Best Games of the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have created legends throughout their history. Their success story started from their reign in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946-1949 to their NFL dominance of the 1950s. The team has even continued to shine in the recent seasons.

More than that, this team has the most enthusiastic fans in every game they play. This is shown in the number of people who watch their matches and even in the tvg wagering records. Indeed, the Browns have shown the best actions on the football field since the team was formed. So now, let’s have a recap of the best games of Cleveland Browns through the years.

Browns Vs. Jets (1986 AFC Division Playoff Game)

The Browns enjoyed home-field advantage throughout the playoffs but slipped down 20-10 with less than four minutes remaining.   Bernie Kosar pushed Cleveland to overtime, and the Browns eventually won in double overtime.

With a 10-1 record, the Jets roared in the field in 1986 as serious contenders. However, as the streak progressed, injuries steadily increased, particularly on the defensive side of the football. The Jets seemed to be on their way to victory. They had a strong defense and just needed to hang on, but they couldn’t.

Browns Vs. Bengals (November 23, 1975)

The Battle of Ohio is an NFL clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. These teams compete in the American Football Conference (AFC) North Division and face each other twice a year.

On November 23, 1975, in Week 10 of the 1975 season, the Cincinnati Bengals faced the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. By a score of 35-23, the Browns were declared as winners. For the 1975 season, the Browns and Bengals shared the season series, each winning one match.

Browns Vs. Steelers (October 10, 1976)

Since the Browns entered the NFL in 1950, these two teams have remained in the same division or conference. Both teams were also in the  NFL’s Eastern Conference from 1950 to 1969.

The 1976 season was the 44th in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers began the season hoping to become the first team in Super Bowl history to win three consecutive league titles.  However, many questioned it when the team went 1–4, and quarterback Terry Bradshaw was injured in a Week 5 defeat to the Cleveland Browns following a savage sack by Joe “Turkey” Jones that has since been a legendary member of the Browns-Steelers rivalry.

Browns Vs. Broncos (January 11, 1987)

On January 11, 1987, the game known as “The Drive” took place on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, in an AFC Championship match.

The drive was an offensive action in the fourth quarter of the 1986 AFC Championship Game between the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos.

In a period of 5 minutes and 2 seconds, Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway drove his team 98 yards in 15 plays to cut the lead with 37 seconds remaining in regulation. Denver won the game in overtime with a 33-yard field goal, edging the Cleveland Browns 23–20 in the final minutes of regulation.

Browns vs. Saints (October 31, 1999)

The roster of the 1999 Browns consists mainly of rookies and cast-offs from some teams. After previous owner Art Modell relocated the old Browns to Baltimore after the 1995 season, the new Browns were returned to Cleveland. They had just six touchdowns in the first seven weeks, but in Week 8, they finally cracked the code, defeating the struggling Saints at the Superdome.

With two seconds left on the clock, rookie quarterback Tim Couch fired a 60-yard throw into the end zone for the New Orleans Saints. To seal the comeback victory, the Saints’ defense tipped the ball, which was then grabbed by Browns receiver Kevin Johnson. Aside from the offensive antics, Cleveland had a fantastic defensive performance.  In over a month, the Browns’ defense hadn’t picked off an interception, but they intercepted two in the first half and made three fumbles in the second half.

Browns vs. Falcons (December 29, 2002)

One benefit of an expansion franchise would be that a core set of players typically grows up together. Postseason appearances sooner in a team’s career are not strange with the proper coaching and support network. Since the fusion of the NFL and the AFL, four of the six expansion teams have made the playoffs in their first four seasons. These teams were Carolina and Jacksonville in season two and Cleveland and Tampa Bay in season four.

Cleveland reached the final week of the 2002 season seeking victory against Atlanta to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1994, locked in a tight race for the last AFC playoff spot in its 50th NFL season. The Browns were down 16–10 in the fourth quarter and have been without their primary quarterback. Tim Couch was injured before halftime, but substitute quarterback Kelly Holcomb led a touchdown drive with 6:58 to play, and William Green surged 64 yards for the next score on the succeeding drive to all but clinch the victory with 3:53 to go.

Final Thoughts

The Browns managed to win three NFL championships in the 1950s, practically winning the league, and one more in 1964. The team has won eight titles in all, including four in the AAFC and four in the NFL. That’s already an amazing strong record of victories!