2008 Cleveland Browns

Without question, the Dawg Pound gets to watch one of the NFL’s most exciting teams. Derek Anderson leads a feisty band of athletic superstars including Braylon Edwards, Donte Stallworth, Kellen Winslow, and Jamal Lewis. Because the defense had some holes for Cleveland in 2007, the Browns have used both free agency (Terry Cousin) and the NFL draft (Shaun Rogers) to add key new talent at vital defensive positions. If the defense can hold their opponents, the Browns’ offense is one of the league’s most promising, giving the Browns faithful dreams of NFL playoff contention.

Some Cleveland Browns history: The original Browns were one of the NFL's most consistent teams, posting just 12 losing records in 46 seasons. Head coach Paul Brown collected three league championships and seven division titles from 1950 to 1962. Cleveland joined the NFL in 1950 and immediately captured the first of six consecutive division crowns and the NFL title. (The Super Bowl was not played until 1967.) The team also won NFL titles in 1954 and 1955.

After Cleveland's one-year absence from the postseason in 1956, rookie sensation Jim Brown carried the team back into the playoffs in 1957. Brown, a strong runner with great speed, earned top rookie honors and the first of his eight rushing titles. Behind Brown and rookie wide receiver Paul Warfield, Cleveland won the NFL title in 1964, besting the Baltimore Colts (now Indianapolis Colts) in a 27-0 victory in the championship game. The following season Brown was named player of the year. He retired with a total of 12,312 career rushing yards.

Running back Leroy Kelly replaced Brown as Cleveland's main offensive threat and won rushing championships in 1967 and 1968. Under head coach Blanton Collier the Browns won division titles in 1968 and 1969, but lost in the championship game both years.

The Browns drafted Bernie Kosar in 1985, which powered Cleveland's resurgence in the mid-1980s. Cleveland reached the AFC Championship Game in 1986, 1987, and 1989, but each time, the Browns lost to the Denver Broncos. These matchups made the rivalry between the two teams one of the most celebrated in the NFL.

The Browns suffered five losing seasons in their final six years in Cleveland yet loyal Browns fans were stunned when, midway through the 1995 season, team owner Art Modell announced plans to move the team to Baltimore. Three months after the announcement, the NFL granted Cleveland a team and rights to the Browns' name, colors, and memorabilia.

During a special expansion team draft in February 1999, the Browns got veteran center Jim Pyne of the Detroit Lions and cornerback Antonio Langham of the San Francisco 49ers. In April, the Browns used their number-one pick to select quarterback Tim Couch of the University of Kentucky. The new Browns struggled during their first season, finishing with a win-loss record of 2-14, but improved to as high as 9-7 in 2002.