glaring weaknesses in most of the other positions on the field. General Manager Sashi Brown and Head Coach Hue Jackson have a huge job in front of them as they attempt to overhaul the entire team.

After recording the worst record in the NFL, the Browns have the first pick in the upcoming draft. They will look to bring in several young, talented players and change the culture of the team. The Browns will also look to the free agent market to help add depth to their team.
With Cleveland adding talent to the future roster, next year’s team will hopefully win a few more games than this year’s group. Browns fans will likely have to wait several years to see a team with a winning record.