1982 Cleveland Browns season

1982 Cleveland Browns season
Owner	Art Modell
Head coach	Sam Rutigliano
Home field	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Local radio	WHK
Results
Record	4–5
Division place	8th AFC
Playoff finish	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Raiders) 10–27
← 1981 Browns seasons 1983 →

The 1982 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 33rd season with the National Football League.

The Browns were among 8 teams that qualified for the playoffs during this strike shortened 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

^[4]

Schedule[]

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 12	at Seattle Seahawks	W 21–7	1–0	Kingdome	55,907
2	September 19	Philadelphia Eagles	L 21–24	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,830
3	September 27	Cincinnati Bengals	canceled	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
4	October 3	at Washington Redskins	canceled	1–1	RFK Stadium
5	October 10	at Los Angeles Raiders	canceled	1–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
6	October 17	Baltimore Colts	canceled	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
7	October 24	at Pittsburgh Steelers	postponed	1–1	Three Rivers Stadium
8	October 31	Houston Oilers	canceled	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium\
9	November 7	New York Giants	canceled	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
10	November 14	at Miami Dolphins	canceled	1–1	Miami Orange Bowl
11	November 21	New England Patriots	W 10–7	2–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	51,781
12	November 25	at Dallas Cowboys	L 14–31	2–2	Texas Stadium	46,267
13	December 5	San Diego Chargers	L 13–30	2–3	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	54,064
14	December 12	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 10–23	2–4	Riverfront Stadium	54,305
15	December 19	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 10–9	3–4	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	67,139
16	December 26	at Houston Oilers	W 20–14	4–4	Houston Astrodome	36,559
17	January 2, 1983	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 21–37	4–5	Three Rivers Stadium	52,312

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

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 Seahawks 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.

Postseason[]

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
Wildcard	January 8, 1983	at Los Angeles Raiders (1)	L 10–27	0–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	56,555	Recap

Standings[]

AFC Central
view talk	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
view talk	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[]

1982 Cleveland Browns roster
Quarterbacks 16 Paul McDonald 17 Brian Sipe Running backs 25 Charles White 30 Cleo Miller 34 David Green 38 Johnny Davis FB 42 Dwight Walker KR/PR 43 Mike Pruitt FB Wide receivers 33 Reggie Rucker 80 Willis Adams 81 Mike Whitwell DB 83 Ricky Feacher 85 Dave Logan 86 Danny Fulton Tight ends 82 Ozzie Newsome 84 McDonald Oden		Offensive Linemen 54 Tom DeLeone C 61 Mike Baab C 63 Cody Risien T 64 Joe DeLamielleure G 68 Robert E. Jackson G 70 Andy Frederick T 71 Matt Miller T 73 Doug Dieken T Defensive Linemen 75 Mark Buben NT 79 Bob Golic NT 90 Marshall Harris DE 91 Henry Bradley NT 92 Mike Robinson DE 94 Elvis Franks DE 99 Keith Baldwin DE		Linebackers 50 Tom Cousineau ILB 51 Eddie Johnson ILB 52 Dick Ambrose ILB 53 Bill Cowher OLB 55 Curtis Weathers OLB 56 Chip Banks OLB 57 Clay Matthews OLB 58 Scott Nicolas ILB 59 Kevin Turner ILB Defensive backs 12 Rick Trocano S/QB 20 Judson Flint CB 22 Clarence Scott FS 23 Mark Kafentzis S 28 Ron Bolton CB 29 Hanford Dixon CB 36 Bill Jackson CB 47 Larry Braziel CB 48 Lawrence Johnson CB 49 Clinton Burrell SS Special Teams  9 Matt Bahr K 15 Steve Cox P 26 Dino Hall KR/PR Rookies in italics

References[]

External links[]

• Season summary and statistics at Cleveland Browns.com