1991: Bill Belichick Becomes Head Coach of Cleveland Browns

On February 5, 1991 owner Art Modell of the Cleveland Browns introduced Bill Belichick at a press conference as the eighth head coach in franchise history (not counting interims). He received a five-year contract and, two months shy of his 39^th birthday, was the youngest head coach in the NFL at the time.

Belichick had most recently been defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, who had edged Buffalo in the Super Bowl less than two weeks previously. He beat out Mike White, the quarterback coach of the Los Angeles Raiders, to succeed to the job that Bud Carson was forced to vacate after nine games of his second season at the helm (Jim Shofner was the interim coach for the last seven contests).

The son of Steve Belichick, who played for one season in the NFL as a fullback for the Detroit Lions in 1941 and went on to become a highly regarded college scout, Belichick was a graduate of Wesleyan University in Connecticut. His first NFL assistant coaching job was with the Baltimore Colts in 1975 at age 23 as a low-paid special assistant, essentially studying game film and running errands. He moved on to more significant positions with the Lions and Broncos before joining the Giants in 1979. In New York, he started out coaching special teams under Head Coach Ray Perkins, added linebackers to his responsibilities, and, retained by Bill Parcells, moved up to defensive coordinator in 1985. The Giants won two Super Bowls during Belichick’s tenure and the defense was a key to the team’s success.

Belichick already had a reputation as a hard worker with strong organizational skills, who was also intense and a highly knowledgeable student of the game. He inherited a team that was coming off of a dismal 3-13 record in 1990 after five straight playoff seasons. In selecting his staff, Belichick retained one holdover assistant, offensive line coach Hal Hunter, and included Nick Saban as defensive coordinator and Gary Tranquill, a career college assistant, to coach the quarterbacks.

The Browns improved to 6-10 in ’91 and were noticeably more competitive. Veteran QB Bernie Kosar, who had taken a beating in recent seasons, was sacked 41 times but also passed for 3487 yards and 18 touchdowns while giving up nine interceptions. The big-back combination of FB Kevin Mack and RB Leroy Hoard was effective and the receivers, led by WR Webster Slaughter, were capable. DT Michael Dean Perry initially held out but came back to make the Pro Bowl for the third straight year while providing leadership to a young defensive line. 36-year-old LB Clay Matthews was utilized primarily for his skill as a pass rusher and did well although injuries decimated the defensive backfield, where SS Eric Turner, the team’s first draft choice, missed the first half of the season due to a stress fracture in his foot but came on strong when he finally took the field.

The record was slightly better at 7-9 in 1992, although the Browns were at 7-6 before losing their last three contests. Kosar was limited to seven games due to a broken ankle, and with backup QB Todd Philcox also going down, journeyman Mike Tomczak accumulated eight starts. Rookie FB Tommy Vardell joined the corps of power running backs while HB Eric Metcalf was outstanding as a third-down back and punt returner. There was retooling among the receivers, where WR Michael Jackson had a breakout season and ex-Giants TE Mark Bavaro was steady. On defense, Perry got off to a slow start and complained about his role but came on stronger as the season progressed. Matthews appeared to be ageless and he and DE Rob Burnett led the club with nine sacks apiece. Age and injuries were still an issue in the backfield.

The 1993 season was highlighted by the dramatic, and controversial, decision to jettison Kosar from the team after seven games. The move was all the more stunning because Vinny Testaverde, the veteran obtained from the Buccaneers to back up Kosar, was injured and the team had to go with Philcox. The club lost four straight games, but Testaverde performed well when he took over the starting job and the Browns duplicated their ’92 record at 7-9. Vardell led the team in rushing and Metcalf was an All-Pro in his all-purpose role. WR Mark Carrier, another ex-Buc, teamed well with Jackson and the line, built around center Steve Everitt, was much improved. The defense was strongest on the line and in the backfield, but the linebackers were showing their age and lack of speed.

The pressure was on Belichick to show greater results in 1994, and the Browns responded by going 11-5 and reaching the playoffs. Testaverde’s performance was uneven but the play of other personnel on offense helped. When Vardell went down with a season-ending knee injury, Hoard ably stepped in and was named to the Pro Bowl along with Metcalf. Four starters on defense also made the Pro Bowl, including Perry, Burnett, Turner (who was also a first-team All-Pro by AP and the Pro Football Writers), and ex-Giants LB Pepper Johnson.  Both of the team’s first-round draft picks, CB Antonio Langham and WR Derrick Alexander, contributed significantly. Having finished second in the AFC Central, the Browns defeated New England in the Wild Card playoff round before losing to the division-rival Steelers at the Divisional level. It was a solid year and expectations were high for 1995.

Those high expectations failed to materialize. Cleveland got off to a 3-1 start, lost three straight, and was at 4-4 before the bottom fell out. Modell announced that the franchise would be moved to Baltimore in 1996 and the distracted club finished up at 1-7 for an overall record of 5-11. Testaverde was benched for four games and WR Andre Rison, who was brought in as a free agent from Atlanta at high cost to upgrade the receiving corps, proved a poor fit and became a negative presence in the locker room. The defense also slipped badly, and Turner was injured for half the season.

After five years, Belichick’s tenure with the Browns came to an end. His overall regular season record was 36-44 and 1-1 in the postseason. He took over a team in dire need of rebuilding and had steadily done so, making the greatest progress on the offensive line and the defense. The team had drafted well and, except in the notorious case of Rison, made good veteran pickups to fill holes.  Belichick had drawn criticism for his dour demeanor, which alienated the media and fans, and his intensity wore thin, not least with Modell, who initially had given the coach a vote of confidence to go with the team to Baltimore in ’96, only to dismiss him instead (Belichick was succeeded by one of his mentors, Ted Marchibroda, under whom he had served in his first assistant coaching job).

Belichick rejoined Bill Parcells, now head coach of the Patriots, in ’96 and went with him to the Jets the following year, acting as assistant head coach. He was set to replace Parcells with the Jets in 2000 but backed out to instead become head coach in New England. A year later, the Patriots won their first of six AFC titles and four Super Bowls (to date) under Belichick’s direction.

1991: McMahon Spurs Eagles from 23-0 Deficit to Defeat Browns

The Philadelphia Eagles, with their top-ranked defense, were at 4-5 as they faced the Cleveland Browns on November 10, 1991. Head Coach Rich Kotite’s first season at the helm had gotten off to a rough start when star QB Randall Cunningham was lost for the year in the opening week. Backup QB Jim McMahon (pictured at right), once a title-winner with the Bears, performed ably when healthy, but that was not the case for several games when lesser performers were behind center and the offense struggled. The team lost four straight games after starting off at 3-1 before beating the Giants the previous week. McMahon was available but playing with an assortment of injuries, most notably to his throwing elbow.

Cleveland also had a first-year head coach in Bill Belichick and was in transition. Seventh-year QB Bernie Kosar was still in place from the winning years in the late ‘80s, as were FB Kevin Mack and the corps of wide receivers led by Webster Slaughter. However, the Browns were hampered by some key injuries. Anthony Blaylock was starting at cornerback in place of the aging but capable Frank Minnifield and all-purpose HB Eric Metcalf, who returned punts, was also out.

It was a cool, dry day at Cleveland Municipal Stadium with 72,086 fans in attendance. The Browns took the opening kickoff and drove 37 yards in seven plays, helped along by four penalties on the defense. Matt Stover kicked a 50-yard field goal for the early 3-0 lead. Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, the Browns scored again when FS Eric Turner intercepted a Jim McMahon pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. Stover converted and the home team led by 10-0 with four minutes elapsed.

The Eagles were forced to punt after their next series and the Browns struck quickly. Kevin Mack ran for four yards and then Bernie Kosar threw to RB Leroy Hoard, who rambled 65 yards for a TD. Stover’s extra point attempt hit the left upright and was no good, but Cleveland was now up by 16-0.

Once again Philadelphia had to punt and, as the game headed into the second quarter, the Browns were on the move. Kosar completed passes to Webster Slaughter for 14 yards, TE Scott Galbraith for 13, and WR Reggie Langhorne for nine yards to reach the Philadelphia 20 and, four plays later he connected with Slaughter for an 18-yard touchdown. Stover’s point after was successful this time and, following the nine-play, 54-yard possession, Cleveland held a commanding 23-0 lead.

Now in a deep hole, the Eagles responded by advancing 80 yards in seven plays. McMahon completed two passes before RB James Joseph (pictured above) broke away for a 23-yard run. Facing third-and-seven at the Cleveland 38, the visitors benefited from a pass interference penalty on CB Anthony Blaylock that gave them a first down at the 19 and, two plays after that, McMahon threw to TE Keith Jackson for a 16-yard TD. Roger Ruzek converted and the Eagles were on the board, although still down by 23-7.

The Browns had to punt following their series and Philadelphia quickly narrowed the score further when, on first down, McMahon passed to WR Fred Barnett for a 70-yard touchdown. Ruzek again made good on the extra point and the score was 23-14 with 6:47 left in the first half.

WR Danny Peebles returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to give the Browns good starting field position at their 44, but two plays later a Kosar pass intended for Langhorne was intercepted by CB Ben Smith, who returned it six yards to midfield. McMahon immediately threw to Jackson for a gain of 33 yards to the Cleveland 17, but Philadelphia was moved back by a holding penalty on the next play. While McMahon completed his next three passes, the drive stalled at the four and Ruzek kicked a 21-yard field goal. The once-formidable Cleveland lead was narrowed to six points at 23-17.

The Browns regained possession with 1:32 remaining in the half. Mack ran for 10 yards and Kosar then threw to WR Brian Brennan for 11 yards and Slaughter for 17 in a play that cost the Eagles Ben Smith (for the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury, it turned out). Kosar then connected on two passes to Langhorne, first for 23 yards and then for 24 yards and a TD. Stover kicked the point after and Cleveland took a 30-17 lead into halftime.

The Eagles had the first possession in the third quarter and drove 60 yards in 11 plays. Joseph handled the bulk of the running and McMahon completed three passes, the longest to WR Calvin Williams for 30 yards. Ruzek booted a 37-yard field goal to make the score 30-20.

The Browns went three-and-out, but Brian Hansen’s punt traveled 65 yards and went out of bounds at the Philadelphia four. McMahon quickly got the Eagles out of the hole with a pass to Barnett (pictured below) for 38 yards and a throw to Jackson had them nearly to midfield. Tosses to Barnett and Williams gained another 14 yards and, after Joseph ran for five yards, McMahon connected with RB Keith Byars for seven yards. A defensive pass interference penalty gave Philadelphia a first down at the Cleveland seven, but the drive stalled as three passes fell incomplete and Ruzek kicked a 24-yard field goal.

The Browns punted after their next series and the Eagles had the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter. They moved methodically and converted a third-and-12 situation with a 16-yard McMahon-to-Williams pass play. Joseph had a 21-yard carry to the Cleveland 22 but Jackson dropped McMahon’s next toss and another fell incomplete to set up third-and-10. Once again the Browns were flagged for pass interference and once again the Eagles were unable to reach the end zone after getting first-and-goal inside the ten. A 19-yard Ruzek field goal finished off the 13-play, 78-yard drive and narrowed the score to 30-26.

Kosar completed a 14-yard pass to Slaughter to start Cleveland’s next series, but two sacks with an incompletion in between forced the Browns to punt. The Eagles had good field position at their 48 but moved backward thanks to a penalty and a sack and were forced to punt in turn. However, Slaughter, who typically didn’t return punts and unwisely fielded the ball at the one when it appeared certain to be a touchback, ran laterally and fumbled when hit by RB Robert Drummond. LB Britt Hager recovered at the Cleveland two.

Joseph was dropped for a three-yard loss on first down, but two plays later McMahon completed a five-yard touchdown pass to Williams. DE Rob Burnett blocked Ruzek’s kick but the Eagles were in front by two points with 5:19 remaining in regulation.

Another short series by the Browns resulted in a punt and Philadelphia, taking over with 4:28 to play, managed to control the ball for nearly the remainder of the game. McMahon threw to WR Roy Green for nine yards on a third-and-four play and yet another defensive pass interference penalty converted a third down. The Eagles finally had to punt, but there were only ten seconds remaining for the Browns to work with from their own 20 and two Kosar passes fell incomplete. Philadelphia won by a final score of 32-30.

The Eagles, in overcoming the 23-point deficit, led in total yards (418 to 258), first downs (24 to 16), and time of possession (41:14 to 18:46) with Cleveland managing just 24 total yards in the second half as the Eagles adjusted and dominated on defense. The Browns turned the ball over twice, to one by Philadelphia, and while the Eagles drew 10 penalties, at a cost of 72 yards to 7 penalties for 86 yards on Cleveland, the Browns were flagged five times for defensive pass interference to significant effect.

Jim McMahon completed 26 of 43 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns while giving up the one early interception. Fred Barnett had 8 catches for 146 yards and a TD and Calvin Williams and Keith Jackson had identical totals of 6 receptions for 76 yards and a score apiece. James Joseph rushed for 89 yards on 20 attempts.

For the Browns, Bernie Kosar was successful on just 14 of 33 throws for 246 yards and three TDs with one interception, completing only two of 13 in the second half. Webster Slaughter caught five passes for 74 yards and a TD, but his critical misplay of the punt in the fourth quarter drew the most comments. Reggie Langhorne (pictured above) was right behind in pass receiving yards with 73 on his four receptions that included a score. Cleveland gained just 25 yards on the ground and Kevin Mack accounted for 23 of them on 10 carries.

“You guys don’t know how bad Jim McMahon felt last night and this morning,” said Philadelphia’s Coach Kotite. “He could barely move his arm. I just can’t get over this guy.”

The dramatic win against the Browns was the second of six straight, and seven in their last eight games, for the Eagles. Injuries continued to plague McMahon and, while the formidable defense was able to keep them in games, they finished third in the NFC East at 10-6, just missing a playoff berth. Cleveland placed third in the AFC Central with a 6-10 record.

Jim McMahon started 11 games, with the Eagles winning eight of them, and completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 2239 yards and 12 touchdowns while giving up 11 interceptions. The 341-yard passing total against the Browns was the second-highest of his 15-season career. Fred Barnett caught 62 passes for 948 yards (15.3 avg.) and four touchdowns. Rookie James Joseph’s 89-yard rushing performance against Cleveland was his best of the year as he led the club with just 440 yards on 135 carries, averaging 3.3 yards-per-attempt.

1995: Bengals Rally to Tie Score but Browns Prevail in Overtime

The Cleveland Browns were struggling as they traveled to Cincinnati to play their intrastate rivals, the Bengals, on October 29, 1995. Head Coach Bill Belichick’s team was underachieving. They had reached the playoffs in ’94 but were coming into Cincinnati at 3-4 after sustaining three consecutive defeats. WR Andre Rison was brought in as a free agent and had failed to provide the anticipated impact and the running game was not up to par. The Browns looked especially lackluster against the expansion Jaguars the previous week and Coach Belichick chose to bench veteran QB Vinny Testaverde in favor of rookie QB Eric Zeier (pictured above).

The Bengals were in their fourth year under Head Coach David Shula, and that included back-to-back 3-13 records in 1993 and ’94. They were also 3-4 thus far, having won their first two games before dropping four straight and then defeating Pittsburgh in their most recent contest. There was talent on offense with QB Jeff Blake, TE Tony McGee, and wide receivers Darney Scott and Carl Pickens. But the defense was deficient, especially against the pass.

There were 58,639 fans in attendance at Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals had the first possession and advanced 85 yards in seven plays, helped along by a 46-yard pass interference call on CB Antonio Langham. RB Harold Green ran for 16 yards on first down and Jeff Blake completed four passes, the last of which was to Green from a yard out for a touchdown. However, a bad snap forced Cincinnati to abort the extra point attempt and the pass attempt from the holder, punter Lee Johnson, fell incomplete.

The Browns responded by driving 33 yards in 11 plays. Eric Zeier completed two passes that converted third downs, but an apparent completion to TE Brian Kinchen for 20 yards on a third-and-nine play from the Cincinnati 25 was flagged for offensive pass interference and Cleveland ultimately had to settle for a 44-yard Matt Stover field goal that narrowed the score to 6-3.

The Bengals punted following their next series and, in a possession that extended into the second quarter, Cleveland advanced 65 yards in 12 plays. The biggest was a Zeier throw to RB Earnest Byner for 22 yards in a third-and-seven situation, but with first-and-goal from the Cincinnati six, the visitors were unable to advance farther and Stover tied the score with a 25-yard field goal.

Cincinnati moved effectively on the next possession as Green carried twice for 19 yards and Blake completed passes to Tony McGee for nine yards and RB Eric Bieniemy for 19. A roughing-the-passer penalty got the Bengals to the Cleveland 23, but Green, who was injured on the play, fumbled and DT Tim Goad recovered for the Browns. Zeier immediately threw to Andre Rison (pictured below) for 23 yards but the series ended at the Cleveland 39 when RB Leroy Hoard lost a yard on a fourth-and-one play.

The teams traded turnovers before the Bengals, taking over with 4:48 left in the first half, put together a drive of 66 yards in nine plays. Facing third-and-ten, Blake connected with Darnay Scott for 18 yards and then followed up with another 18-yard completion, this time to McGee. Another completion, to WR David Dunn, gained 15 yards and an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Browns added another 15 to the Cleveland 19. The drive stalled, but Doug Pelfrey booted a 37-yard field goal that moved Cincinnati back in front by 9-6.

With the clock now down to 1:08, the Browns moved down the field with Zeier completing four passes, the longest to Rison for 46 yards. Stover kicked a 36-yard field goal and, when Pelfrey’s last-ditch try for a 63-yard field goal fell short, the score was 9-9 at the half.

The Browns had the ball first in the third quarter and broke the tie with an 11-play, 55-yard drive. Zeier completed five passes, the longest for 17 yards to Byner to reach the Cincinnati 20, but again the advance stalled and Stover came on to kick his fourth field goal, from 38 yards, to make it a 12-9 game.

The Bengals came back with an 80-yard possession that used eight plays. Green ran effectively and Blake completed passes to Scott for 31 yards and Bieniemy for 32. Facing third-and-goal, Blake completed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Carl Pickens and, with Pelfrey’s point after, the home team led by 16-12.

Zeier threw to Rison for a 59-yard gain to the Cincinnati five on the first play following the kickoff, but he was sacked and his next pass was intercepted by LB Steve Tovar. The Bengals had to punt, with Lee Johnson’s kick traveling only 27 yards to give the Browns good starting field position at their own 48. It came to naught as, with the game now into the fourth quarter, Cleveland was pushed back by penalties and had to punt in turn.

Following another punt by the Bengals, the Browns put together a 90-yard series in six plays. Zeier completed two passes before running for a 22-yard gain to the Cincinnati 37. After a pass interference call picked up another 20 yards, Zeier threw high to a leaping Rison for a 17-yard TD. Stover’s kick put the Browns in the lead by 19-16.

Cincinnati went three-and-out and punted and the Browns had to punt as well. However, the visitors got a break when Tom Tupa’s 64-yard kick was muffed by CB Corey Sawyer and CB Johnny Thomas recovered for Cleveland at the Bengals’ five. Two plays later, Byner ran for a three-yard touchdown. Stover kicked the extra point and, with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, the Browns were ahead by 26-16.

The Bengals needed to score quickly and Blake passed for 10 yards to RB James Joseph but suffered a slight concussion when sacked on the next play. Backup QB David Klingler, who was just coming back from being sidelined with a broken jaw, came into the game and threw to Bieniemy for 33 yards. Following the two-minute warning, Klingler threw an incomplete pass and was then sacked, but facing third-and-20 he hit McGee for a gain of 21 yards. Pelfrey kicked a 41-yard field goal and it was a seven-point game with 1:09 on the clock.

The Bengals executed a successful onside kick and were back on offense at the Cleveland 37. Klingler threw to Dunn for 17 yards but, after two more passes fell incomplete, consecutive pass interference penalties on Langham moved the ball to the one yard line. From there, Klingler threw to Pickens for a touchdown and Pelfrey’s extra point sent the contest into overtime tied at 26-26.

The Browns had the first possession in the extra period and punted. Cincinnati, with Blake again behind center, also had a short series and punted. Following another Cleveland punt, the Bengals had the ball at their own 38 and Blake went to the air. DB Dana Hall intercepted the tipped ball and the Browns were back on offense at the Cincinnati 45. Zeier threw to FB Tommy Vardell for seven yards and the fullback then rushed for six more. Following an incomplete pass, Byner ran around end for a 23-yard gain to the nine and, two plays later, Stover kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Browns a 29-26 win.

Cleveland led in total yards (480 to 384) although the Bengals had the edge in first downs (27 to 26). The Browns also had five sacks, to two by Cincinnati, while the Bengals turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by Cleveland. Both teams were heavily penalized, with the Browns drawing 15 flags, at a cost of 188 yards, to 10 thrown on Cincinnati.

Eric Zeier completed 26 of 46 passes for 310 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception and also rushed for 44 yards on 8 carries. Andre Rison had his most productive game with Cleveland, catching 7 passes for 173 yards and a TD. Earnest Byner ran for 74 yards on 17 attempts that included a score and also had four pass receptions for 43 yards. Matt Stover made good on all five his field goal attempts.

For the Bengals, Jeff Blake was successful on 20 of 35 throws for 249 yards and two TDs while also giving up two interceptions. In relief, David Klingler went five-of-11 for 73 yards and a touchdown. Eric Bieniemy (pictured at left) caught 6 passes for 95 yards while adding 19 yards on four rushing attempts. Harold Green topped the club with 66 yards on 14 carries and scored a TD on one of his four pass receptions for 23 yards.

“I’m exhausted right now,” said Eric Zeier. “It was a great football game. It’s the kind you want to be part of and remember for a long time.”

The good showing by Eric Zeier in his first career start was not followed by comparable outings and Vinny Testaverde regained the starting job later in the season. By then, owner Art Modell had let it be known that the Browns would be moving to Baltimore in 1996, and the team completely collapsed down the stretch to finish at 5-11 and in fourth place in the AFC Central. They swept the season series with Cincinnati, but the Bengals still managed to finish ahead of them in second at 7-9.

Zeier completed 82 of 161 passes for 864 yards and four touchdowns while giving up nine interceptions overall in 1995. He moved with the franchise to Baltimore and spent another three years with the rechristened Ravens, having only middling success when again given the opportunity to start. Andre Rison ended up with 47 catches for 701 yards (14.9 avg.) and three touchdowns, which was well below expectations, and he didn’t remain with the relocated club. He spent the ’96 season with Jacksonville and Green Bay before briefly rejuvenating his career with the Chiefs in 1997.

1993: Browns Rally from First Quarter Deficit to Defeat Bengals

Two AFC Central rivals, the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, met in a 1993 opening week contest on September 5. Both teams were in a rebuilding mode, with the Browns having gone 7-9 in ’92 and the Bengals 5-11.

Cleveland was beginning its third year under Head Coach Bill Belichick and had been active in signing veteran free agents such as QB Vinny Testaverde, WR Mark Carrier, and G Houston Hoover on offense and DT Jerry Ball and CB Najee Mustafaa on defense. They had also drafted an offensive lineman in the first round, Michigan center Steve Everitt. Still, the starting quarterback was Bernie Kosar (pictured above), in his eighth year with the club, and there were talented veterans on the tough defense that included DT Michael Dean Perry and LB Clay Matthews.

The Bengals were a young team with 28 first- or second-year players on the roster to start the season. They had a young head coach as well in Dave Shula, son of the legendary Don Shula and back for a second season at age 34. QB David Klingler, the team’s 1992 first-round draft choice who started some late-season games, was now taking over for nine-year veteran Boomer Esiason, who had been dealt to the Jets during the offseason.

It was a sunny and mild day with 75,508 fans in attendance at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The teams exchanged punts to start the game before the Bengals put together an 80-yard drive in six plays. David Klingler completed two passes to WR Jeff Query for gains of 25 and 51 yards. The second was a screen pass in a third-and-nine situation and set up a four-yard touchdown run by RB Ostell Miles. Doug Pelfrey added the extra point.

A short series by the Browns resulted in a punt and Cincinnati, benefiting from a 36-yard return by WR Patrick Robinson, again advanced to a score. Klingler completed a third-and-four pass to RB Derrick Fenner for 23 yards to the Cleveland 18 and, after Fenner ran for four yards, two more passes were good to Miles for nine yards and to WR Carl Pickens for a five-yard TD. Pelfrey again converted and the visitors were staked to a 14-0 lead with three minutes remaining in the opening period.

The Browns responded by driving 80 yards in 10 plays that extended into the second quarter. After a penalty on the Bengals gave Cleveland a first down at its own 31, RB Leroy Hoard ran for 12 yards and Bernie Kosar threw to Mark Carrier for 24 yards to reach the Cincinnati 33. Three consecutive completions that included a third-and-six pass to RB Eric Metcalf for 14 yards advanced the Browns to the 15 and, two plays later, Kosar connected with WR Michael Dyson (aka Jackson) for a 13-yard touchdown. Matt Stover’s point after narrowed the score to 14-7.

The teams again traded punts until the Browns put together another scoring possession, going 59 yards in 10 plays. Kosar started the series off with a throw to Carrier for 29 yards and had four more completions, setting up RB Tommy Vardell’s one-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds remaining in the first half. Stover again added the PAT and the teams went into halftime tied at 14-14.

Cleveland had the first possession in the third quarter and put together an 11-play, 64-yard drive. Vardell (pictured at left) ran effectively, picking up 35 yards on six carries, and while he was held for no gain on a third-and-one play at the Cincinnati 11, Stover put the Browns ahead by three with a 28-yard field goal.

It got worse for the Bengals on the next series as a Klingler pass was intercepted by CB Selwyn Jones, giving the ball back to the Browns at the Cincinnati 48. Kosar immediately threw to Carrier for 26 yards but the home team advanced no further and Stover booted another field goal, this time from 34 yards.

Following another exchange of punts, the Browns added to their lead early in the fourth quarter when Klingler, who was being sacked for the third straight play, fumbled and SS Stevon Moore recovered and ran 22 yards for a touchdown. Stover’s extra point put Cleveland ahead by a commanding 13 points.

Once more the teams traded punts before the Bengals, with 10:25 left to play, took over from their 17 yard line and began to move down the field. Klingler hit on five straight passes, including one to WR Tim McGee that covered 33 yards to the Cleveland 16. A pass interference penalty gave the visitors a first down at the one, but the defense held as three carries by Fenner netted a one-yard loss and on fourth down Klingler fumbled the snap. It was, in essence, the last gasp for Cincinnati.

Taking over on downs, the Browns kept the ball on the ground and were finally forced to punt from their 19 with the clock now down to 1:15. There were no last-minute heroics in store and when Klingler threw a pass that Selwyn Jones intercepted, it nailed down the 27-14 win.       

Cleveland led in total yards (263 to 227), first downs (18 to 12), and time of possession (32:38 to 27:22). The Browns recorded six sacks, to two by Cincinnati, and the Bengals turned the ball over three times, while Cleveland had none. The visitors further were hurt by nine penalties, to five flags thrown on the Browns.

Bernie Kosar completed 18 of 30 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Tommy Vardell ran for 60 yards on 16 carries that included a TD while Eric Metcalf, who gained 14 yards on four rushing attempts, had 9 catches for 60 yards. Mark Carrier topped the club with 79 yards on his three pass receptions.

For the Bengals, David Klingler (pictured above) was successful on 20 of 28 throws for 214 yards and a TD, but gave up two interceptions and suffered from being under constant pressure in addition to the sacks. Derrick Fenner rushed for 41 yards on 13 attempts and also pulled in 9 passes for 64 yards. Jeff Query, thanks to the long reception in the first quarter, gained 80 yards on three catches.

The Browns got off to a 3-0 start and then, after a 2-3 stretch, Bernie Kosar was released in a stunning move and ultimately replaced by Vinny Testaverde. Cleveland went 2-6 the rest of the way to end up with another 7-9 record and third place finish in the AFC Central. Cincinnati was 0-10 before finally winning three of its last six contests to place last in the division at 3-13. David Klingler continued to struggle, not helped by the deficient offensive line, and ultimately failed as a starting quarterback. While the Browns would turn things around in ’94 with Testaverde behind center, Cincinnati remained in a prolonged funk, with both Coach Shula and QB Klingler falling by the wayside.

1995: Browns Defeat Patriots in AFC Wild Card Playoff Game

Two teams that had not recently been to the postseason, the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, met in an AFC Wild Card game on January 1, 1995. The Browns had endured four straight losing seasons since last making it to the playoffs in 1989, and New England had also gone through some rough times after their last appearance in 1986.

Cleveland was in its fourth year under Head Coach Bill Belichick and placed second in the AFC Central with an 11-5 record, qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card. Eighth-year QB Vinny Testaverde (pictured above) was proving more successful in Cleveland than he had been in six seasons with Tampa Bay, but was still prone to throw too many interceptions, and FB Leroy Hoard was coming off a Pro Bowl season. But it was the defense, which gave up the fewest points in the NFL in ’94 (204), that was the key to the team’s success. The line contained Pro Bowlers in DE Rob Burnett and DT Michael Dean Perry while two ex-Giants, Pepper Johnson and Carl Banks, performed ably at linebacker and FS Eric Turner was a consensus first-team All-Pro.  

The Patriots were in their second year under Head Coach Bill Parcells, who had previously guided the Giants to two NFL titles. Second-year QB Drew Bledsoe was named to the Pro Bowl after passing for 4555 yards and 25 TDs, although he also tossed 27 interceptions. He had an outstanding target in All-Pro TE Ben Coates. The running game was problematic, where RB Marion Butts averaged only 2.9 yards per carry and was being benched against the Browns in favor of Corey Croom, a faster back but one who did not have any carries during the regular season. The defense steadily improved over the course of the season and led the league in takeaways (40). New England had won its last seven games to finish out the regular season after getting off to a 3-6 start and that resulted in a final tally of 10-6 and a second place finish in the AFC East.

There were 77,452 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium in a light drizzle that turned to snow. Following a punt by the Patriots, the Browns drove 74 yards in 10 plays on their first possession. Vinny Testaverde completed a pass to WR Michael Jackson for 27 yards in a third-and-five situation and also had tosses to WR Derrick Alexander for 23 yards and Jackson again for 12. Matt Stover kicked a 30-yard field goal to give the home team the early 3-0 lead.

On New England’s second play following the kickoff, Drew Bledsoe’s pass was intercepted by safety Louis Riddick. With his 16-yard return, the Browns had the ball at the New England 33, but they were unable to advance from there and punted.

The teams exchanged punts into the second quarter until the Patriots put together a 60-yard drive in nine plays. Bledsoe  (pictured below) completed a pass to WR Vincent Brisby for 18 yards on a second-and-ten play and, facing third-and-ten at the Cleveland 31, he connected with TE Ben Coates, also for 18 yards. A completion to RB Leroy Thompson resulted in a 13-yard touchdown and, with Matt Bahr adding the extra point, New England was in front by 7-3.

The Browns responded with a scoring drive of their own that went 51 yards in seven plays, helped by a short kickoff that TE Brian Kinchen returned 24 yards. Testaverde carried twice for 14 yards and threw to Jackson for 18 yards and Jackson for 11 to set up a five-yard completion for a TD to WR Mark Carrier. Matt Stover’s conversion put Cleveland ahead by three points.

New England came back with a long 16-play, 71-yard series that was helped along when, dropping into punt formation on fourth-and-ten at the Cleveland 43, punter Pat O’Neill instead threw to safety Corwin Brown for a pickup of 21 yards. Bledsoe completed three passes in all and RB Corey Croom twice converted third downs with short runs. The possession finally stalled at the four yard line and Bahr kicked a 23-yard field goal with 34 seconds remaining in the first half. In the remaining time, Testaverde completed a pass to Jackson for 36 yards and the Browns reached the New England 32 before Stover attempted a 50-yard field goal that was blocked by DE Mike Pitts. The halftime score remained tied at 10-10.

Opening the third quarter, the Browns advanced to the New England 24 before RB Eric Metcalf fumbled and Pitts recovered for the Patriots. A short possession resulted in a punt and Cleveland, starting from its own 21, drove 79 yards in 10 plays. Testaverde completed four passes, the longest to RB Leroy Hoard for 25 yards, and Hoard ran for a 10-yard touchdown to cap the drive. Stover added the extra point and the Browns were ahead by 17-10.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the teams traded punts until Pepper Johnson picked off a Bledsoe pass to give Cleveland the ball at the New England 31. The Browns came up empty, however, as three plays gained nothing and Stover’s 49-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right.

The home team got the ball back two plays later when Bledsoe’s pass bounced off of FB Kevin Turner and was picked off by Eric Turner, who returned it 28 yards to the New England 36. Hoard and RB Earnest Byner chipped away on the ground and Testaverde completed a pass to TE Frank Hartley for 12 yards. This time the possession yielded results as Stover booted a 21-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-10 with 3:36 remaining in regulation.

Bledsoe came out passing on the next series and connected on his first three throws to pick up 35 yards to the Cleveland 43. He completed two more and ran for three yards to convert a third down, and a throw to Brisby on a fourth-and-five play gained 12 yards. The drive stalled at the 15 and Bahr kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it a seven-point contest.

There was hope for the Patriots when the second try for an onside kick was successful (the first went out of bounds), but after completing two short passes to reach the New England 48, Bledsoe missed on his last four. The Browns held on to win by a final score of 20-13. 

Cleveland led in total yards (379 to 303) and first downs (22 to 20), controlling the ball for 21 of the last 30 minutes. 125 of the yards for the Browns came on the ground, to just 57 for New England, and the Patriots were hurt by three turnovers, to one suffered by Cleveland.

In his first postseason game, Vinny Testaverde completed 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, and gave up no interceptions. Michael Jackson had 7 catches for 122 yards and Derrick Alexander contributed 5 receptions for 69 yards. Leroy Hoard (pictured at right) rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries that included a TD and also had a 25-yard pass reception.

For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe, who was sacked only once but took many hits, was successful on just 21 of 50 throws for 235 yards and a TD while tossing three interceptions. Most significantly, he was 10-of-26 for 96 yards and gave up all of the interceptions in the second half. Vincent Brisby and Ben Coates each caught six passes, for 83 and 79 yards, respectively. Corey Croom gained 35 yards on 9 rushing attempts while Leroy Thompson, who rushed for 16 yards on four carries, had 33 yards on four pass receptions that included a score.

“This was the biggest game of my career, and next week will be even bigger,” said Vinny Testaverde. “I am satisfied with the way I played and with the way the team played.”

“The turnovers obviously killed us,” summed up Drew Bledsoe.

The Browns came back down to earth the next week as they were thrashed by the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional playoff round. With expectations high for 1995, Cleveland dropped to 5-11 in a season in which owner Art Modell announced that the franchise would move to Baltimore. Bill Belichick was dismissed but would become head coach of the Patriots in 2000, with far greater success. The franchise that became the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl that same season, but Cleveland had broken all ties with that team and, in 1999, became host to a new Cleveland Browns club that inherited the history as well as the name. New England, meanwhile, dropped to 6-10 in 1995 but won the AFC Championship in ’96 in what was the last season with Bill Parcells at the helm.

2007: Patriots Defeat Cowboys in Battle of Unbeaten Teams

Both the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys sported unblemished 5-0 records as they faced off at Texas Stadium on October 14, 2007. The Patriots had yet to score fewer than 34 points in any of their games, or give up more than 17, while Dallas had been only a bit less dominant.

Under Head Coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots had been molded into perennial contenders, reaching the playoffs in five of the previous six seasons that included three NFL Championships. They were guided on offense by QB Tom Brady (pictured above), who was at the height of his abilities at age 30. There were no stars among the running backs, but WR Randy Moss had been added to the receiving mix with outstanding results thus far, WR Wes Welker was a reliable possession receiver, and there was good depth behind them. The defensive line was excellent and the linebackers an experienced and savvy group.

Dallas, coached by Wade Phillips, also had a talented quarterback in Tony Romo, who had come out of nowhere the previous year to take over the starting job, and excellent receivers in WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten. The running duties were shared by Julius Jones and Marion Barber, with good results. On defense, the corps of linebackers, led by DeMarcus Ware, was effective, but the backs were vulnerable to being spread out – as the Patriots would show.

The Cowboys had first possession and punted. New England went 74 yards in 14 plays in response. After misfiring on his first two passes, Tom Brady connected with Wes Welker for 16 yards on third-and-ten and was successful on his next four throws, three of them to WR Donte’ Stallworth that totaled 25 yards. Facing third-and-seven at the Dallas 26, Brady again completed a pass to Welker for 20 yards and, three plays later, hit Randy Moss for a six-yard touchdown. Stephen Gostkowski added the extra point.

The teams traded punts until the Patriots again put together another scoring drive, this time advancing 69 yards in six plays. Once again Brady made big plays on third down, throwing deep to TE Ben Watson for 28 yards in a third-and-seven situation to reach the Dallas 38 and then, on third-and-seven, to Welker for a 35-yard TD. Gostkowski again successfully converted and New England took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Cowboys moved into New England territory on their next series and Nick Folk got them on the board with a 38-yard field goal. They scored again a short time later when Brady fumbled while being sacked by LB Greg Ellis and DE Jason Hatcher recovered and it returned it 29 yards for a touchdown. Folk’s PAT narrowed the visitors’ lead to 14-10.

The Patriots responded with another long series. Falling quickly into a second-and-20 hole, Brady passed to Stallworth for 17 yards and an offside call on the Cowboys gave New England a first down. Another completion to Stallworth gained 15 yards and, in a third-and-ten situation at the Dallas 42, Brady’s short toss to RB Kevin Faulk picked up 18 yards. The series ended with Brady once again throwing to Welker for a touchdown, this time from 12 yards out. Gostkowski’s extra point extended New England’s lead to 21-10.

Dallas regained possession with 3:28 remaining in the first half. Tony Romo immediately connected with TE Anthony Fasano for 26 yards, the first of seven completions that included three to Jason Witten for 11, 25, and 11 yards. A pass to Terrell Owens that was ruled complete but overturned on review was followed by a 12-yard TD pass to Owens and, with Folk’s extra point, the score stood at 21-17 at halftime.

New England’s first possession of the third quarter ended with a punt and the Cowboys put together a seven-play, 74-yard drive. Julius Jones (pictured above) had back-to-back runs of 25 and 18 yards along the way and Romo was successful on all four of his passes, the last to WR Patrick Crayton for an eight-yard touchdown. Folk added the point after and Dallas was in the lead by 24-21.

The Patriots responded with a scoring drive of their own, covering 77 yards in ten plays. Brady completed six passes, a pair each to Moss and Welker, and when Moss was interfered with by safety Pat Watkins, New England was at the one yard line. Brady tossed to TE Kyle Brady from there for a TD, Gostkowski added the PAT, and the visitors were back in front by 28-24.

The Cowboys were unable to move beyond their 12 yard line on the next possession and Mat McBriar’s punt, which was returned 18 yards by Welker, gave the Patriots good field position at the Dallas 43. An apparent touchdown pass was overturned by review, but a roughing-the-passer penalty advanced New England 15 yards and, while the drive stalled at that point, Gostkowski added a 45 yard field goal to make it a seven-point game.

 As the period came to a close, Dallas had fourth-and-one at its own 47, but an attempt to convert was nullified by a holding penalty and the Cowboys had to punt. Four plays later, Brady went long for Stallworth and the result was a 69-yard touchdown. Gostkowski’s extra point put New England ahead by 38-24.

RB Tyson Thompson returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards to the New England 23, but after Romo threw to Owens for 13 yards, the Cowboys were unable to reach the end zone and had to settle for a 23-yard Folk field goal.

Ahead by 11 points, the Patriots put together a long drive that burned six minutes off the clock. Brady completed four passes, Faulk ran the ball six times, and Gostkowski kicked a 22-yard field goal to extend New England’s lead to 41-27 with just over four minutes remaining on the clock.

On the first play of the next Dallas series, LB Junior Seau intercepted Romo’s pass to effectively extinguish any hopes for the Cowboys. The Patriots added one last touchdown on a one-yard carry by FB Kyle Eckel and came away with a decisive 48-27 win.

New England was statistically dominant, leading in total yards (448 to 285) and first downs (28 to 13). Each team turned the ball over once. The Cowboys recorded three sacks, to two by the Patriots. They also were penalized 12 times, at a cost of 100 yards, compared to five flags thrown on New England.

Tom Brady completed 31 of 46 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Wes Welker (pictured below) had 11 catches for 124 yards and two TDs and Donte’ Stallworth gained 136 yards on 7 receptions that included a score. They benefited from Dallas’ coverage of Randy Moss, who still caught 6 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Faulk was New England’s leading rusher with 47 yards on 12 attempts.

For the Cowboys, Tony Romo was successful on 18 of 29 throws for 199 yards and two TDs with one interception. Terrell Owens topped the receivers with 6 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown and Julius Jones ran for 51 yards on six carries, followed closely by RB Marion Barber who had 49 yards on 9 runs. Mat McBriar averaged 53.8 yards on his five punts.

“The reality is we got a win on the road and we’re 6-0. That’s what is important,” summed up Tom Brady. “Any time you win you’re doing just fine. It’s another step in the process. We have to continue to make improvements.

The Patriots improved all the way to a 16-0 record in the regular season, but came short of ultimate perfection with an upset loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Dallas recovered to win its next seven straight games on the way to a NFC-best 13-3 tally. However, they lost in the Divisional playoff round to the Super Bowl-bound Giants.

Tom Brady led the NFL in passing yards (4806), completion percentage (68.9), yards per attempt (8.3), and overall rating (117.2) as well as a then-record 50 touchdown passes and received consensus MVP honors as well as All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition. Randy Moss caught a record 23 TD passes among his 98 receptions for 1493 yards and Wes Welker tied for the league lead with 112 catches, good for 1175 yards and eight scores.

Tony Romo passed for 4211 yards and a NFC-high 36 touchdowns, although his 19 interceptions ranked among the league leaders as well. 

2003: Last-Minute Goal-Line Stand Gives Patriots Win Over Colts

The New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts both had 9-2 records as they faced off on November 30, 2003. The Patriots, after getting off to a 2-2 start, had won seven straight contests. Under the leadership of Head Coach Bill Belichick, they were a deep and cohesive team on both sides of the ball. While the running backs were average and the receiving corps contained no elite performers, QB Tom Brady (pictured above), in his third season as the starting quarterback, had already established himself as one of the league’s best. The tough defense was strongest at linebacker and the backfield.

Indianapolis, coached by Tony Dungy, also had an outstanding talent at quarterback in Peyton Manning, now in his sixth season. In addition, the Colts had RB Edgerrin James and WR Marvin Harrison, who were among the NFL’s best at their positions. Manning and Brady had faced off twice thus far since 2001, with the Patriots coming away as winners in both instances.

There were 57,102 fans in attendance at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The Patriots had first possession and went 50 yards in 11 plays. Tom Brady completed five passes and Adam Vinatieri capped the drive with a 43-yard field goal. The first series for the Colts ended when Peyton Manning fumbled and DT Dan Klecko recovered at the Indianapolis 36. The Patriots made the most of the break as Brady completed another four throws, the longest to RB Kevin Faulk for 16 yards, and RB Michael Cloud ran the last four yards for a touchdown. With Vinatieri’s extra point, the New England lead was up to 10-0.

The Colts went three-and-out on their next possession and, following the punt, the Patriots put together another scoring drive as the game moved into the second quarter. This time they went 73 yards in nine plays that ended with Brady throwing to WR Dedric Ward for a 31-yard TD.

Down by 17-0, the Colts responded with a 10-play, 53-yard series. Manning completed four passes, including one to WR Marvin Harrison for 20 yards, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 40-yard field goal to get the home team on the board.

The Patriots reached the Indianapolis 40 before being forced to punt, and the Colts, taking over at their 14, proceeded to drive 86 yards in 11 plays. Manning converted a third-and-10 situation with a pass to Edgerrin James that gained 17 yards and, following the two minute warning, James carried for 20 yards to the New England 31. Manning had back-to-back completions to Harrison for nine yards and WR Troy Walters for 15 and, three plays later, he connected with TE Marcus Pollard for an eight-yard touchdown.

Vanderjagt’s PAT made it a seven-point game with 12 seconds remaining in the half, but on the ensuing kickoff the Colts chose to kick away rather than squib it, and WR Bethel Johnson (pictured at left) went 92 yards for a TD. New England took a 24-10 lead into halftime.

The Colts had the ball first in the third quarter and punted. The Patriots responded with a long drive that covered 61 yards in 11 plays. Brady completed another four passes, one to Ward for 19 yards while facing third-and-14, and the visitors also recovered two of their own fumbles along the way. Cloud ran one yard for a touchdown and, with Vinatieri converting, New England’s margin was up to a commanding 31-10.

It didn’t get any better for the Colts when a Manning pass was intercepted by CB Tyrone Poole, but two plays later CB Donald Strickland picked off a Brady throw and returned it 24 yards to the Indianapolis 42. It seemed to turn the tide as the Colts advanced 58 yards in nine plays. James ran effectively and, facing fourth-and-nine, Manning connected with WR Reggie Wayne for a 13-yard TD. Vanderjagt added the extra point.

The Colts got the ball back shortly thereafter on another interception, this time by CB Nick Harper in New England territory, and Manning immediately threw to Harrison for a 26-yard touchdown. In stunning fashion, the home team was only down by 31-24 as the game headed into the fourth quarter.

The Patriots punted following their next series, and the Colts proceeded to drive 70 yards in nine plays. Manning completed four passes, the last to Walters for a six-yard TD and, with Vanderjagt’s kick, the game was tied at 31-31.

The Patriots had been quiet on offense during the Indianapolis comeback, but now they benefited from a 67-yard kickoff return by Johnson to get excellent field position at the Colts’ 31. Brady threw twice to WR David Givens for 18 yards and, two plays later, he connected with WR Deion Branch for a 13-yard touchdown. Adding the extra point, New England was back on top by seven points.

The Colts drove just past midfield on their next possession but had to punt. They got the ball back three plays later when Faulk fumbled and DE Raheem Brock recovered at the New England 11. Manning threw three incomplete passes and Vanderjagt kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a four-point game with 3:27 to go.

The Patriots were only able to run off a little time on their next possession before punting, and the kick by Ken Walter went just 18 yards. The Colts started off at the 50 and Manning tossed passes to James for five yards and Wayne for 13. RB Dominic Rhodes ran for nine yards before the two minute warning. After James ran for three yards, Manning threw to Harrison for nine yards to get inside the 10 and James ran for seven yards to give Indianapolis a first and goal at the two yard line.

The Colts were without TE Dallas Clark, FB Detron Smith, and RB James Mungro, their short-yardage specialist, all lost to injuries, and their absence became more apparent as Indianapolis sought to reach the end zone from down close. James gained a yard but then was stopped for no gain on second down. Manning went to the air on third down to no avail. James carried once more on first down and again came up short as LB Willie McGinest, who had earlier twisted his knee, blew into the backfield to make the stop (pictured below). The Patriots had held on to win by a final score of 38-34.

The Colts led New England in total yards (370 to 282) and first downs (26 to 21). The Patriots turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by Indianapolis. They also benefited from two kickoff returns that generated 159 yards and one direct score while setting up another TD.

Tom Brady completed 26 of 35 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns along with two interceptions. Deion Branch had 6 catches for 64 yards and a TD while Kevin Faulk contributed 5 pass receptions for 36 yards to go along with his 42 rushing yards on 15 carries. Bethel Johnson had the key kickoff returns and overall averaged 38.4 yards on his five runbacks.

For the Colts, Peyton Manning was successful on 29 of 48 throws for 278 yards and four TDs while tossing one interception. Edgerrin James ran for 88 yards on 25 attempts and caught 8 passes for 50 more yards. Marvin Harrison gained 88 yards on his 7 catches that included a touchdown.

The Patriots kept winning the rest of the way, finishing the regular season on top of the AFC East with the NFL’s best record at 14-2. Indianapolis lost once more to end up first in the AFC North with a 12-4 tally. The teams faced off for the AFC Championship and New England again came away the winner before moving on to defeat Carolina in the Super Bowl for a second NFL title in three years. 

1993: Mitchell Rallies Dolphins After Marino Suffers Season-Ending Injury

Dan Marino was starting his 145th straight game, the NFL record for a quarterback at the time (if not counting strike games with replacement players in 1987), as the Miami Dolphins faced the Cleveland Browns on October 10, 1993. A prolific passer to go along with his durability, Marino was approaching major career records (he came into the game just 45 TD passes behind Fran Tarkenton’s record of 342, for instance) and was off to another fine start in ’93. Head Coach Don Shula’s Dolphins were 3-1, although there were concerns regarding Miami’s defense, which was having injury problems. DE Marco Coleman and DE/LB David Griggs, two of the most effective pass rushers, were out for the game at Cleveland.

The Browns, coached for the third year by Bill Belichick, were also 3-1 but having problems on offense. Veteran QB Bernie Kosar was having trouble moving the team and, in each of the previous two games, backup Vinny Testaverde, obtained after six seasons in Tampa Bay, had relieved him.

The crowd in attendance at Municipal Stadium numbered 78,138 and they saw the Browns take the opening kickoff and drive 74 yards in eight plays, highlighted by WR Michael Jackson tossing a 16-yard pass to RB Eric Metcalf on a fake reverse. Jackson was in turn the recipient of a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kosar as Cleveland took the early lead.

Cleveland’s offense reverted to form and the teams traded punts until, early in the second quarter, Marino passed the Dolphins into Cleveland territory and Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 52-yard field goal.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next series and Miami responded with a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive. Marino completed all six of his passes, with two of them converting third downs, and connected with WR Mark Ingram for a 13-yard TD. Stoyanovich added the PAT and the Dolphins were ahead by 10-7.

Cleveland’s next series ended when Metcalf fumbled after catching a pass and CB Bruce Alexander recovered for the Dolphins. Marino again moved the Miami offense efficiently down the field, starting off with passes covering 15 yards to TE Keith Jackson and 17 yards to WR Irving Fryar. But after another short completion, Marino was sacked and, on the next play, was injured as he planted his right foot while throwing a pass to RB Terry Kirby and had to be helped off the field. While it was not yet known, he would not return again in 1993.

Backup QB Scott Mitchell (pictured at top), a lefthander who had thrown a total of eight passes over the course of the previous three seasons, came into the game for the Dolphins with his team at the Cleveland 10. It did not seem promising for Miami when his first pass was intercepted by CB Najee Mustafaa and returned 97 yards for a touchdown, setting a new franchise record. The Browns took a 14-10 lead into halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter. On their second series, the Dolphins moved 60 yards in six plays. Mitchell passed to Fryar for a 30-yard gain to the Cleveland 24 and, three plays later, connected with WR Tony Martin for a 19-yard touchdown.  Stoyanovich’s PAT had the visitors up by three points at 17-14.

The Browns punted following a short possession and Miami put together another scoring drive, taking 9 plays to go 53 yards. Mitchell completed three passes along the way and had a 16-yard run out of shotgun formation for a first down in a third-and-12 situation. A three-yard pass to Keith Jackson was good for a TD and, following the successful conversion, a ten-point lead.

It was more than enough for the Dolphins. Their next series, early in the fourth quarter, ended with a failed 36-yard Stoyanovich field goal attempt. The Browns, now with Vinny Testaverde in the game at quarterback, drove to the Miami 22 but Matt Stover was wide on a 39-yard field goal try. Following a punt by the Dolphins, Cleveland again mounted a threat but, reaching the Miami nine, Testaverde threw a pass that was intercepted by DB Chris Green and effectively sealed the game for Miami. The Dolphins won by a final score of 24-14.

Miami easily outgained the Browns (338 yards to 202) and had more first downs (20 to 16). The Dolphins also recorded six sacks, to just one by Cleveland. The Browns turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Miami – although it was a spectacular one.

Before his injury, Dan Marino was having a fine performance as he completed 14 of 19 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Scott Mitchell followed up with 10 completions in 16 attempts for 118 yards and two TDs along with the one interception. The running backs Terry Kirby and Keith Byars weren’t very successful running the ball but were the team’s top receivers – Kirby caught 7 passes for 61 yards while gaining just 12 rushing yards on 14 carries and Byars had 5 receptions for 51 yards while running for 26 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Browns, Bernie Kosar was successful on 15 of 19 throws, but for only 82 yards and the early TD. In relief, Vinny Testaverde was 6-of-13 for 44 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, and was also sacked five times. Still, he was also the team’s leading rusher with 37 yards on three carries. Eric Metcalf caught 9 passes for 66 yards and ran 7 times for 36 yards.

Dan Marino’s injury proved to be a torn Achilles tendon and he was officially done for the season. He reappeared on crutches along the sideline during the second half.

“Sometimes you take it (playing every game) for granted,” reflected Marino. “You line up for every play and you think nothing will happen to you. And then, all of a sudden, it does and it’s a shock.”

Scott Mitchell started the next three games for the Dolphins, which were all wins, before he was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Miami kept winning, including one that made Don Shula the winningest coach in NFL history, and had the NFL’s best record at 9-2 heading into December before the bottom fell out and they lost their remaining games to finish second in the AFC East and out of the playoffs with a 9-7 tally.

As for Cleveland, there was also change at quarterback with Vinny Testaverde being named the starter for the following week’s game.

“We’re not a very good offensive team right now,” explained Coach Belichick. “Vinny moved the team downfield twice in the fourth quarter. That’s been missing.”

The Browns won their next two contests with Testaverde at quarterback but, when he was injured, Kosar returned to the starting lineup, the team lost, and in a shocking move the popular nine-year veteran was released. Todd Philcox started at quarterback until Testaverde was able to come back and the Browns won only twice more all season to place third in the AFC Central with a 7-9 record.

Scott Mitchell ended up completing 57.1 percent of his 233 passes for 1773 yards with 12 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. It was enough to draw the interest of teams looking for a potential upgrade at quarterback and he signed a big contract to play for the Detroit Lions in 1994. 

2011: Bills Rally to End Long Losing Streak vs. Patriots

In the third week of the 2011 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills hosted the New England Patriots on September 25, a team that had dominated both them and their division for most of the preceding decade. The Bills had lost to New England 15 straight times and in 20 of their last 21 meetings dating back to 2000 – the season after Buffalo last reached the playoffs.

However, the Bills were off to a 2-0 start and seemed to be a rejuvenated club. The offense was balanced and effective, with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (pictured at right) passing efficiently out of a spread formation and RB Fred Jackson productive on the ground. The defense was opportunistic and forced turnovers. Head Coach Chan Gailey’s team was coming off an exciting come-from-behind win the previous week against the Raiders and was riding high with the tough Patriots coming to town.

New England, under Head Coach Bill Belichick, had not had a losing season since that long-ago 2000 season and had been in the playoffs in 10 of the previous 12 years that included four AFC Championships and three NFL titles. QB Tom Brady, at age 34, was a picture of precision as was his favorite target, WR Wes Welker. However, the defense was not as strong as in the Super Bowl-winning years. Still, they were also 2-0, with a 10-game regular season winning streak on the line, and would provide a formidable test for Buffalo.

There were 68,174 fans on hand at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Patriots took the opening kickoff and drove 84 yards in nine plays. The highlight was a pass from Tom Brady to Wes Welker that picked up 22 yards to the Buffalo 22. Four plays later, Brady again connected with Welker for a 14-yard touchdown.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Buffalo’s Ryan Fitzpatrick threw to WR Steve Johnson for a 33-yard gain but on the next play he was picked off by CB Kyle Arrington. New England made the most of the turnover, going 30 yards in six plays. Brady tossed a pass to TE Rob Gronkowski in the end zone for a one-yard TD.

The Bills put together a long drive to the New England 35, converting two third downs along the way. But facing a fourth-and-14 situation, Fitzpatrick’s pass was intercepted once again by Arrington. The first quarter ended with the Patriots ahead by 14-0.

The teams traded punts until midway through the second quarter when Brady connected with Gronkowski on passes that covered 21 and then 26 yards for a touchdown. Now down by 21-0, the Bills responded with a seven-play, 81-yard series. Fitzpatrick completed four passes and had a 14-yard run and Fred Jackson (pictured below) had a 21-yard carry. The last pass completion was to Johnson for 11 yards and a TD that, followed by Rian Lindell’s extra point, cut the New England lead to 21-7.

It seemed as though the Patriots would drive to another score when they methodically advanced to the Buffalo 13, but Brady threw a short pass that was intercepted by SS Bryan Scott. Taking over at their own 10 with just over a minute left in the half, the Bills moved down the field with Fitzpatrick passing on every play. They reached the New England 24 from where Lindell kicked a 42-yard field goal to make the score 21-10 at the intermission.

Following a short series by the Bills to start the third quarter, Brady threw a long pass that was intercepted by CB Leodis McKelvin and returned 21 yards to the New England 39. Buffalo made the most of the break as Fitzpatrick capped the resulting seven-play series with a three-yard touchdown pass to TE Scott Chandler. Lindell’s PAT narrowed the visiting team’s lead to four points.

However, the Patriots responded with a 10-play, 83-yard scoring drive. Brady completed five passes along the way, including one to WR Chad Ochocinco for 19 yards and another to Gronkowski for 29 yards to the Buffalo 13. Gostkowski kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it 24-17, which was the tally as the game entered the fourth quarter.

The Patriots again penetrated deep into Buffalo territory but Brady was again picked off, this time by FS George Wilson at his own two yard line. A roughing-the-passer penalty moved the ball out to the 20 and then Fitzgerald went long to WR Donald Jones for a 48-yard gain. It seemed for naught when Fitzpatrick fired a pass toward the end zone that was intercepted, but a pass interference penalty on the Patriots instead put the ball on the one yard line. From there, Jackson punched over for a TD and Lindell kicked the extra point that tied the score at 24-24.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff the Bills took the lead when CB Drayton Florence picked off another Brady pass that was tipped at the line and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. Lindell added the PAT that made it a seven-point margin for the home team.

There was still plenty of time and the Patriots responded with a long drive that went 74 yards in 15 plays. Along the way they converted a fourth-and-four situation on a five-yard completion from Brady to Welker and, shortly thereafter facing third-and-seven at the Buffalo 33, it was Welker making a franchise-record 14^th catch for 20 yards. Finally, in a fourth-and-goal situation, Brady tossed a six-yard TD pass to Welker. Gostkowski kicked the all-important extra point and the game was again tied at 31-31.

Buffalo took over with 3:25 remaining in regulation. Fitzpatrick connected with Jones for 29 yards and then Fred Jackson for 12 to get down to the New England 39. A slant pass to Jackson appeared initially to be good for a touchdown when he dove toward the end zone while being tackled from behind, but upon review it was determined that the running back had not broken the plane of the goal line and it was instead a 38-yard gain to the one yard line. From there the Bills backed themselves up by kneeling to run the clock down. On the game’s last play, Lindell kicked a 28-yard field goal that brought wild cheering from the home crowd. Buffalo was the winner by a final score of 34-31.

The Patriots outgained Buffalo (495 yards to 448) and had more first downs (30 to 24). However, they also gave up four turnovers, all on interceptions, to two by the Bills. Neither team recorded a sack.

Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 27 of 40 passes for 369 yards with two touchdowns as well as two interceptions. Fred Jackson rushed for 74 yards and a TD on 12 carries and also caught 5 passes for 87 yards. Steve Johnson had 8 pass receptions for 94 yards and a score while Donald Jones compiled 101 yards on his 5 catches.

For the Patriots, Tom Brady was successful on 30 of 45 throws for 387 yards and four TDs but also gave up the four interceptions, tying his career worst. Wes Welker (pictured below) ended up with a team record 16 catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns and Rob Gronkowski added 7 receptions for 109 yards and two more scores. RB Stevan Ridley led the running game with 42 yards on 6 attempts.

“It’s the biggest win of my career,” said veteran LB Chris Kelsay, who was with the Bills when they last defeated the Patriots in 2003. “I can’t think of any bigger. To beat these guys at home, in front of our fans, with the way they’re behind us despite being down early, it’s huge. I’ll never forget it.”

Buffalo’s run ended the next week with a loss at Cincinnati, and while they won two of their next three games, the bottom fell out after that. Injuries, in particular to Fred Jackson, wore the Bills down and they ended up with a 6-10 record at the bottom of the AFC East. New England, on the other hand, went on to a 13-3 record that was the best in the conference as well as the division. The Patriots finished off the regular season with a 49-21 win over the Bills. After advancing to the Super Bowl, New England lost to the Giants.

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s passing cooled off along with the weather during the second half of the season and he ended up with 3832 yards and 24 touchdowns, but also a league-leading 23 interceptions. Playing in just 10 games before suffering a broken leg, Fred Jackson rushed for 934 yards with a 5.5-yard average gain and had 442 yards on 39 pass receptions. Steve Johnson led the receiving corps with 76 catches for 1004 yards (13.2 avg.) and seven TDs.

In a year of record-shattering passing performances, Tom Brady threw for 5235 yards and 39 touchdowns, as opposed to 12 interceptions, with an AFC-leading 105.6 rating. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the seventh time. Wes Welker led the NFL with 122 pass receptions, for a conference-leading 1569 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Rob Gronkowski topped the league with 17 scoring catches.