CLEVELAND –The Browns are 5-3 for the first time in seven years and with just one victory in the last half of the season will clinch their best final record since 2007 when they finished 10-6.

Left tackle Joe Thomas was a rookie in 2007 on his way to his first of seven (and counting) consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. Whether this team can finish with double digit wins remains to be seen, but Thomas is looking forward to the weeks ahead, unlike in past seasons when the Browns were out of the race before Thanksgiving.

“It’s been a long time since the Browns were 5-3,” Thomas said. “I like where we are. I’m sure as a rookie I thought it would be like that every year.

“We’re closing out the close games at the end. We’ve been in close games almost every year I’ve been here. Since I’ve been here the close games have gone in the other team’s direction. This year we’re doing a good job of finding ways to win at the end.”

The Browns have won four of their last five games. They won their second straight on Sunday by edging the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 22-17. It has not been easy, and now they have to prepare to face the Bengals in Cincinnati on Thursday night with a share of first place on the line. If the Browns win they will be tied with the Steelers for the AFC North lead.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer has carried the offense on his back the past three weeks while the running game flounders without Pro Bowl center Alex Mack (broken leg). Hoyer passed for 300 yards and two touchdowns against the Buccaneers, but he also threw two interceptions. At one point the crowd in FirstEnergy booed Hoyer, a Cleveland native in his second season with his hometown team.

“This is the ultimate team sport,” Hoyer said. “It wasn’t always pretty with the way our offense was playing, but we’re 5-3 and it doesn’t say in the box score tomorrow ‘Well, the offense didn’t play so great and it was close but they won.’ It says ‘5-3.'”

The Browns must play two more games before getting suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon back for the final six games.

The status of tight end Jordan Cameron remains uncertain. Cameron missed the Tampa Bay game with a concussion.

NOTES, QUOTES

–The Browns have had a winning record at home in only once season since 1999 when they finished 7-1 in 2007 in what was then called Cleveland Browns Stadium. They are on their way to another winning mark with a 4-1 home record in FirstEnergy Stadium this season.

Their best home record other than 2007 was 4-4 three times – in 2001 (7-9 overall), 2005 (6-10) and 2012 (5-11).

–The Browns are tied for third in the AFC in takeaway/giveaway at plus six. Safety Tashaun Gipson has a lot to do with that because he has a league-high six interceptions.

–Kicker Billy Cundiff is quietly having a very good season. He is 15 of 17 on field goal tries. Thirty of his kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks.

–Jim Leonhard has emerged as the Browns punt returner by default because Travis Benjamin and Jordan Poyer have had fumbling issues. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor is expected to stick with Leonhard, who is sure-handed but no threat to break a long return for a touchdown.

“We’ll continue to work through it, but at the same time, ball security has to be a premium,” Tabor said. “At the end of the day, there’s no excuse for the ball being on the ground.”

REPORT CARD VS. BUCCANEERS

–Passing offense: B – The Browns had to play without suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon and injured (concussion) tight end Jordan Cameron, but Brian Hoyer still passed for 300 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions. One was a poorly thrown pass intended for Andrew Hawkins. The other was deflected. Hoyer is at his best at home, where he is 4-1 this season and 7-1 over two years.

–Rushing offense: D — The rush offense has gone from being a concern to a serious problem over the past three weeks. After rushing for a combined 108 yards on 55 carries against the Jaguars and Raiders, the Browns managed just 50 yards on 28 carries vs. the Buccaneers. Starter Ben Tate eked out three yards on 10 carries with a long run of four yards. The problems began in the first game missed by Pro Bowl center Alex Mack, who is out with a broken leg.

–Passing defense: B – The Browns short cornerbacks, Joe Haden and Buster Skrine, held their own against Tampa Bay’s 6-foot-5 receivers Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. Evans did catch two touchdown passes from Mike Glennon, but on one it took a perfect throw to beat tight coverage by Skrine. Safety Tashaun Gipson intercepted a pass in the end zone to end a Buccaneers’ scoring drive. It was his sixth pick of the season.

–Rushing defense: C — The Browns were not gashed for any long runs, but missed tackles still contributed to Bobby Rainey rushing for 87 yards on 19 carries. Rainey gained yardage by cutting back into vacated gaps. His longest run was 21 yards. The run defense should improve when Phil Taylor returns from a knee injury. His earliest likely return is the Nov. 16 game against the Texans.

–Special teams: B+ — Returning punts is still woeful, but special teams played a huge role in beating the Buccaneers. Billy Winn blocked a field goal try in the first quarter and Craig Robertson partially blocked a punt in the fourth quarter. He doesn’t get credit for a block because the ball rolled a yard past the line of scrimmage, but the play gave the Browns offense the ball on the Tampa Bay 35.

–Coaching: B – Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan continues to call running plays so the play-action is effective. The plan is working, even when the Browns average less than two yards a carry. Coaching has helped improve rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor coached his unit to look for the crack in the Tampa Bay protection that led to the blocked field goal and blocked punt Sunday.