The Browns and Lions: A Story Of the NFL’s Least Successful Teams Since 1973

* The Browns’ .413 winning percentage (247 wins, 351 losses, one tie) is 30th among the 32 teams, including all expansion teams. That’s better than only Detroit (.396) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (.384). Tampa, though, has one big resume advantage on the Browns. The Bucs won the 2002 Super Bowl. Tampa, which began as a franchise in 1976, also has slight advantages on the Browns in two other categories to be noted.

* The Browns, Lions, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans are the only teams among the 32 to not play in a Super Bowl from 1974 until now. Though it was in earlier years, the Jets (1968) and Chiefs (1969) won Super Bowls, while the Browns and Lions have never played in one. The Jaguars joined the NFL as a franchise in 1995; the Texans in 2002. The Super Bowl was first played at the end of the 1966 season.

* The Browns have won just four playoff games since 1973 (in fact, since 1969). That is more than only the Chiefs (three), the still-young Texans (two) and the Lions (one). To put that in perspective, consider that in 10 different seasons, the Super Bowl champion won four playoff games (including the Super Bowl) to earn the title.

The Chiefs have a better regular season winning percentage (.476) than do the Browns in the last 42 years, and have made the playoffs more times (12). The Texans’ winning percentage (.419) is a shade better than Cleveland’s, and consider that while Houston has two postseason wins in its 13 full seasons, the Browns’ last playoff game win was in 1994. Tampa, a 1976 expansion team and one of two teams with a worst regular season winning percentage than the Browns, edges Cleveland with six playoff game wins and 10 playoff seasons.

* The Browns have made the playoffs in just nine seasons since 1973. Even the Lions (10) have more playoff appearances, though Detroit has just the one playoff win in that stretch.

Cleveland has more playoff seasons than only the St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals (seven), the Jaguars (six), the Carolina Panthers (six) and the Texans (two).

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