Some things just fall into place as if it was all choreographed to happen that way.

And perhaps it was, though those involved probably didn’t know the significance of it.

Such was the case Sunday as the Browns continued training camp.

After a sloppy, mistake-filled practice on Saturday that infuriated Hue Jackson, the head coach sent his players through three – count ’em, three – live hitting periods to get their attention. That’s unheard of in this day and age of kinder and gentler training camps.

But it is a process the young Browns must go through. They did a lot of good things in Thursday night’s 20-14 come-from-behind win over the New Orleans Saints in the preseason opener, their first preseason triumph of the Jackson era. Feeling fat and sassy about that, they mailed it in on Saturday.

Good teams follow good games with good practices, and good practices with more good practices. Good teams work hard every day. They know it is the only way to get better and prepare themselves to win games.

The Browns aren’t there yet. They don’t understand that – or at least they didn’t until nice-guy Jackson cracked the whip. Perhaps now they’re getting the idea.

Watching Sunday’s practice as guests – and no doubt enjoying all the old-school live hitting – were 11 former Browns. Included in that group were linebacker – and current Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge – Dick Ambrose (1975-83), defensive back Judson Flint (1980-82) and fullback Cleo Miller (1975-82).

Those three men came to the Browns as virtual unknowns. They were buried so far down on the roster that they needed binoculars to see the top of it. They had little chance to simply earn a spot on the team, let alone make an impact on it.

But they didn’t let any of that dissuade them. Battling the long odds, they worked hard not just each and every day, but rather each and every play of every day – and ended up being significant contributors to the Browns.

Hue Jackson doesn’t know any of that, and neither do his players, especially the young ones who need to hear about it.

But the way those long-ago Browns approached things is the manner in which these current players need to do it. That the old guys met the new guys at a time when the new guys were learning some hard lessons seemed oh, so appropriate.