Despite Being in Last Place, Browns Fans Should Stop and Smell the Roses

In a week-to-week league like the NFL, it can be tough sometimes to stop and smell the roses. With only one game per week, teams, fans and media overreact, overdramatize and overanalyze every single play.

The Cleveland Browns have a 4-3 record for the first time since 2001, and the fans need to start sniffing those flowers.

Perspective is a tough thing to keep. Fortunately, a short history lesson can help the cause. At this point in 2013, the Browns were on a three-game losing streak and had Jason Campbell as their starting quarterback and Greg Little dropping passes at receiver.

Davone Bess was just beginning the series of bizarre behavior that led to his release in March. Oh, and a seemingly 900-year-old Willis McGahee was the running back of that team.

From 2009 to 2012, the Browns had Pat Shurmur and Eric Mangini as their two head coaches. They never won more than five games and were led in passing by Brady Quinn, Colt McCoy and Brandon Weeden. During this period of time, fans saw Peyton Hillis get strep throat, a player fined $1,701 for a water bottle and McCoy rushed back onto the field despite having zero clue what sport he was playing.

In 2007, Browns fans enjoyed their best season of football since their lone playoff appearance in 2002. They went 7-1 at home and were powered by multiple Pro Bowl offensive players. Unfortunately, they missed the playoffs because they could not defeat Cincinnati in Week 16.

The next season, quarterback Derek Anderson remembered that he was, in fact, Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards decided he liked fashion more than football, and Jamal Lewis' age finally caught up to him. They won four games.

Even in 2002, when they made the playoffs, that team had a laundry list of flaws. Cleveland started the season 2-4 before rattling off back-to-back wins against the Houston Texans and New York Jets. Quarterback Tim Couch threw 18 interceptions to go along with his 18 touchdowns, and it did not have a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver.

Looking at those years, how can people not be having fun with this 2014 Browns team? Somehow, they are finding a way to do it.

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Ask me how I feel about Browns winning today, I will tell u I feel GREAT. But ask me to start breaking down the performance & answer changes

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) October 27, 2014"

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Man, the Browns suck, but in that 2013 KC Chiefs lucksacking into a ton of wins category of sucking.

— I'd rather Destiny. (@OSovol) October 27, 2014"

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The Browns beat the Raiders. Wow the Raiders must REALLY suck

— ☺Ðevin☺ (@DodgeRam4x4Man) October 26, 2014"

There are certainly areas of concern for the Browns right now. Their running game has disappeared, their quarterback, Brian Hoyer, is not playing very well, and they just struggled back-to-back weeks against two of the worst teams in the NFL.

Still, they are 4-3.

There are currently only 13 teams in the NFL with better records than the Browns. If they move to 5-3 next week, it would be the best start for the Browns since 1994, when started 6-2 and won a playoff game.

The Browns have won three of their last four games and are 3-1 at home, and Bleacher Report's own Matt Miller has them ranked 20th in his updated NFL power rankings.

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The Cleveland Browns beat the lowly Oakland Raiders to move to 4-3, which in itself is a massive accomplishment.

That's not meant to crap on the Browns, but the staff in Cleveland is doing an amazing job coaching up the talent on the roster. Brian Hoyer at quarterback, no Alex Mack, a rotating backfield, no Josh Gordon and yet they're competitive in a loaded AFC North. Let's get Mike Pettine and Kyle Shanahan on some Coach/Assistant Coach of the Year ballots.

The rest of the season won't be easy, given the schedule and dearth of talent, but I'm past betting against this team. The Browns are one of the NFL's grittiest teams, and winning ugly, cold, muddy football games in November and December seems very realistic.

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So often, we force ourselves to take a step back and look at the big picture. The big picture now shows the Browns having a gauntlet of a final eight games. The big picture shows a team whose only consistency is inconsistency. The big picture shows a team that is barely scraping by in the easiest schedule stretch the NFL will see this season.

For just a few days, let's not look at the big picture. If you are a Browns fan, you should just enjoy the ride. Because 4-3, and possibly 5-3, does not roll around very often in Cleveland.

You just might have to wait another 13 years for it to happen again.