After going 5-7 and posting their first losing record the previous year, the Browns came out in 1957 determined to get back on track.

And they took another step in the right direction on this date 58 years ago, Oct. 13, when they beat – and beat up – the Philadelphia Eagles 24-7 at Cleveland Stadium to improve to 3-0.

The Browns were never really challenged, jumping out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, improving it to 17-0 at halftime and 24-0 after three quarters.

Rookie running Jim Brown got his first NFL touchdown on a five-yard pass from Tommy O’Connell, and that was followed by Chet “The Jet” Hanulak’s 64-yard run for a score.

Lou Groza booted a 22-yard field goal, and Billy Reynolds completed the scoring with a five-yard TD run.

The Cleveland defense, which had given up a combined total of just 15 points in wins over the New York Giants (6-3) and Pittsburgh Steelers (23-12) to start the year, posted a shutout against the Eagles and had three interceptions. Philadelphia’s only score came on an interception return for a touchdown off a pass by John Borton, who preceded one-time Browns quarterback Len Dawson at Alliance High School before going on to Ohio State and helping lead the Buckeyes to head coach Woody Hayes’ first national championship in 1954.

O’Connell did not throw much, just seven times, completing five for 120 yards and the TD with no interceptions. Wide receiver Pete Brewster had four of those receptions for 105 yards.

With his big run, Hanulak had 89 yards rushing in eight carries. Brown was held to 28 yards in 10 attempts, but those struggles didn’t last as he went on to lead the NFL with 942 yards rushing.

The game was marred – or enhanced, depending upon your point of view – by a number of fights that resulted in a combined total of seven players being ejected.

Discipline was a hallmark of head coach Paul Brown’s teams, but at the same time, his players, with his full blessing, did not allow themselves to be pushed around.

All that aside, the bottom line was that the Browns were off to a great start, and that good play lasted all season as they finished 9-2-1 and won the Eastern Conference title for the seventh time in eight years since joining the NFL in 1950 before being routed by the Detroit Lions in the league championship game.