Browns were 1-11 at this time a year ago, and are 9-7 since.
Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini (left).Cleveland, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' 13-10 win over the Dolphins today in Miami makes them 5-7 with four games to go.
The Browns were 1-11 at this time a year ago, during Eric Mangini's first season as coach. They had been outscored by 164 points, or 13.7 per game. Cleveland won its last four games by an average of 8.5 points to finish 5-11.
This season, Cleveland has been outscored by 10 points. That's 0.8 points per game. In their losses, the Browns have trailed by more than four points at the start of the fourth quarter just once: losing, 14-3, at Pittsburgh on Oct. 17. Cleveland went on to lose, 28-10, its worst margin of defeat this season, in quarterback Colt McCoy's NFL debut.
The other loss by more than a touchdown was the previous week, on Oct. 10 in Cleveland, when the Browns were defeated by the Atlanta Falcons, 20-10. The Browns led, 10-6, midway through the third quarter and trailed, 13-10, as the quarter ended. Cleveland, with quarterback Seneca Wallace (sprained ankle) leaving the game just before halftime to be replaced by a hobbled Jake Delhomme (sprained ankle), couldn't come back.
The Browns are 9-7 since their 1-11 start in 2009, the 16 games being the equivalent of a full regular season. Their five wins thus far this season matches their win total of a year ago.
Browns president Mike Holmgren will probably, it seems as of now, wait until after the season to announce whether Mangini will be the Browns' coach in 2011.