# 1999 Cleveland Browns season

The 1999 Cleveland Browns season was the Browns 51st season overall and 47th in the NFL. It marked the return of professional football to the city of Cleveland, Ohio for the first time since the 1995 season, when the franchise was temporarily deactivated following the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy, which ultimately established the Baltimore Ravens. While technically an expansion team, the team officially and legally are considered a continuation of the previous franchise, as the history and colors of the team remained in Cleveland. The franchise was still alive as a legal entity between 1996 and 1998 and its assets kept in a trust managed by the NFL until Al Lerner became the owner in 1998. That season the Browns were given full expansion team treatment via an expansion draft and receiving the number one overall draft pick of the 1999 NFL draft.
The Browns' offense and defense both finished in the bottom of the league. The Browns scored 217 points and gained 3,762 yards of total offense, both last in the NFL. The Browns allowed 437 points and gave up 6,046 yards, ranking 29th and 31st, respectively.

## Season information

During the course of the 1995 season, then-Browns owner Art Modell announced his decision to move the Browns to Baltimore. Modell's new team would begin playing in the 1996 season. It would be the first time since 1935 that Cleveland would be left without an existing football team and the first time since 1943 without a team playing, when the Cleveland Rams suspended operation for one year, so the other teams could have enough players during World War II.
However, many Browns fans and Cleveland city officials were determined to keep the team in Cleveland, and orchestrated a grassroots movement to keep the team in Cleveland. The NFL responded by working with city officials, and the two parties came to a unique agreement which would provide the city with a brand-new, state-of-the-art stadium and would promise the return of professional football to Cleveland by the beginning of the 1999 season. Modell also agreed to relinquish the Browns' name, colors and team history to the new owner of the Browns. Modell's new team would begin playing in the 1996 season as the Baltimore Ravens.
While the Browns' new stadium was being built on the site of the old Cleveland Stadium, the foundation of the front office was being set in place. Al Lerner won a bidding war for the new team for $750 million. Lerner hired former San Francisco 49ers front office staffers Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark as the Browns' president and vice president.
Football finally returned to Cleveland on September 12 when the Browns opened the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home; Cleveland native Drew Carey was present and gave a rousing pre-game speech. However, the fans were sorely disappointed as the Browns were defeated by the Steelers 43–0. The team would go on to lose their first seven games, but finally in week 8 of their inaugural season the "New Browns" got their first ever win over the New Orleans Saints. From the Browns' 42-yard line Tim Couch squared up and threw a Hail Mary pass that was tipped in the endzone by Saints defenders but then caught by the Browns' Kevin Johnson. The dramatic game-winning touchdown play happened in the last two seconds of the game, causing the final score to be 21–16. Two weeks later, the Browns defeated the Steelers in Pittsburgh, 16–15, for their second and final win of the year.
The Browns finished the season 2–14 and sixth in the AFC Central. It was, at the time, the worst record that the Browns had ever compiled at the end of a season. Since then, the Browns finished with worse records in 2016 and 2017. The Browns did not win a home game throughout the season.

## Draft
### Expansion Draft

Below are players selected from other teams in the Cleveland Expansion Draft, in order of selection.
| Pick | Player | Position | Original NFL team |
| 1 | Jim Pyne^ | C | Detroit Lions |
| 2 | Hurvin McCormack^ | DE | Dallas Cowboys |
| 3 | Scott Rehberg^ | OT | New England Patriots |
| 4 | Damon Gibson^ | WR | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 5 | Steve Gordon | C | San Francisco 49ers |
| 6 | Tarek Saleh^ | LB | Carolina Panthers |
| 7 | Jeff Buckey | G | Miami Dolphins |
| 8 | Jason Kyle | LS | Seattle Seahawks |
| 9 | Rod Manuel | DE | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 10 | Lenoy Jones^ | LB | Tennessee Titans |
| 11 | Tim McTyer^ | CB | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 12 | Elijah Alexander | LB | Indianapolis Colts |
| 13 | Pete Swanson | OT | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 14 | Gerome Williams | S | San Diego Chargers |
| 15 | Marlon Forbes^ | S | Chicago Bears |
| 16 | Justin Armour | WR | Denver Broncos |
| 17 | Paul Wiggins | OT | Washington Redskins |
| 18 | Duane Butler | S | Minnesota Vikings |
| 19 | Fred Brock | WR | Arizona Cardinals |
| 20 | Kory Blackwell^ | CB | New York Giants |
| 21 | Kevin Devine | CB | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 22 | Raymond Jackson^ | CB | Buffalo Bills |
| 23 | Jim Bundren^ | G | New York Jets |
| 24 | Ben Cavil | G | Baltimore Ravens |
| 25 | Michael Blair | RB | Green Bay Packers |
| 26 | Antonio Anderson | DT | Dallas Cowboys |
| 27 | Orlando Bobo | G | Minnesota Vikings |
| 28 | James Williams^ | LB | San Francisco 49ers |
| 29 | Scott Milanovich | QB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 30 | Eric Stokes^ | S | Seattle Seahawks |
| 31 | Ronald Moore | RB | Miami Dolphins |
| 32 | Clarence Williams | RB | Buffalo Bills |
| 33 | Freddie Solomon | WR | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 34 | Brandon Sanders | S | New York Giants |
| 35 | Mike Thompson^ | NT | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 36 | Jerris McPhail | RB | Detroit Lions |
| 37 | Antonio Langham^ | CB | San Francisco 49ers |
^ Made roster.

### 1999 NFL Draft

1999 Cleveland Browns draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 1 | Tim Couch | QB | Kentucky | |
| 2 | 32 | Kevin Johnson | WR | Syracuse | |
| 2 | 45 | Rahim Abdullah | LB | Clemson | Extra selection |
| 3 | 62 | Daylon McCutcheon | CB | USC | |
| 3 | 76 | Marquis Smith | S | California | |
| 4 | 124 | Wali Rainer | LB | Virginia | from San Francisco |
| 5 | 148 | Darrin Chiaverini | WR | Colorado | Extra selection |
| 6 | 174 | Marcus Spriggs | DT | Troy | from Chicago |
| 6 | 187 | Kendall Ogle | LB | Maryland | from Seattle |
| 6 | 191 | James Dearth | LS | Tarleton State | from New England via Seattle |
| 7 | 207 | Madre Hill | RB | Arkansas | |
| Made roster ||||||

### Undrafted free agents

1999 Undrafted Free Agents of note :
| Player | Position | College |
| Mike Cook | QB | William & Mary |

## Preseason
### Hall of Fame Game

* Cleveland Browns 20, Dallas Cowboys 17 (Overtime)

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 12 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 0–43 | 0–1 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 19 | at Tennessee Titans | L 9–26 | 0–2 | Adelphia Coliseum | Recap |
| 3 | September 26 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 10–17 | 0–3 | PSINet Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 3 | New England Patriots | L 7–19 | 0–4 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 17–18 | 0–5 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 17 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 7–24 | 0–6 | Alltel Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 24 | at St. Louis Rams | L 3–34 | 0–7 | Trans World Dome | Recap |
| 8 | October 31 | at New Orleans Saints | W 21–16 | 1–7 | Louisiana Superdome | Recap |
| 9 | November 7 | Baltimore Ravens | L 9–41 | 1–8 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 14 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 16–15 | 2–8 | Three Rivers Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 21 | Carolina Panthers | L 17–31 | 2–9 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 28 | Tennessee Titans | L 21–33 | 2–10 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 5 | at San Diego Chargers | L 10–23 | 2–11 | Qualcomm Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 12 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 28–44 | 2–12 | Cinergy Field | Recap |
| 15 | December 19 | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 14–24 | 2–13 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 26 | Indianapolis Colts | L 28–29 | 2–14 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |

### Season summary
#### Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 7 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 43 |
| Browns | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: September 12
* Game time: 8:25 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Overcast, 80 °F (27 °C)
* Game attendance: 73,138
* Referee: Bob McElwee
* TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul Maguire, and Solomon Wilcots
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
PIT – Kordell Stewart 1-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 5:16. Steelers 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 39 yards, 2:30.
Second quarter
PIT – Kris Brown 18-yard field goal, 9:56. Steelers 10–0. Drive: 18 plays, 79 yards, 7:37.
PIT – Richard Huntley 5-yard pass from Kordell Stewart (Kris Brown kick), 4:49. Steelers 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 3:06.
PIT – Kris Brown 28-yard field goal, 0:06. Steelers 20–0. Drive: 8 plays, 44 yards, 3:31.
Third quarter
PIT – Richard Huntley 3-yard run (kick failed), 5:28. Steelers 26–0. Drive: 14 plays, 76 yards, 7:55.
Fourth quarter
PIT – Kris Brown 19-yard field goal, 11:10. Steelers 29–0. Drive: 14 plays, 64 yards, 8:00.
PIT – Richard Huntley 21-yard pass from Mike Tomczak (Kris Brown kick), 10:48. Steelers 36–0. Drive: 1 play, 21 yards, 0:09.
PIT – Hines Ward 1-yard pass from Mike Tomczak (Kris Brown kick), 6:08. Steelers 43–0. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 4:19.
Top passers
PIT – Kordell Stewart – 15/23, 173 yards, TD
CLE – Ty Detmer – 6/13, 52 yards, INT
Top rushers
PIT – Jerome Bettis – 18 rushes, 89 yards
CLE – Terry Kirby – 5 rushes, 10 yards
Top receivers
PIT – Richard Huntley – 5 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TD
CLE – Leslie Shepherd – 2 receptions, 32 yards :
After being deactivated for three seasons, the Cleveland Browns returned to the NFL, playing their first game since December 24, 1995 and first home game since December 17, 1995. The game was featured on ESPN Sunday Night Football and a pre-game speech was given by comedian Drew Carey, a Cleveland native. The celebration would be short-lived as the Steelers would shutout the Browns 43–0. The Browns would finish the game with only 40 yards of total offense and committed four turnovers and had a time of possession of just 12:11.

#### Week 2: at Tennessee Titans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Titans | 2 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 26 |
at Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
* Date: September 26
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT / 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C), wind 10 mph
* Game attendance: 65,904
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (CBS): Bill Macatee and Beasley Reece
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
TEN – Tim Couch sacked in end zone, 4:46. Titans 2–0.
Second quarter
TEN – Eddie George 1-yard run (Al Del Greco kick), 12:59. Titans 9–0. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 6:47.
CLE – Phil Dawson 41-yard field goal, 6:50. Titans 9–3. Drive: 5 plays, 10 yards, 1:59.
TEN – Eddie George 1-yard run (Al Del Greco kick), 2:21. Titans 16–3. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 4:29.
Third quarter
TEN – Al Del Greco 35-yard field goal, 6:39. Titans 19–3. Drive: 12 plays, 64 yards, 6:19.
CLE – Kevin Johnson 39-yard pass from Tim Couch (pass failed), 2:51. Titans 19–9. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 3:48.
Fourth quarter
TEN – Yancey Thigpen 14-yard pass from Neil O'Donnell (Al Del Greco kick), 9:52. Titans 26–9. Drive: 14 plays, 60 yards, 7:59.
Top passers
CLE – Tim Couch – 12/24, 134 yards, TD
TEN – Neil O'Donnell – 31/40, 310 yards, TD
Top rushers
CLE – Terry Kirby – 10 rushes 40 yards
TEN – Eddie George – 31 rushes, 97 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
CLE – Kevin Johnson – 4 receptions, 62 yards, TD
TEN – Yancey Thigpen – 6 receptions, 84 yards, TD :
Kicker Phil Dawson made a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter, scoring the Browns' first points of the season. Cleveland would score its first touchdown of the season in the third quarter, with a 39-yard pass from Tim Couch to Kevin Johnson. Despite this, the Titans thrashed the Browns 26–9.

#### Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| Ravens | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
* Date: September 26
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), wind 8 mph
* Game attendance: 68,803
* Referee: Bernie Kukar
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
BAL – Matt Stover 44-yard field goal, 2:14. Ravens 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 4:31.
Second quarter
BAL – Stoney Case 1-yard run (Matt Stover kick), 10:31. Ravens 10–0. Drive: 2 plays, 1 yard, 0:40.
Third quarter
CLE – Phil Dawson 49-yard field goal, 13:19. Ravens 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 1:24.
BAL – Stoney Case 1-yard run (Matt Stover kick), 5:30. Ravens 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 3:59.
Fourth quarter
CLE – Kevin Johnson 12-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 15:00. Ravens 17–10. Drive: 4 plays, 83 yards, 2:25.
Top passers
CLE – Tim Couch – 13/23, 123 yards, TD, INT
BAL – Stoney Case – 12/25, 165 yards, 3 INT
Top rushers
CLE – Terry Kirby – 18 rushes, 51 yards
BAL – Errict Rhett – 22 rushes, 113 yards
Top receivers
CLE – Terry Kirby – 7 receptions, 75 yards
BAL – Qadry Ismail – 2 receptions, 49 yards :
This was the first meeting between the reactivated Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens, the latter of which previously played in Cleveland as the Browns from 1946 to 1995 before a controversial relocation. As a compromise by the NFL, the Browns were officially deactivated in 1996 while the team in Baltimore was considered an expansion team. The game would be a defensive battle with poor offensive performance, as both teams committed three turnovers. The Browns, down by seven with 2:34 to go, had the ball and were looking to tie the game, but Tim Couch threw an interception to Chris McAlister. The Ravens would run out the clock to win the game.

#### Week 4: vs. New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 0 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 19 |
| Browns | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: October 3
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 59 °F (15 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,368
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
CLE – Kevin Johnson 64-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 4:31. Browns 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 64 yards, 0:47.
Second quarter
NE – Adam Vinatieri 23-yard field goal, 10:21. Browns 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 5:02.
NE – Adam Vinatieri 21-yard field goal, 0:26. Browns 7–6. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 3:49.
Third quarter
NE – Terry Allen 3-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 9:23. Patriots 13–7. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 5:37.
Fourth quarter
NE – Terry Glenn 54-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (pass failed), 15:00. Patriots 19–7. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:21.
Top passers
NE – Drew Bledsoe – 29/43, 393 yards, TD
CLE – Tim Couch – 13/28, 201 yards, TD
Top rushers
NE – Terry Allen – 21 rushes, 68 yards, TD
CLE – Terry Kirby – 15 rushes, 71 yards
Top receivers
NE – Terry Glenn – 13 receptions, 214 yards, TD
CLE – Kevin Johnson – 6 receptions, 131 yards, TD :

#### Week 5: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
| Browns | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: October 10
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Rain, 65 °F (18 °C)
* Game attendance: 73,048
* Referee: Ron Winter
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Doug Pelfrey 27-yard field goal, 10:57. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 66 yards, 4:03.
CIN – Doug Pelfrey 26-yard field goal, 1:51. Bengals 6–0. Drive: 15 plays, 90 yards, 6:31.
Second quarter
CLE – Phil Dawson 4-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 13:46. Browns 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 3:05.
CLE – Terry Kirby 1-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 12:04. Browns 14–6. Drive: 3 plays, 52 yards, 1:27.
CIN – Carl Pickens 5-yard pass from Akili Smith (pass failed), 1:08. Browns 14–12. Drive: 11 plays, 85 yards, 5:07.
Third quarter
No scoring plays
Fourth quarter
CLE – Phil Dawson 33-yard field goal, 14:09. Browns 17–12. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 1:39.
CIN – Carl Pickens 2-yard pass from Akili Smith (run failed), 0:05. Bengals 18–17. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 1:59.
Top passers
CIN – Akili Smith – 25/42, 221 yards, 2 TD
CLE – Tim Couch – 15/27, 164 yards, INT
Top rushers
CIN – Corey Dillon – 28 rushes, 168 yards
CLE – Terry Kirby – 15 rushes, 57 yards, TD
Top receivers
CIN – Darnay Scott – 8 receptions, 110 yards
CLE – Kevin Johnson – 5 receptions, 73 yards :

#### Week 6: at Jacksonville Jaguars

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Jaguars | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 24 |
at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
* Date: October 17
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 71 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 62,047
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
JAX – Mike Hollis 20-yard field goal, 2:53. Jaguars 3–0. Drive: 15 plays, 68 yards, 8:14.
Second quarter
CLE – Terry Kirby 9-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 12:21. Browns 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 70 yards, 5:32.
JAX – Mike Hollis 36-yard field goal, 0:51. Jaguars 6–3. Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 1:43.
Third quarter
JAX – Kyle Brady 7-yard pass from Jay Fiedler (Jay Fiedler pass to Kyle Brady), 1:47. Jaguars 14–3. Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 1:13.
Fourth quarter
JAX – James Stewart 2-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 5:54. Jaguars 21–3. Drive: 12 plays, 70 yards, 6:40.
JAX – Mike Hollis 24-yard field goal, 0:44. Jaguars 24–3. Drive: 11 plays, 42 yards, 3:57.
Top passers
CLE – Tim Couch – 18/23, 161 yards, TD
JAX – Jay Fiedler – 12/14, 113 yards, TD
Top rushers
CLE – Terry Kirby – 22 rushes, 71 yards
JAX – James Stewart – 23 rushes, 58 yards, TD
Top receivers
CLE – Darrin Chiaverini – 5 receptions, 45 yards
JAX – Keenan McCardell – 7 receptions, 76 yards :

#### Week 7: at St. Louis Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Rams | 14 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 34 |
at Trans World Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
* Date: October 24
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 65,866
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Brent Jones
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
STL – Roland Williams 1-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Jeff Wilkins kick), 8:34. Rams 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:26.
STL – Isaac Bruce 4-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Jeff Wilkins kick), 6:49. Rams 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 28 yards, 1:33.
CLE – Phil Dawson 47-yard field goal, 0:17. Rams 14–3. Drive: 13 plays, 51 yards, 6:32.
Second quarter
STL – Roland Williams 1-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Jeff Wilkins kick), 10:59. Rams 21–3. Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 4:18.
Third quarter
STL – Jeff Wilkins 28-yard field goal, 3:13. Rams 24–3. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 3:33.
Fourth quarter
STL – Marshall Faulk 33-yard run (Jeff Wilkins kick), 14:50. Rams 31–3. Drive: 4 plays, 73 yards, 1:57.
STL – Jeff Wilkins 36-yard field goal, 4:06. Rams 34–3. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 5:38.
Top passers
CLE – Tim Couch – 22/40, 185 yards, 2 INT
STL – Kurt Warner – 23/29, 203 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
CLE – Tim Couch – 2 rushes, 50 yards
STL – Marshall Faulk – 16 rushes, 133 yards, TD
Top receivers
CLE – Leslie Shepherd – 6 receptions, 85 yards
STL – Marshall Faulk – 9 receptions, 67 yards :

#### Week 8: at New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Saints | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: October 31
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST / 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 48,817
* Referee: Mike Carey
* TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Keith Poole 5-yard pass from Billy Joe Hobert (Doug Brien kick), 3:59. Saints 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 15 yards, 2:08.
Second quarter
CLE – Marc Edwards 27-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 7:37. Tied 7–7. Drive: 1 play, 22 yards, 0:06.
NO – Doug Brien 49-yard field goal, 0:08. Saints 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 0:58.
Third quarter
CLE – Kevin Johnson 24-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 8:53. Browns 14–10. Drive: 2 plays, 22 yards, 0:44.
NO – Doug Brien 22-yard field goal, 1:15. Browns 14–13. Drive: 13 plays, 56 yards, 7:38.
Fourth quarter
NO – Doug Brien 46-yard field goal, 0:21. Saints 16–14. Drive: 8 plays, 35 yards, 3:20.
CLE – Kevin Johnson 56-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 0:00. Browns 21–16. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:21.
Top passers
CLE – Tim Couch – 11/19, 193 yards, 3 TD
NO – Billy Joe Tolliver – 9/20, 92 yards, INT
Top rushers
CLE – Karim Abdul-Jabbar – 13 rushes, 39 yards
NO – Ricky Williams – 40 rushes, 179 yards
Top receivers
CLE – Kevin Johnson – 4 receptions, 96 yards, 2 TD
NO – Aaron Craver – 2 receptions, 32 yards :
The 0–7 Browns headed to New Orleans to take on the 1–6 Saints. The Saints would score first, with quarterback Billy Joe Hobert throwing a five yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Keith Poole. The Browns would respond midway through the second quarter with fullback Marc Edwards on a 27-yard catch-and-run from Tim Couch to tie the game at 7–7. New Orleans kicker Doug Brien made a 49-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the first half to put the Saints up 10–7. Cleveland would take its first lead of the game with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Couch to wide receiver Kevin Johnson in the third quarter. Brien would make two more field goals, giving the Saints a 16–14 lead with just 0:21 left in the game. Cleveland started the final drive at its own 25-yard line, needing to score a touchdown in under 15 seconds to win the game. On the first play, Couch's pass to wide receiver Darrin Chiaverini fell incomplete, being broken up by Willie Clay. The next play, Couch completed a 19-yard pass to Leslie Shepherd to the Cleveland 44-yard line. Head coach Chris Palmer would immediately call a timeout with just 0:02 left. Down to the Browns' last chance for a win, Couch would heave up a 56-yard Hail Mary that was caught by Johnson in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. With the last-second win, the Browns got their first victory since being reactivated and was the franchise's first win since December 17, 1995.
The Browns had 243 yards of total offense and maintained possession of the ball for only 19:10; the Saints had 351 total yards and possessed the ball for 40:50. However, Cleveland only turned the ball over once while New Orleans had five turnovers.

#### Week 9: vs. Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ravens | 7 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 41 |
| Browns | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: November 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Clear, 47 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,898
* Referee: Gerry Austin
* Box score
Fresh off their first win since 1995, the Browns hoped to get revenge on the Ravens and get two wins in a row. However, thanks to a flurry of touchdowns and field goals by the Ravens, the Browns lost 41-9 and fell to 1-8.

#### Week 10: at Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 16 |
| Steelers | 3 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 15 |
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Date: November 14
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Partly sunny, 58 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 58,213
* Referee: Johnny Grier
* TV announcers (CBS): Craig Bolerjack and Beasley Reece
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
CLE – Kevin Johnson 35-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 12:25. Browns 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:35.
PIT – Kris Brown 41-yard field goal, 7:34. Browns 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 4:51.
Second quarter
No scoring plays
Third quarter
PIT – Kris Brown 32-yard field goal, 9:57. Browns 7–6. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:03.
PIT – Richard Huntley 5-yard run (run failed), 8:18. Steelers 12–7. Drive: 3 plays, 8 yards, 0:41.
Fourth quarter
PIT – Kris Brown 47-yard field goal, 10:10. Steelers 15–7. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:50.
CLE – Marc Edwards 5-yard pass from Tim Couch (run failed), 5:12. Steelers 15–13. Drive: 3 plays, 15 yards, 1:14.
CLE – Phil Dawson 39-yard field goal, 0:00. Browns 16–15. Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards, 1:51.
Top passers
CLE – Tim Couch – 18/28, 199 yards, 2 TD, INT
PIT – Kordell Stewart – 15/32, 137 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
CLE – Karim Abdul-Jabbar – 18 rushes, 56 yards
PIT – Jerome Bettis – 26 rushes, 99 yards
Top receivers
CLE – Kevin Johnson – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD
PIT – Hines Ward – 4 receptions, 39 yards :
The Browns traveled to Pittsburgh to square off against the Steelers, hoping to get revenge on what happened on opening day. In the first half, the Browns had a 7-3 lead. However, by the second half, their lead disappeared as the Steelers lead 15-13. With almost no time remaining, Phil Dawson made a 39-yard field goal, as the Browns defeated the Steelers 16-15; securing their second win of the season.

#### Week 11: vs. Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| Browns | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: November 21
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Clear, 48 °F (9 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,818
* Referee: Dick Hantak
* Box score

#### Week 12: vs. Tennessee Titans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Titans | 7 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 33 |
| Browns | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: November 28
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 38 °F (3 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,008
* Referee: Bernie Kukar
* Box score

#### Week 13: at San Diego Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Chargers | 3 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 23 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: December 5
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST / 10:00 a.m. PST
* Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), wind 7 MPH
* Game attendance: 53,147
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
CLE – Phil Dawson 33-yard field goal, 9:30. Browns 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 45 yards, 5:30.
SD – John Carney 44-yard field goal, 1:08. Tied 3–3. Drive: 6 plays, 27 yards, 2:04.
Second quarter
SD – John Carney 19-yard field goal, 8:01. Chargers 6–3. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:48.
SD – Kenny Bynum 1-yard run (John Carney kick), 2:11. Chargers 13–6. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 3:26.
CLE – Kevin Johnson 19-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 0:06. Chargers 13–10. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 2:05.
Third quarter
SD – John Carney 30-yard field goal, 7:41. Chargers 16–10. Drive: 15 plays, 52 yards, 7:19.
Fourth quarter
SD – Jermaine Fazande 2-yard run (John Carney kick), 6:28. Chargers 23–10. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 7:15.
Top passers
CLE – Tom Couch – 18/29, 184 yards, TD, 2 INT
SD – Jim Harbaugh – 16/23, 161 yards
Top rushers
CLE – Karim Abdul-Jabbar – 10 rushes, 29 yards
SD – Kenny Bynum – 17 rushes, 60 yards
Top receivers
CLE – Kevin Johnson – 5 receptions, 41 yards, TD
SD – Jeff Graham – 5 receptions, 82 yards :
The Browns faced the 4–7 Chargers in San Diego. The first quarter started low-key as both teams notched field goals, respectively from Phil Dawson (33 yards) and John Carney (44 yards). However, by the second quarter, San Diego dominated the rest of the game, with touchdowns from Kenny Bynum and Jermaine Fazande, leading the Chargers to victory.

#### Week 14: at Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 28 |
| Bengals | 10 | 20 | 14 | 0 | 44 |
at Cinergy Field, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: December 12
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Rain, 41 °F (5 °C)
* Game attendance: 59,972
* Referee: Ron Winter
* Box score

#### Week 15: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jaguars | 0 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Browns | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: December 19
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Clear, 39 °F (4 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,038
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* Box score

#### Week 16: vs. Indianapolis Colts

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colts | 0 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 29 |
| Browns | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: December 26
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 31 °F (−1 °C), wind 25 mph
* Game attendance: 72,618
* Referee: Phil Luckett
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
CLE – Terry Kirby 1-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 4:10. Browns 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 53 yards, 5:47.
Second quarter
IND – Edgerrin James 1-yard run (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 14:06. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 5:04.
CLE – Darrin Chiaverini 28-yard pass from Ty Detmer (Phil Dawson kick), 9:56. Browns 14–7. Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 4:10.
IND – Mike Vanderjagt 41-yard field goal, 1:56. Browns 14–10. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 6:19.
IND – Mike Vanderjagt 19-yard field goal, 0:00. Browns 14–13. Drive: 6 plays, 32 yards, 0:51.
Third quarter
CLE – Ty Detmer 8-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 10:47. Browns 21–13. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 4:13.
IND – Edgerrin James 1-yard run (pass failed), 7:04. Browns 21–19. Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 3:43.
CLE – Terry Kirby 1-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 0:11. Browns 28–19. Drive: 7 plays, 90 yards, 4:13.
Fourth quarter
IND – Edgerrin James 2-yard run (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 9:54. Browns 28–26. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 5:17.
IND – Mike Vanderjagt 21-yard field goal, 0:04. Colts 29–28. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 4:08.
Top passers
IND – Peyton Manning – 27/43, 276 yards
CLE – Ty Detmer – 15/26, 173 yards, TD
Top rushers
IND – Edgerrin James – 28 rushes, 103 yards, 3 TD
CLE – Karim Abdul-Jabbar – 19 rushes, 84 yards
Top receivers
IND – Marvin Harrison – 14 receptions, 138 yards
CLE – Irv Smith – 4 receptions, 48 yards :
On a cold and windy afternoon, the 2–13 Browns hosted the 12–2 Colts, looking to end the season on a high note. The Browns led for most of the game and were up 28–19 at the beginning of the fourth, but were shutout in the final quarter as the Colts scored ten unanswered points to win 29–28.

### Standings

AFC Central :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Jacksonville Jaguars | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 396 | 217 | W1 |
| $^{(4)}$ Tennessee Titans | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 392 | 324 | W4 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 324 | 277 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 317 | 320 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 283 | 460 | L2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 217 | 437 | L6 |