As was detailed in the last part of this series, the Browns were stuck in neutral in many regards in head coach Sam Rutigliano‘s first two seasons in 1978 and ‘79.

Both teams started fast, hit lulls in the middle of the season and then struggled at the end to finish the year at first 8-8 and then 9-7, missing the playoffs by a whisker.

However, at the same time, there were also a number of things that happened to indicate that the Browns were really making tremendous strides, including:

*Victories. The NFL is a bottom-line business, and getting nine wins two years after recording just six — albeit in a 14-game season — in 1977 is a big deal in terms of getting to the goal of making the playoffs.

*Mike Pruitt. When Rutigliano arrived, the fullback was a beaten man, with his confidence, ball-security and overall production at a low ebb. But by 1979, he looked like the player the Browns thought they were getting in the first round, at No. 7 overall, in the 1976 NFL Draft. In 1979, he rushed for 1, 294 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. His hands were greatly improved as well as he had 41 receptions for 372 yards and two scores.

*Catching on. Rutigliano moved Dave Logan from tight end to wide receiver and drafted Ozzie Newsome, a wide receiver at Alabama, and switched him to tight end. It worked like a charm. In 1979, Logan led the team in catches (59) and receiving yards (982), while finishing second with seven touchdown grabs. Newsome had nine scoring receptions, best on the Browns, with 55 catches for 781 yards.

*Tackling machine. Linebacker Clay Matthews, taken with the club’s other first-round draft pick in 1978, led the team with 103 tackles in 1979.

But the best is yet to come.

Steve King