1982 Cleveland Browns season
The 1982 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 33rd season with the National Football League.
1982 Cleveland Browns season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Sam Rutigliano |
Owner | Art Modell |
Home field | Cleveland Municipal Stadium |
Local radio | WHK |
Results | |
Record | 4–5 |
Division place | 8th AFC (would have been 3rd in AFC Central) |
Playoff finish | Lost First round Playoffs (Raiders 10–27) |
The Browns were among 8 teams that qualified for the playoffs during this strike shorted season, and became one of only four teams to ever qualify for the playoffs despite having a losing record.[1][2][3] Browns and the Detroit Lions from the same year are the only two teams with a losing record to qualify as wildcards. In 2010, the Seattle Seahawks became the third team with a losing record to qualify for the playoffs and the first team to win a division title with a losing record (however, the Seahawks were the first to accomplish the former in a non-strike shortened season), followed by the Carolina Panthers four years later.[2] In 1982, the Los Angeles Raiders eliminated the Browns from the playoffs for a second consecutive season, 27–10.
The Browns' first round draft pick, rookie sensation linebacker Chip Banks earned 6.5 sacks in just nine games.
NFL Draft
The following were selected in the 1982 NFL Draft.
Round | Overall | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
1 | 3 | Chip Banks | Linebacker | USC |
2 | 31 | Keith Baldwin | Defensive end | Texas A&M |
4 | 87 | Dwight Walker | Running back | Nicholls State |
5 | 115 | Mike Baab | Center | Texas |
6 | 162 | Mike Whitwell | Defensive back | Texas A&M |
8 | 199 | Mark Kafentzis | Defensive back | Hawaii |
8 | 204 | Van Heflin | Tight end | Vanderbilt |
8 | 211 | Bill Jackson | Defensive back | North Carolina |
9 | 227 | Milton Baker | Tight end | West Texas A&M |
10 | 255 | Ricky Floyd | Running back | Southern Miss |
11 | 282 | Steve Michuta | Quarterback | Grand Valley State |
12 | 310 | Scott Nicolas | Linebacker | Miami |
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 12, 1982 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 21–7 | |
2 | September 19, 1982 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 24–21 | |
3 | September 27, 1982 | Cincinnati Bengals | canceled | |
4 | October 3, 1982 | at Washington Redskins | canceled | |
5 | October 10, 1982 | at Los Angeles Raiders | canceled | |
6 | October 17, 1982 | Baltimore Colts | canceled | |
October 24, 1982 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | postponed until January 2, 1983 | ||
7 | October 31, 1982 | Houston Oilers | canceled | |
8 | November 7, 1982 | New York Giants | canceled | |
9 | November 14, 1982 | at Miami Dolphins | canceled | |
11 | November 21, 1982 | New England Patriots | W 10–7 | |
12 | November 25, 1982 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 31–14 | |
13 | December 5, 1982 | San Diego Chargers | L 30–13 | |
14 | December 12, 1982 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 23–10 | |
15 | December 19, 1982 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 10–9 | |
16 | December 26, 1982 | at Houston Oilers | W 20–14 | |
17 | January 2, 1983 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 37–21 |
Season Highlights
Week 1 at Seattle
Less than nine months after closing the 1981 season in Seattle, the Browns return to the Kingdome and defeat the Browns 21–7. Mike Pruitt accounts for 136 of Cleveland's 200 rushing yards and scores two touchdowns. The Browns sack Dave Krieg eight teams, three by rookie linebacker Chip Banks.
Week 3 vs. New England
In their first game after the 1982 NFL strike that wiped out almost half the regular season, The Browns fight their way through a heavy Cleveland fog and beat New England, 10–7, on Matt Bahr's 24-yard field goal as time expires. Bahr's winner comes three plays after Browns safety Clinton Burrell recovers a fumble by Mark van Eeghen at the Patriots' 20.
Week 5 vs. San Diego
James Brooks scores two touchdowns and Dan Fouts completes 18-of-23 passes as San Diego pounds the Browns 30–13, at Cleveland. Despite the loss, Brian Sipe completes 14 straight passes and stretches his overall streak to a club-record 33. He also surpasses the 20,000-yard career mark. Tight end Ozzie Newsome catches a career-high 10 passes and extends his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to a club-record 45.
Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh
Hanford Dixon intercepts three passes and the Browns keep their playoff hopes alive with a 10–9 win over Pittsburgh at rainy, muddy Cleveland Stadium. The poor conditions affect Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw more than Paul McDonald, who starts his first game in place of the slumping Sipe. Nose tackle Bob Golic enjoys a big game with eight tackles and one sack.
Week 8 at Houston
The Browns escape with a 20–14 win, thanks to critical fumbles by running back Earl Campbell. The first comes at the Cleveland 4 and the second sets up the Browns' winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Dave Logan scores one TD on a 56-yard pass from McDonald and Charles White scores the winner on a 1-yard run.
Playoffs
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wildcard | January 8, 1983 | at Los Angeles Raiders | L 27–10 |
Standings
AFC Central | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Cincinnati Bengals(3) | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | 3–1 | 6–2 | 232 | 177 | W2 |
Pittsburgh Steelers(4) | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 204 | 146 | W2 |
Cleveland Browns(8) | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 140 | 182 | L1 |
Houston Oilers | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 136 | 245 | L7 |
American Football Conference | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |||
Los Angeles Raiders(1) | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | 260 | 200 | W5 | ||
Miami Dolphins(2) | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | 198 | 131 | W3 | ||
Cincinnati Bengals(3) | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | 232 | 177 | W2 | ||
Pittsburgh Steelers(4) | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 204 | 146 | W2 | ||
San Diego Chargers(5) | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 288 | 221 | L1 | ||
New York Jets(6) | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 245 | 166 | L1 | ||
New England Patriots(7) | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | 143 | 157 | W1 | ||
Cleveland Browns(8) | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 140 | 182 | L1 | ||
Buffalo Bills | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 150 | 154 | L3 | ||
Seattle Seahawks | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 127 | 147 | W1 | ||
Kansas City Chiefs | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 176 | 184 | W1 | ||
Denver Broncos | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | 148 | 226 | L3 | ||
Houston Oilers | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | 136 | 245 | L7 | ||
Baltimore Colts | 0 | 8 | 1 | .056 | 113 | 236 | L2 |
Roster
References
- NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 978-0-7611-2480-1, p. 294
- Seahawks defeat Rams 16–6 to win NFC West title, January 2, 2011, retrieved January 3, 2011
- http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24929639/panthers-are-fourth-team-ever-to-make-nfl-playoffs-with-losing-record
- "1982 NFL Draft Listing – Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on July 26, 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2009.