As a lifelong Browns fan, you couldn't be more incorrect by your "horrible" remark. Belichick took over a putrid Browns team in '91, after they went 3-13. By Belichick's 2nd season, he had the Browns at 7-7 before losing their last two games to the Houston Oilers and Steelers to finish at 7-9. Both the Oilers and Steelers were playoff teams that year, with the Steelers holding down the #1 seed.
In Belichick's 3rd season, the Browns were at 5-2, before the Kosar controversy contributed to a mid-season losing streak. The Browns lost its last game of the season against the Steelers, again, a playoff team. The Browns finished again at 7-9. Division foes Houston and Pittsburgh were strong playoff teams in these years.
In Belichick's 4th season, the Browns made the playoffs at 11-5 and won a playoff game...ultimately, losing to the dreaded Steelers.
In Belichick's 5th season, the Browns started 3-1 before all of the rumors began swirling about Modell moving the team to Baltimore. With all of the immense distraction and disarray in Cleveland, Lombardi himself would've failed that year too.
Many of the Cleveland media folks believed that had the Browns not of had the ground shattering events which took place in '95, Belichick had the Browns in a good place and good direction. Ozzie Newsome came on board for personnel decisions, etc. and many in Cleveland and its media believed that Belichick laid the groundwork and was a bit part of the ensuing success that the Raven's achieved in the years ahead.