How Did the NFL Look the Last Time the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns Were This Good?

The Detroit Lions are 8-2 for the first time since 1962, and the Cleveland Browns — perhaps America's favorite sports joke — are 7-3 despite playing four games with a backup quarterback. The last time both of these team each had at least seven wins throughout the first 10 games of the same season was in 1969, when the NFL, and world as a whole, was a lot was different.

That year, the New York Jets were the defending Super Bowl champions — and they haven't been back since. Jim Brown was no longer in the NFL, the Browns sent eight players to the Pro Bowl, and they belonged to the NFL's Century Division.

Their future coach — and last coach of the original Browns — Bill Belichick, was a senior at Annapolis High School in Maryland, enjoying the final days of Johnny Unitas's Baltimore Colts career.

For Detroit, they missed the 1969 playoffs with a 9-4-1 record after starting the season 7-3, but went on to make the playoffs the following year at 10-4. The 1962 team finished 11-3, which didn't qualify for the NFL's playoff format at the time.

Detroit's defense featured Night Train Lane — who was a Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro selection that year — three more First Team selections, another Pro Bowler and future legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

Fast forward to 2023 and the Lions are currently first in the NFC North while the Browns are half a game behind the Baltimore Ravens for first in the AFC North. Belichick is coaching his 24th and possibly final season with the New England Patriots and LeBeau is enjoying his sixth season of retirement.

Despite being two of the NFL's oldest franchises, the Lions and Browns are still two of the 12 teams to have never won a Super Bowl — and two of four to never appear in one.

Both teams entered Week 11 with top-10 total defenses, with Detroit having the second-best total offense in the league. The path to both teams' first Super Bowl appearances are from easy with teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens in the way. While injuries will likely keep the Browns out of contention, 2023 is the best chance Detroit has at a banner in a very long time.