1966: Cowboys Defeat Browns in Pivotal Thanksgiving Matchup

It was a Thanksgiving showdown for control of the NFL Eastern Conference as the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Cleveland Browns on November 24, 1966.

The Cowboys, meticulously guided by Head Coach Tom Landry since the franchise’s creation in 1960, had a 7-2-1 record and were on the way to their first winning season, with the possibility of also topping the conference. QB Don Meredith (pictured at right) was often maligned but coming into his own and HB Dan Reeves had proven to be effective in tandem with FB Don Perkins. Split end Bob Hayes provided speed on the outside, adding to the explosiveness of the offense. The defense was tough and aggressive, especially on the line anchored by DT Bob Lilly and at linebacker, with Chuck Howley and Dave Edwards on the outside and Lee Roy Jordan in the middle.

Cleveland, at 7-3 under Head Coach Blanton Collier, had topped the Eastern Conference in each of the previous two seasons and won a NFL title in ’64. While the Browns lost star FB Jim Brown to retirement, HB Leroy Kelly had proven to be a more-than-capable replacement and combined effectively with FB Ernie Green. QB Frank Ryan remained a good field general and had fine receivers in flanker Gary Collins and split end Paul Warfield. The Browns had won the previous meeting between the teams in Cleveland but the defense was injury-depleted.

There was a record crowd of 75,504 fans in attendance at the Cotton Bowl. Dallas got the first scoring opportunity following a 38-yard punt return by FS Mel Renfro to the Cleveland 20. But while the Cowboys advanced inside the ten yard line, they had to settle for an 11-yard Danny Villanueva field goal.

Dallas again had the ball in excellent field position shortly thereafter when Leroy Kelly fumbled and Bob Lilly recovered at the Cleveland 24. Once again the home team had to settle for three points, however, and Villanueva again connected, this time from 31 yards.

As the game headed into the second quarter, Cleveland had a shot at getting on the board, but Lou Groza missed wide on a 28-yard field goal attempt. On their next series, the Browns drove 81 yards, and this time didn’t come up empty. Frank Ryan threw to Gary Collins for 21 yards to the Dallas one and from there Kelly plunged into the end zone for a touchdown. Groza’s extra point put Cleveland ahead by 7-6.

The Cowboys put together an 87-yard advance that featured Don Meredith completing passes of 12 yards to Don Perkins, 17 to Dan Reeves, and 14 yards to TE Frank Clarke. Meredith completed the series by throwing a swing pass to Reeves for a six-yard TD on a third down play and, with Villanueva’s point after, the home team was back in front by 13-7.

Cleveland responded with an eight-play, 76-yard series that was helped along by a pass interference penalty on CB Warren Livingston. Ryan lobbed a pass to Ernie Green (pictured at left), who easily outran LB Chuck Howley for a 16-yard touchdown. Groza converted and, with 1:07 remaining in the first half, the visitors were ahead by 14-13.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys moved into scoring position thanks to a long pass interference penalty on CB Mike Howell at the Cleveland 21. Meredith picked up a first down on a 10-yard carry to the nine, but the Browns held and Dallas again turned to Villanueva, who was successful on a 12-yard field goal that put the Cowboys back in front by 16-14.

The Browns failed to put points on the board when Groza’s woes continued as he was again wide on a field goal attempt, this time from 31 yards. The Cowboys again drove into Cleveland territory and once more had to call on Villanueva, who was good on a 13-yard field goal that made the score 19-14 with seven seconds remaining in the period.

The Dallas lead was a tenuous 19-14 as the game headed into the fourth quarter, and the Browns were once again in scoring position. But in a pivotal turn of events, a 20-yard field goal attempt by Groza was blocked by SS Mike Gaechter and the Cowboys proceeded to drive 72 yards in 13 plays. The home team converted three third downs along the way as Meredith connected with Bob Hayes for 19 yards in a third-and-15 situation, ran for five yards on third-and-three, and passed to Reeves for seven yards when facing third-and-four at the Cleveland 16. The series ended with Don Perkins running 10 yards for a touchdown. Villanueva converted and, for all intents, sealed the 26-14 Dallas win.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (321 to 304) although Dallas had more first downs (25 to 18). Cleveland suffered the game’s only turnover and the Cowboys, who were aggressive in their pass rushing, recorded five sacks, to none by the visitors. A key factor was the kicking game as Danny Villanueva was perfect on four field goal attempts while Lou Groza failed three times (at age 42, there was speculation that Groza was at the end of his Hall of Fame career, but he did come back for one final season in 1967).

Don Meredith completed 16 of 24 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Don Perkins (pictured at right) ran for 111 yards on 23 carries that included the game-clinching TD and Dan Reeves contributed 49 yards on 14 attempts as well as four catches for 32 yards and a score. Bob Hayes led the Dallas receivers with 6 catches for 54 yards.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan, who was constantly pressured by the Dallas pass rush, was successful on 12 of 26 throws for 190 yards and a TD and with none intercepted. Leroy Kelly gained 115 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included a touchdown and Ernie Green gained 24 yards on 8 attempts and also scored on his lone pass reception. Gary Collins had 5 pass receptions for 92 yards to top the club.

“Dallas just executed better than we did,” summed up Cleveland’s Coach Collier. “We had field position, we had our chances, but we couldn’t capitalize on them.”

The win gave the Cowboys the upper hand in the Eastern Conference race and they ended up first with a 10-3-1 record, losing a closely-fought NFL Championship game to the Green Bay Packers. Cleveland finished in a tie for second with Philadelphia at 9-5.

As a footnote, the arrival of Dallas as a playoff contender would prove to be lasting as the Cowboys went to the postseason in each of the next seven seasons and 18 of 20 between 1966 and ’85.

1964: Browns Pull Away in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Giants

For years during the 1950s and early 60s, games between the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants were often battles for control in the NFL Eastern Conference. The meeting on October 25, 1964 was different, however, in that while the Browns were contending once again with a 4-1-1 record, New York had fallen on hard times and was at 1-4-1.

Cleveland was coached by Blanton Collier for the second year and coming off of a 10-4 second-place finish in ’63. FB Jim Brown, in the eighth season of his career, remained the key player on offense, but QB Frank Ryan (pictured above) had emerged as a capable field general and there was an impressive new target available for his passes in rookie split end Paul Warfield.

Head Coach Allie Sherman’s Giants had won three straight conference titles, but age and injuries had caught up to the team. QB Y.A. Tittle, whose passing had fueled so much success, had just turned 38 and was taking a beating. Other offensive stalwarts such as FB Alex Webster and flanker Frank Gifford were injured. The defense was missing MLB Sam Huff, who had been dealt to Washington in a controversial deal, as well as DT Dick Modzelewski, who was proving helpful to the Browns.

There were 81,050 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium for the latest installment in the fierce rivalry. In the first quarter, the Giants struck first with a drive that covered 63 yards in 13 plays. Y.A. Tittle completed two passes and HB Dick James finished it off with a one-yard touchdown carry. Don Chandler missed the extra point attempt, but New York was ahead by 6-0.

Defensively, New York was proving surprisingly effective at stopping the Browns, in particular keeping Jim Brown in check. The home team finally got on the board midway through the second quarter when rookie HB Leroy Kelly returned a punt 68 yards for a TD and Lou Groza added the point after. The Giants had an opportunity to score again before halftime, but after covering 60 yards in seven plays, Tittle’s pass into the end zone was picked off by CB Bernie Parrish. Cleveland maintained the 7-6 halftime advantage.

In the third quarter, LB Galen Fiss intercepted a pass to give the Browns possession at their 40, and six plays later Frank Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for an 11-yard touchdown. Groza booted the point after to put the home team up by 14-6. New York responded with a five-play series that covered 80 yards. HB Steve Thurlow tossed an option pass to flanker Aaron Thomas for 33 yards and Tittle surprised the Browns by rolling out and carrying the ball for a seven-yard touchdown. Chandler made good on the point after and the third quarter ended with the Browns clinging to a narrow 14-13 lead.

The situation changed dramatically early in the fourth quarter. The Giants regained possession in their territory due to an interception, but Cleveland DE Paul Wiggin picked up a fumble by Dick James and returned it two yards for a touchdown. Groza’s conversion lengthened the Cleveland lead to 21-13.

Five plays into the next New York series, LB Jim Houston intercepted a Tittle pass and returned it 44 yards to the New York 31. Jim Brown ran 22 yards to the nine and from there Ryan threw to flanker Gary Collins for a TD, Groza again adding the extra point. On the ensuing kickoff, HB Clarence Childs fumbled and backup FB Charlie Scales (pictured at left) grabbed it in the air and ran 23 yards for yet another Cleveland touchdown. Groza converted once more and, within the period of four minutes and 24 seconds, the Browns had scored 21 points and the once-close contest was now a 35-13 runaway.

New York put rookie QB Gary Wood in the game, and he passed to FB Ernie Wheelwright for a 20-yard TD. With the conversion, the score was narrowed to 35-20, but that was the last gasp for the Giants. Relieving Ryan, QB Jim Ninowski tossed a pass to TE John Brewer for 41 yards and hit Brewer again for an 11-yard touchdown. Groza’s PAT ended the scoring as the Browns won by a final tally of 42-20.

New York had big leads in total yards (426 to 225) and first downs (23 to 15). The Giants even out-rushed Cleveland by 166 yards to 97, but they also turned the ball over six times, which proved disastrous in the fourth quarter, to three turnovers by the Browns.

Frank Ryan completed just 8 of 17 passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns while giving up three interceptions. Jim Brown, who was 90 rushing yards short of 10,000 for his career coming into the game, was held to 56 yards on 12 carries. John Brewer led the Browns with four catches for 80 yards and a TD.

For the Giants, Y.A. Tittle was successful on 19 of 31 throws for 177 yards with no TDs and three interceptions.  In relief, Gary Wood was three-of-three for 44 yards and a touchdown. Ernie Wheelwright (pictured at right) rushed for 94 yards on 20 attempts and also had 5 pass receptions for 68 yards and a score. Split end Del Shofner also had five catches, for 31 yards, while Aaron Thomas gained 83 yards on his four receptions.

The Browns won their next three games on the way to a 10-3-1 record that topped the Eastern Conference, and they upset the Baltimore Colts for the NFL Championship. New York won the next week but didn’t again the rest of the way, ending up in last place at 2-10-2.

1964: Browns and Cards Battle to Tie in Back-and-Forth Contest

The Cleveland Browns hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 1964, the second week of the NFL season, in what was an early showdown between two teams widely viewed as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Both had won their opening-week games.

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, finished second in 1963 with a 10-4 record. The key to the offense, as it had been since he joined the club in 1957, was FB Jim Brown (pictured above), but QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were up-and-coming talents, and they were being joined by rookie split end Paul Warfield, who brought needed speed to the receiving corps. The defense was capable, if showing some age, and was especially shaky in the backfield.

St. Louis was coming off of a 9-5 record in ’63 under Head Coach Wally Lemm. QB Charley Johnson was a productive passer with excellent receivers to throw to in split end Sonny Randle and flanker Bobby Joe Conrad. There was good depth at running back, and star HB John David Crow was back after missing virtually all of ’63 due to injury, although HB Bill Triplett was sidelined due to illness.

There were 76,954 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on a warm and sunny day. The Cardinals got a break on the first play from scrimmage when LB Larry Stallings intercepted a Frank Ryan pass and returned it 18 yards to the Cleveland 22. On the next play, Charley Johnson tossed a short pass to John David Crow that went the distance for a touchdown. Jim Bakken added the extra point for the quick 7-0 lead.

Flanker Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the St. Louis 44 and, with Jim Brown carrying most of the load the Browns reached the 25 before 40-year-old Lou Groza (pictured at left) kicked a 32-yard field goal. Now it was Cleveland’s opportunity to benefit from a turnover on the next series as Bobby Joe Conrad fumbled after catching a short pass from Johnson and DE Bill Glass recovered for the home team at the St. Louis 20. HB Ernie Green ran for five yards and Brown carried twice for another 14, but after advancing to the one, a penalty moved the Browns back and they had to settle for a 12-yard Groza field goal that made it a one-point contest.

The Cards put together a good drive in the waning minutes of the opening period. Johnson completed a pass to HB Joe Childress for 21 yards and Crow and Childress both ran effectively. Bakken kicked a 30-yard field goal and the visitors extended their lead to 10-6 heading into the second quarter.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession but got the ball back on an interception by CB Ross Fichtner. Starting from the St. Louis 33, the home team reached the 16 but was flagged for a personal foul on a third down play that not only backed them up 15 yards but cost them the services of Green, a capable blocker as well as running mate for Brown, who was ejected. Groza kicked his third field goal of the contest, from 37 yards, and the Cards’ lead was once again narrowed to a single point at 10-9.

On the next series, the Cardinals advanced past midfield as Crow and Childress again ran well and Johnson tossed a pass to Conrad.  The drive stalled at the Cleveland 44, but Bakken came through with a 51-yard field goal, which was a club record at the time and made the score 13-9. The Browns moved quickly to take the lead on the next possession, going 69 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for 12 yards and Gary Collins for 17 more, and then followed up with a long pass to Warfield for a 40-yard touchdown. Groza converted and Cleveland was now ahead at 16-13, which remained the score at halftime.

St. Louis started off the third quarter with a 71-yard drive in seven plays. Crow carried four straight times for 18 yards and Childress added another nine before Johnson connected with Sonny Randle (pictured at right) for a 38-yard TD. Bakken added the point after and the Cards were back on top by 20-16.

The Cardinals got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff when Roberts fumbled and OT Herschel Turner recovered at the Cleveland 43. The short series was followed by another Bakken field goal, this time from 44 yards for an extended margin of 23-16.

The Browns went three-and-out and punted but now it was the Cardinals turning the ball over once more as Johnson faded back to pass and fumbled when hit by Glass. DT Dick Modzelewski recovered at the St. Louis 28. Ryan passed to Collins for 21 yards and then hit the flanker again for a seven-yard touchdown. Groza converted and the score was tied at 23-23.

The teams exchanged punts but the Cardinals were on the move at the end of the period and, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Johnson completed a pass to Randle for a 50-yard TD. Bakken added the PAT to make it a 30-23 game.

The Browns responded with a long drive of 72 yards that took 13 plays. Ryan was successful on three passes and ran out of the pocket for 17 yards to the St. Louis 12. However, he was also sacked for a 14-yard loss and, while a toss to Brown got eight yards back, Cleveland had to settle for another Groza field goal, from 25 yards, cutting the visitors’ lead to 30-26.

The Cards went three-and-out and punted on their next series and the Browns responded with a 12-play, 61-yard possession. Facing a fourth-and-19 situation at the St. Louis 45 after Ryan was sacked, and with only 1:28 remaining on the clock, Ryan completed a pass to Collins for 43 yards. Two plays later, Brown swept into the end zone from a yard out and, with Groza’s extra point, Cleveland was back on top by three points at 33-30 and appeared to have the game in hand.

St. Louis took over following the kickoff at its own 25 with 28 seconds to play. Johnson passed over the middle to Childress for a gain of 24 yards and then to Randle at the sideline for 14. Another completion, this time to Crow, put the Cards at the Cleveland 21 with the clock now down to seven seconds. Bakken came on to kick a 28-yard field goal and the game ended in a 33-33 tie. 

The Cardinals had the edge in total yards (344 to 281) while Cleveland had more first downs (18 to 17). While St. Louis had more net passing yards (241 to 189), the rushing totals were almost even (115 to 114, in favor of the Browns). Each club recorded two sacks and turned the ball over three times.  Jim Bakken (pictured below) and Lou Groza both were a perfect four-for-four on their field goal attempts. The Cards were penalized eight times, to two flags thrown on the Browns.

Charley Johnson completed 14 of 27 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. John David Crow rushed for 58 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 29 yards and a TD while Joe Childress contributed 52 yards on 14 rushing attempts and also pulled in three passes, for 50 yards. Sonny Randle led the Cards with four pass receptions for 121 yards and two TDs.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan, who was battered by the pass rush throughout the contest, was successful on 12 of 26 throws for 189 yards and two TDs and was intercepted twice. Gary Collins caught 6 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown and Paul Warfield added three receptions for 63 yards and a score. Jim Brown ran for 79 yards on 21 carries that included a touchdown.

Both teams remained in a battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference throughout the season. The Cardinals got off to a 3-0-1 start before losing three of four while Cleveland lost just one game during that stretch to open up a two-game advantage. While the Cards finished strong, including a win over the Browns in the rematch at St. Louis, they finished in second place at 9-3-2 while Cleveland took the crown at 10-3-1 and went on to upset the Colts for the NFL Championship.

Jim Brown, for the seventh time in eight seasons, led the league in rushing with 1446 yards. Frank Ryan threw the most touchdown passes (25) while Gary Collins had 35 catches for 544 yards (15.5 avg.) and eight TDs and Paul Warfield had an outstanding first year with 52 receptions for 920 yards (17.7 avg.) and nine scores.

Charley Johnson (pictured above) led the NFL in pass attempts (420), completions (223), yards (3045), and, less fortunately, in interceptions (24). Sonny Randle appeared in only seven games due to a shoulder injury and compiled 25 pass receptions for 517 yards (20.7 avg.) and five touchdowns.

Lou Groza and Jim Bakken, who matched each other field goal for field goal in the Week 2 game, ended up tied for second in scoring with 115 points. Bakken led the NFL with 25 field goals (in 38 attempts), while Groza placed second with 22 (out of 33 tries). Groza had the edge in extra points by 49 to 40.     

1967: Kelly & Browns Overcome Late Charge by Jurgensen & Redskins

The Cleveland Browns were 6-4 and, in this first season in which the NFL conferences were broken down into divisions, at the top of the Century Divison of the Eastern Conference as they hosted the Washington Redskins on November 26, 1967. Head Coach Blanton Collier’s Browns had an outstanding running tandem in HB Leroy Kelly (pictured at right) and FB Ernie Green. Despite assorted injuries, Frank Ryan was still an effective quarterback and had excellent receivers in split end Paul Warfield and flanker Gary Collins.

The Redskins were coached by an ex-quarterback, Otto Graham, and boasted an outstanding aerial game that generated lots of points. QB Sonny Jurgensen was an accomplished passer and had a receiving corps of split end Charley Taylor, flanker Bobby Mitchell, and TE Jerry Smith that was top rate. However, the running game was far less impressive and the defense could give up points as readily as the offense could score. Washington had a mediocre 4-4-2 record but was coming off of two straight wins.

There were 72,798 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. The Browns had the first possession and moved methodically and mostly on the ground with Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green carrying the load. Finally, Kelly took a flip from Frank Ryan and sped 42 yards for a touchdown to conclude the 10-play series. The venerable Lou Groza, in his 21^st year at age 43, added the extra point.

Washington responded by advancing into Cleveland territory as Sonny Jurgensen completed four passes, but another was deflected by DE Paul Wiggin and LB Johnny Brewer (pictured at left) intercepted and returned it 70 yards for a TD. Groza’s PAT put the Browns ahead by 14-0.

The Redskins advanced quickly to midfield on their next possession. HB Gerry Allen ran around end for a 30-yard gain, and he and FB A.D. Whitfield combined for another 11 yards. Jurgensen threw to Charley Taylor for eight yards to reach the Cleveland 31, but the drive stalled there and, trying to convert a fourth-and-two situation, Jurgensen was sacked by Brewer.

The Browns punted to finish out the opening period and Washington started off the second quarter by going 59 yards in five plays. Jurgensen connected with Jerry Smith for 14 yards on a third-and-seven play and then threw to Taylor for a 23-yard touchdown. Gene Mingo converted and the home team’s lead was cut to 14-7.

Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for 23 yards as the Browns reached their 45 on the next series, but on the next play Green fumbled the handoff and CB Rickie Harris recovered for the Redskins. Jurgensen completed two passes to Whitfield, the second for 24 yards to the Cleveland 20, but three incompletions were followed by a 27-yard Mingo field goal. However, the Browns quickly expanded their margin again when DB Carl Ward returned the ensuing kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown. Groza’s point after made the tally 21-10.

Jurgensen again passed the Redskins into Cleveland territory, thanks to two completions to Bobby Mitchell, but after Allen was thrown for a loss on a running play, Taylor dropped a pass and, on third-and-12, Jurgensen was sacked to force the visitors to punt. It took the Browns just four plays to score again, with Ryan passing to Warfield (pictured below) down the left sideline for a 48-yard TD. Groza again converted and Cleveland was up by 28-10.

With less than four minutes remaining in the first half, Jurgensen came out passing on Washington’s next series. Five of them hit the mark, with the last to Taylor for a 15-yard touchdown. Mingo’s successful extra point again made it an 11-point contest. There was time enough for the Browns to make one last try to add points before halftime, and Kelly gained 30 yards on a sweep to near midfield. However, Groza’s field goal attempt from 42 yards was short and the score remained 28-17 at the intermission.

The Redskins had a short series and punted to start off the third quarter. Cleveland advanced 68 yards in six plays, the big one a swing pass by Ryan to Kelly that gained 48 yards to the Washington 21. A pass into the end zone drew a penalty for face-guarding and Green ran for the final yard and a TD. Groza’s extra point made the home team’s lead 35-17.

In response, the Redskins drove 75 yards. The hardly-nimble Jurgensen scrambled for 21 yards to convert a third-and-nine situation and he had back-to-back pass completions to Whitfield for 21 and 11 yards to reach the Cleveland 20. Now it was the turn of the Browns to make a penalty on a pass into the end zone, in this instance a pass interference call on DB Ben Davis, and Allen ran for a one-yard TD. Mingo converted and once more the margin was 11 points at 35-24.

The Browns had to punt on the next series after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved them out of field goal range and Washington punted in turn. Cleveland was on the move as the game moved into the fourth quarter, helped along by the running of Kelly and Green and a 20-yard gain on a pass from Ryan to Gary Collins. Kelly ran for a 21-yard touchdown and Groza’s PAT staked the Browns to a big 42-24 margin.

The Redskins struck back quickly. On the fourth play of the ensuing series, Jurgensen went long for Mitchell and the result was a 48-yard TD. Mingo’s kick made the score 42-31. The teams then traded punts before Washington put together another scoring drive. Jurgensen completed four straight passes, two of them to Taylor (pictured below), and one to Whitfield for 12 yards to the Cleveland one, from where Allen went over for the touchdown. Mingo’s extra point attempt was partially blocked and hit the crossbar, thus keeping it a five-point margin.

There were less than three minutes remaining in the game and Kelly ran for 18 yards on Cleveland’s next play from scrimmage, but the Browns could get no more first downs and punted. With the clock down to 1:33, Jurgensen went to the air, completing passes to Jerry Smith for 17 and 21 yards and to Taylor for 19 to the Cleveland 25. But that was as close as the Redskins were able to get. The next three passes were incomplete, with one of them barely deflected by CB Erich Barnes in the end zone, and DE Bill Glass flattened Jurgensen on fourth down to effectively end the contest. Cleveland held on to win by a final score of 42-37.  

Washington had the edge in total yards (481 to 424) and first downs (33 to 19). Most of those yards came through the air as the Redskins generated 373 net passing yards, although Cleveland accumulated 203 yards on the ground. The Browns also recorded five sacks, to two by Washington, and each team turned the ball over one time apiece. Cleveland was penalized 10 times, at a cost of 148 yards, to six flags for 49 yards thrown on the Redskins. Ultimately, the interception and kickoff returns for touchdowns were the keys for the Browns.

Leroy Kelly rushed for 163 yards on 20 carries that included two touchdowns and also gained another 44 yards on two pass receptions. Frank Ryan didn’t go to the air often, completing 11 of 17 passes, but they were good for 233 yards and a TD while none were intercepted. Paul Warfield caught three passes for 96 yards and a score and Gary Collins contributed three receptions also, for 58 yards.

For the Redskins, Sonny Jurgensen had a huge performance in defeat, going to the air 50 times and completing 32 for 418 yards with three touchdowns against one interception. Three receivers went over a hundred yards, with Charley Taylor leading as he caught 11 passes for 123 yards and two TDs. Bobby Mitchell gained 106 yards on his 6 receptions that included a score and A.D. Whitfield accumulated 102 yards on 8 catches out of the backfield. Whitfield also rushed for 28 yards on 14 carries while Gerry Allen led the club with 59 yards on 14 attempts that included two short touchdowns.

The win kept the Browns a game ahead of the Giants in the Century Division and they stayed on top with a final record of 9-5. However, they were pulverized by the Cowboys in the Eastern Conference playoff. Washington ended up at 5-6-3 for third place in the Capitol Division.

Leroy Kelly passed the thousand-yard threshold for the second straight year with his fine performance against the Redskins and went on to lead the NFL in rushing with 1205 yards on 235 carries (5.1 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection and also was named to the Pro Bowl.

Sonny Jurgensen (pictured at right) set new NFL records with 508 pass attempts, 288 completions, and 3747 yards (Joe Namath threw for 4007 yards in the AFL). He also led the league in TD passes (31) and passing overall (87.3 rating) and was chosen to the Pro Bowl. The 418-yard performance against Cleveland ended up being the third-highest of his Hall of Fame career.

Charley Taylor was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl choice as he led the NFL with 70 pass receptions, which were good for 990 yards and nine TDs. Indeed, he, Jerry Smith, and Bobby Mitchell placed first, second, and fourth, respectively, among the league’s pass receiving leaders.

1967: Browns Beat Cards to Clinch Century Division Title

The Cleveland Browns were seeking to nail down the NFL Century Division title as they faced the St. Louis Cardinals on December 10, 1967. In the first year in which the Eastern and Western Conferences were broken up into four-team divisions, the Browns were at 8-4 after winning their three previous contests. Coached by Blanton Collier, Cleveland had the league’s rushing leader in HB Leroy Kelly, helped by a good veteran line and with a solid backfield partner in FB Ernie Green. 31-year-old QB Frank Ryan was battling assorted injuries but had outstanding receivers in split end Paul Warfield and flanker Gary Collins.

The Cardinals, under Head Coach Charley Winner, had gotten off to a fast start but were at 6-5-1 and barely staying alive in the division race. QB Charley Johnson had been called up to military service in the offseason and the untested Jim Hart had taken his place, showing great poise and potential, but also making his share of mistakes due to inexperience. Second-year HB Johnny Roland was right behind Kelly in the rushing race, the receivers were sound, and the defense was good, particularly with CB Pat Fischer and FS Larry Wilson in the backfield. In addition, the Cards had an outstanding placekicker in Jim Bakken.

It was an overcast day in St. Louis with 47,782 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. They saw a scoreless first quarter with the teams exchanging punts and battling for field position until DB Ben Davis fumbled a Chuck Latourette kick and FB Willis Crenshaw recovered for the Cardinals at the Cleveland 20. In a series that extended into the early part of the second quarter, St. Louis methodically moved down the field and Bakken kicked a 12-yard field goal.

Davis (pictured at left) redeemed himself on the ensuing kickoff with a 48-yard return to the St. Louis 41. However, the Browns advanced nine yards in three plays and came up empty when 43-year-old Lou Groza missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

A short series by the Cardinals resulted in a punt that gave the Browns starting field position at their 49. Three plays later, Frank Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for a 38-yard touchdown and, with Groza’s extra point, the visitors were ahead by 7-3.

The Cards responded with a nine-play series that went 40 yards. HB Prentice Gautt ran four times for 18 yards and Jim Hart completed two passes. Bakken booted a 42-yard field goal to narrow Cleveland’s margin to a point.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession, but the punt by Gary Collins was blocked by Larry Wilson and the Cards took over at the Cleveland 25 with 2:15 remaining in the first half. Gautt ran twice for seven yards and, after Hart threw an incomplete pass, Bakken kicked his third field goal, this time from 26 yards. St. Louis held a 9-7 lead at halftime.

The third quarter started with Davis returning the kickoff 58 yards to the St. Louis 33. Three plays later, Groza kicked a 33-yard field goal and the Browns were back in front by one.

On the next series, a trick play went wrong when TE Jackie Smith took the handoff on an apparent end-around and then threw a pass that was intended for flanker Bobby Joe Conrad but was instead intercepted by CB Erich Barnes. The 10-year veteran returned the pickoff 40 yards to the St. Louis 21. The Browns again had difficulty moving on offense but still put points on the board as Groza kicked a field goal from 23 yards.

Down by 13-9, the Cards gained nine yards on three plays and, facing fourth-and-one, lined up for a punt. It was a fake, however, but Latourette lost four yards in his attempt to circle the end and the Browns had the ball at the St. Louis 36. They failed to add points as the offense still couldn’t get on track. Ryan was sacked for a loss of 11 yards by DT Chuck Walker and Cleveland ended up having to punt, although Collins’ kick was able to pin the Cards back at their four.

The Browns clung to a four-point lead as the game headed into the fourth quarter. With the Cards deep in their own territory, LB Jim Houston (pictured at top) came through with a big play as he intercepted a Hart pass and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown. Groza’s PAT made it 20-9.

The Cards were unable to make much headway on offense and had to punt. They got the ball back in short order, however, when Leroy Kelly fumbled a bobbled handoff on the next play and LB Bill Koman recovered at the Cleveland 17. Hart threw to Smith for a 15-yard touchdown and, with Bakken’s PAT, it was again a four-point game.

There were still just under eight minutes remaining in the contest, but the Browns helped themselves with a long, time-consuming series. Ryan had an 11-yard run for a first down, Kelly converted a third-and-one situation with a four-yard carry, and Cleveland was down to the St. Louis 34 before back-to-back completions to Ernie Green lost yards and took the Browns out of field goal range. Still, the clock was down to 1:11 as Collins punted and the Cards found themselves pinned back at their four yard line.

Hart (pictured at right) went to the air on every play, but time ran out on St. Louis with the ball at the Cleveland 18 following a 41-yard completion to Smith, who was unable to get out of bounds at the end of the play. The Browns were winners by a final score of 20-16.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Cardinals had more total yards (295 to 131) and first downs (16 to 8) than Cleveland. The Browns were helped by 126 yards on kickoff returns by Ben Davis. Both teams turned the ball over twice.

Frank Ryan, who suffered an injury to his left (non-throwing) arm in the first half, completed just 8 of 15 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Ernie Green led the club with 48 rushing yards on 12 carries as well as 5 pass receptions, which netted only three yards. Paul Warfield had 57 yards on two pass receptions that included a TD. Leroy Kelly was held to 15 yards on 15 attempts and was credited with the fumble that set up the only St. Louis touchdown. But Ben Davis averaged 42.0 yards on his three kickoff returns and Jim Houston put vital points on the board with his key interception return.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart was successful on 18 of 36 throws for 182 yards and a TD, but also tossed the one big interception. Jackie Smith was the top receiver with 6 catches for 91 yards and a score, although he also threw an interception on his one pass, and Bobby Joe Conrad contributed 5 receptions for 46 yards. Prentice Gautt rushed for 63 yards on 16 attempts. Johnny Roland ran for 27 yards on 12 attempts before he was lost to a knee injury in the third quarter. Jim Bakken was successful on all three of his field goal attempts.

“The defense was magnificent, Houston did the job again!” exclaimed Coach Blanton Collier afterward. It was the second consecutive week that Jim Houston had scored on an interception.

The Browns lost their season finale to finish at 9-5 atop the Century Division but lost badly to the Dallas Cowboys in the Eastern Conference Championship game. St. Louis also dropped the last game to end up third in the division at 6-7-1.

Leroy Kelly ended up with the NFL rushing title, gaining 1205 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Rookie Ben Davis, a 17^th-round draft choice, was at his best on kickoff returns against the Cards, but led the league in punt returning with a 12.7 average on 18 runbacks. He ranked seventh with a 26.2 average on 27 kickoff returns. 

1963: Giants Dominate Browns in Key Eastern Showdown

The Cleveland Browns seemed poised to take control of the NFL Eastern Conference race as they hosted the New York Giants on October 27, 1963. The Browns were undefeated at 6-0 and had looked very good in defeating the Giants at Yankee Stadium two weeks earlier. Under first-year Head Coach Blanton Collier, they had the league’s top rusher in FB Jim Brown, who was leading the NFL with 931 yards on the ground and had compiled 209 yards from scrimmage in the previous meeting with the Giants. QB Frank Ryan was also leading the NFL with a completion percentage of 62.1.

The Giants, coached by Allie Sherman, had topped the Eastern Conference in each of the last two years but, at 4-2, were in danger of falling out of contention unless they could derail Cleveland. 37-year-old QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured above) had been a sensation since arriving from San Francisco in 1961 and had a fine receiving corps led by split end Del Shofner. The veteran group of running backs included FB Alex Webster and HB Hugh McElhenny. The defense also had a well-seasoned core that was anchored by MLB Sam Huff and included such stalwarts as DEs Andy Robustelli and Jim Katcavage, DT Dick Modzelewski, cornerbacks Dick Lynch and Erich Barnes, and FS Jim Patton.

There were 84,213 fans at Municipal Stadium, the second-largest crowd for a regular season game to date in the history of the huge venue. The tone was set on the second play from scrimmage when Jim Brown fumbled after picking up seven yards and Sam Huff recovered for the Giants at the Cleveland 30. Four plays later, Don Chandler kicked a 29-yard field goal to give New York the early lead.

On the next play following the kickoff, Frank Ryan threw a pass that was intercepted by Jim Patton and the Giants again took possession in Cleveland territory. They immediately capitalized when Y.A. Tittle threw to Del Shofner for a 23-yard touchdown. Chandler added the extra point and less than three minutes into the game, the visitors were ahead by 10-0. Cleveland had run only three offensive plays.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next series and were forced to punt. The Giants, taking over at their 14, put together an 86-yard drive in 15 plays. Tittle completed seven passes along the way, two of which converted third downs, including one to TE Aaron Thomas for 19 yards in a third-and-10 situation and another to TE Joe Walton for 13 yards on a third-and-six play. Hugh McElhenny and Alex Webster ran effectively and Tittle finished the series off with a six-yard scoring pass to McElhenny. New York’s lead was 17-0 after a quarter of play.

The Browns again had to punt and once more New York responded by putting points on the board. This time the Giants moved the ball 34 yards in eight plays capped by Chandler booting a 34-yard field goal. Tittle again came through with a third down completion to keep the drive going, connecting with Shofner for 16 yards to the Cleveland 31 on a third-and-seven play.

Another short series by the Browns was followed by another New York scoring drive. Tittle completed four more passes, Cleveland was flagged for pass interference on one he didn’t complete, and Chandler kicked another field goal, this time from 33 yards. The Giants had scored on every first half possession and took a commanding 23-0 lead into halftime. The statistics were as lopsided as the score - New York had outgained the Browns by 195 yards to 35 and Cleveland had run just 20 plays.

The Giants kept pouring it on as the third quarter began. McElhenny took the second half kickoff 51 yards and they ended up with a fourth Chandler field goal, of 42 yards. The Browns still remained stymied on offense and punted, and New York remained unstoppable. The offense put together another methodical scoring drive that ended with Webster running the last two yards for a TD.

The outcome was not in doubt in the fourth quarter as the Giants finally failed to score on a possession. After reaching the Cleveland 37, Tittle’s deflected pass was intercepted. Jim Ninowski was now at quarterback for the Browns, but had no better luck at moving the team until his second series, after Chandler missed on a 44-yard field goal attempt. Ninowski threw to split end Tom Hutchinson for 70 yards and two plays later finally got the Browns on the board with a 10-yard touchdown pass to end Rich Kreitling. However, Groza’s extra point attempt was blocked by Huff. The final score was a resounding 33-6 win for the Giants.

New York had a huge lead in total yards (387 to 142) and first downs (26 to 6). The Giants sacked Cleveland’s quarterbacks four times and Cleveland turned the ball over on three occasions, to just the one late and insignificant turnover suffered by New York. The Giants only punted twice, both coming in the final period.

Y.A. Tittle completed 21 of 31 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns with one intercepted. Del Shofner (pictured at left) had 7 catches for 108 yards and a TD. Alex Webster rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and Hugh McElhenny also ran for 53 yards, on 13 attempts, while contributing a TD on his lone pass reception. Don Chandler helped out with his four field goals in five attempts.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan was successful on only one of 9 throws for a startling minus six passing yards and was intercepted once. Jim Ninowski hit on 4 of 11 passes for 120 yards and a TD with one picked off. Jim Brown was held to just 40 yards on 9 carries and had the critical early fumble. He was also ejected after getting into an altercation with New York LB Tom Scott, who was also tossed, in the game’s last minute. Tom Hutchinson, thanks to the long reception in the fourth quarter, had two catches for 97 yards to lead the club.

The Giants continued on to win their next four games and lost only once more on the way to once again topping the Eastern Conference with an 11-3 record. However, they lost to the Bears in the NFL title game, falling short for the third straight time. Cleveland won the next week at Philadelphia but then lost two straight, faltering down the stretch and ending up in second place at 10-4.

Y.A. Tittle broke his own NFL record with 36 touchdown passes and also led the league in overall passing (104.8 rating in current system), completion percentage (60.2), yards per attempt (8.6), and percentage of TD passes (9.8, tied with Frank Ryan). Del Shofner ranked third in pass receiving yards (1181) and fourth in pass receptions (64). Don Chandler led the NFL in scoring (106 points) and was third in field goals (18) and first in extra points (52).

1966: Packers Dethrone Browns for NFL Championship

It had been three years since the Green Bay Packers had last won a NFL title as they faced the defending-champion Cleveland Browns in the league Championship game on  January 2, 1966. Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s team was a blend of solid veterans who had been a part of title-winning teams in 1961 and ’62 and rising young players. They had battled the Colts to a tie atop the Western Conference with 10-3-1 records that necessitated a playoff that Green Bay won in overtime. However, a cause for concern was that many of the team’s veterans were hampered by injuries, including QB Bart Starr, HB Paul Hornung, and FB Jim Taylor (pictured at right).

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, had won a stunning shutout victory over Baltimore in the previous year’s title game and again topped the Eastern Conference at 11-3. They were without split end Paul Warfield, one of the stars of the ’64 team as a rookie, for most of the season due to injury but still had the incomparable FB Jim Brown, who won his eighth league rushing title with 1544 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were also keys to the offense.

Snow arrived in the morning, but it had changed to freezing drizzle by game time. There were 50,852 fans present at wet and muddy Lambeau Field. The Packers took the opening kickoff and drove 77 yards in seven plays that culminated in Starr passing to flanker Carroll Dale for a 47-yard touchdown.

The Browns came right back by going 66 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Jim Brown for a 30-yard gain, connected with Paul Warfield for 19, and then passed to flanker Gary Collins for a 17-yard touchdown. However, the extra point attempt failed due to a bad snap from center that had PK Lou Groza trying to pass to his holder rather than kick and the Packers maintained a one-point lead.

Late in the first quarter, and following a Green Bay punt from its own end zone, Lou Groza kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Browns in front by 9-7. The Packers responded by driving to a score. Paul Hornung ran for a 34-yard gain to the Cleveland 39. Following a Starr pass to split end Boyd Dowler for 11 yards, the combination of Taylor and Hornung advanced the ball to the three. The Browns held but Don Chandler kicked a 15-yard field goal early in the second quarter and Green Bay was back in front.

Chandler’s second field goal was set up by an interception by FS Willie Wood, who returned it 15 yards to the Cleveland 10. However, a motion penalty set the Packers back and Starr threw three incomplete passes. Chandler was again successful with a three-point try from 23 yards out that made it 13-9.

With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Browns punted and the 50-yard kick by Collins went out at the Green Bay four. Advancing to the 11, a third down pass by Starr was picked off by CB Walter Beach at the 30. Ryan immediately tried to go for the touchdown, throwing a pass into the end zone that was intended for Collins but it was broken up by SS Tom Brown and CB Bob Jeter. The series ended with Groza kicking a 28-yard field goal with 48 seconds remaining on the clock. The Packers carried a slender lead of 13-12 into halftime.

A light snow was falling as the game moved into the third quarter. The Packers put together an 11-play, 90-yard drive in the third quarter that was highlighted by Hornung gaining 20 yards on one run and scoring on a power sweep from 13 yards out. The series consumed nearly seven minutes.

WR Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards. Ryan scrambled for eight yards and a facemask penalty added another 15 to advance the ball into Green Bay territory. The drive finally stalled at the 28. Cleveland came up short when Groza’s 37-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter was partially blocked by DT Henry Jordan and was unsuccessful.

The Packers put together another long drive, going from their 20 to the Cleveland 21 with only two passes along the way as Taylor and Hornung again ran effectively. Chandler kicked a 29-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining in the game.

Cleveland again was forced to punt but it was another good one by Collins and pinned the Packers down at their seven. Starr was nearly tackled for a safety by DE Bill Glass but managed to get out to the two before being brought down. Following a five-yard carry by Taylor, Chandler punted from his end zone but any advantage for the Browns was nullified when TE Ralph Smith barreled into the kicker and drew a roughing penalty.

The Packers didn’t score again but also didn’t relinquish the ball until there were only about two minutes remaining. The Browns only reached Green Bay territory one more time during the second half, and after making it to the 47 Ryan was sacked by DE Willie Davis to push them back to their 48. A last-gasp long pass intended for Collins was intercepted by CB Herb Adderley, who made a leaping grab to extinguish the threat and nail down the 23-12 win for Green Bay.

The Packers significantly outgained Cleveland (332 yards to 161), ran 69 plays to Cleveland’s 39, and also dominated in first downs (21 to 8). They had a huge edge in rushing yardage (204 to 64) and also turned the ball over only once, to two by the Browns. Green Bay’s defense took control and completely shut the defending champs down in the second half.

Paul Hornung (pictured at left) gained 105 yards on 18 carries that included a touchdown and workhorse Jim Taylor added 96 yards on 27 attempts and added 20 more yards on two pass receptions. Bart Starr completed 10 of 18 passes for 147 yards with a TD and an interception. Boyd Dowler caught 5 passes for 59 yards and, with the long early scoring reception, Carroll Dale gained 60 yards on his two catches.

For the Browns, Jim Brown was held to 50 yards on 12 carries and led the club with 44 yards on three receptions out of the backfield. Frank Ryan was successful on just 8 of 18 throws for 115 yards and a TD with two picked off. Gary Collins, like Brown, caught three passes, for 41 yards and a score.

“The snow and mud were our allies,” said Vince Lombardi. “When you have conditions like these, it’s best to be basic, not fancy. And we’re the most basic offensive team there is.”

“We’re a fine team – better than we showed today – and I’m proud of them,” said Blanton Collier on behalf of the Browns. “But we just made too many mistakes.”

While the win over the Browns was the first of three straight NFL titles for Green Bay, it also was something of a last hurrah for the backfield combination of Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, who had played such a major role in the team’s rise but were showing signs of wear by 1965. Both were back in ‘66, but at reduced effectiveness. Taylor rushed for 705 yards while averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Hornung ran the ball only 76 times for 200 yards in an injury-plagued year. They were gone by the time the team won its third title in ’67.

While no one knew it at the time, the 1965 title game was also the end of the line for Jim Brown (pictured below) in a Cleveland uniform (he played once more in the Pro Bowl). The great fullback announced his retirement during the summer of ’66 while on movie location in London. He left as the all-time leading rusher in NFL history with 12,312 yards, a record that lasted until 1984, while leading the league eight times in nine seasons and averaging 104.3 yards per game and 5.2 per carry. His record of 126 touchdowns scored lasted until 1994. 

1963: Jim Brown Gains 209 Total Yards to Propel Browns Over Giants

The October 13, 1963 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants at Yankee Stadium was a key showdown in the race for the Eastern Conference crown. The Browns, under new Head Coach Blanton Collier, were off to a 4-0 start while the Giants, winners of the conference the previous two seasons, had a 3-1 record.

The big story in Cleveland during the previous offseason had been the firing of Head Coach/GM Paul Brown, who had been an innovative and winning coach since the club’s founding in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946. However, the team had not won a title since 1955 and some players on the talented club – most notably star FB Jim Brown – bridled under Brown’s strict coaching methods. Young owner Art Modell also clashed with the legendary coach, and finally dispatched Brown and elevated Collier, a long-time Browns assistant who had returned after a hiatus as head coach at the University of Kentucky. Collier brought a more relaxed style to coaching the team, and the players responded with the strong start.

Head Coach Allie Sherman’s Giants were a talented veteran team seeking to win an NFL championship – something the club hadn’t done since 1956 despite making it to the title game four times in the previous five seasons – before time ran out. QB Y.A. Tittle had directed the offense brilliantly in the previous two seasons since coming to New York in a trade with the 49ers, and the defense was regularly among the best.

As was to be expected in a game between these teams, the contest was intensely physical. The Giants scored first when CB Dick Lynch intercepted a pass by Browns QB Frank Ryan and ran 47 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. However, Cleveland came right back with an 11-play drive that culminated in a one-yard scoring leap by Brown.

The Giants responded with an 11-play drive of their own that covered 75 yards and was helped along by two personal foul penalties on the Browns. FB Alex Webster plowed into the end zone from a yard out to regain the lead for New York at 14-7.

In the second quarter, a poor 11-yard punt by Cleveland’s Gary Collins gave the Giants good field position, but they settled for a 25-yard Don Chandler field goal. DB Jim Shorter returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to midfield and the Browns followed up six plays later with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Ryan to split end Rich Kreitling. The score was 17-14 in favor of the Giants at halftime.

Jim Brown had a relatively quiet first half, by his standards, carrying the ball 13 times for 47 yards as the Giants defense – in particular MLB Sam Huff – keyed on him. But he broke loose in a big way early in the third quarter when Ryan tossed a screen pass to him and the great fullback sped 72 yards for a TD. The Browns were ahead for the first time at 21-17.

Before the third quarter was over, Brown struck again with a 32-yard touchdown run that all but nailed down the win for Cleveland. While the Giants scored once more on a 14-yard pass from Tittle to HB Phil King in the fourth quarter, the Browns countered with Ryan connecting once again with Kreitling for an 11-yard TD. The final score was 35-24.

Cleveland piled up 340 total yards to New York’s 211. Of that total, Jim Brown accounted for 209 yards as he gained 123 on 23 carries with two TDs and 86 on four pass receptions and another touchdown (he was the team’s leading receiver as well as rusher). Frank Ryan completed 12 of 16 passes for 169 yards with three touchdowns and the lone interception. HB Ernie Green contributed to the Browns’ total of 210 rushing yards with 69 on 12 attempts.

“It was a very rough game,” said Brown afterward. “No, I wouldn’t say dirty. I think they were just a little overanxious.” Sam Huff summed up Brown’s performance when he said “if he had run any harder, he’d have killed one of us.”

Y.A. Tittle was harassed throughout the game by the Cleveland defensive line but completed 17 of his 31 passes for 178 yards with a TD and none intercepted. Split end Del Shofner led the Giants with 5 catches for 54 yards. New York gained just 72 yards on the ground, with FB Joe Morrison leading the way with 38 yards on 9 carries.

The Browns remained undefeated for one more week before being dominated by the Giants in the re-match in Cleveland, 33-6. New York lost just once more the rest of the way and again came in first in the Eastern Conference with an 11-3 record; they lost the NFL title game to the Chicago Bears. Cleveland tailed off in the second half of the year and finished in second place at 10-4.

After just five games, Jim Brown had 787 yards rushing and went on to break his own single-season rushing record with 1863 yards on 291 carries (6.4 average per attempt) with 12 touchdowns. As the game against the Giants showed, he could also be effective as a receiver out of the backfield and added 268 yards on 24 catches with three TDs. He was named NFL MVP by UPI and the Newspaper Enterprise Association and received the Bert Bell Award.


Frank Ryan (pictured at left), in his seventh NFL season and second with the Browns, made great strides at quarterback. The fourth-ranked passer in the league (second by the current rating system, at 90.4), he ranked third in touchdown passes (25) and was tied for first with Tittle in percentage of TD passes thrown (9.8). He was also one of the most intelligent quarterbacks in the game – the product of Rice University earned a Ph.D. in mathematics.

1964: Gary Collins Scores 3 TDs as Browns Upset Colts for NFL Title

The NFL Championship game on December 27, 1964 at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium was expected to be a classic mismatch. The visiting Baltimore Colts, who had topped the Western Conference with a 12-2 record, were heavily favored over the host Browns, the 10-3-1 winners of the Eastern Conference title.

First and foremost, the Colts had Johnny Unitas at quarterback, and he led a diversified attack that scored a league-high 428 points. HB Lenny Moore, who had nearly been written off as washed up after two injury-plagued seasons, came back in ’64 to score a then-NFL record 20 touchdowns. The defense was opportunistic and played very well as a unit, anchored by DE Gino Marchetti, CB Bob Boyd, and LB Bill Pellington.

Cleveland’s offense, as it had been since 1957, was centered around FB Jim Brown, who led the NFL in rushing for the seventh time in eight seasons with 1446 yards. A new weapon had been added to the arsenal in rookie split end Paul Warfield, who caught 52 passes for 920 yards and teamed up with flanker Gary Collins to make the passing game, directed by QB Frank Ryan (pictured below), more potent. The defense was considered vulnerable against the pass, but solid against the run thanks to the addition of ex-Giant DT Dick Modzelewski.


Both head coaches, Baltimore’s Don Shula and Blanton Collier of Cleveland, were in their second seasons on the job.

There were 79,544 fans present on an overcast, cold, and windy day, and what they saw initially was rather dull as neither team scored in the first half. The Browns had concluded in their film study of the Colts that Unitas was inclined to shuffle in the direction of his primary receiver when setting up to throw, and based their pass defense on taking out that first target on each play and giving the defensive line time to penetrate as the great quarterback looked to secondary receivers. The strategy placed a great deal of responsibility on CB Walter Beach, whose main task was covering Unitas’ favorite target, split end Raymond Berry.

Cleveland’s defensive scheme worked, as Unitas faced a relentless pass rush from Modzelewski; DT Jim Kanicki, who had a tremendous day against Hall of Fame guard Jim Parker; and defensive ends Paul Wiggin and Bill Glass. He was forced to scramble and adjust formations in an effort to get receivers open. The Colts were able to penetrate deep into Browns territory just once, getting down to the 12 yard line, but an attempted field goal by Lou Michaels failed when Boyd, the holder, bobbled the snap.

The Browns, playing conservatively, weren’t able to get anything going in the first half either, but finally broke the scoreless tie in the third quarter. Baltimore punter Tom Gilburg punted, and caught by the brisk wind, the ball traveled only 25 yards. With good field position, Ryan managed to move the Browns into range for a successful 43-yard field goal by 40-year-old placekicker Lou Groza.

The Colts were forced to punt again after their next possession. Baltimore’s defense had been concentrating on taking the area between the tackles away from Jim Brown. Now Coach Collier called for a sweep, and Brown made one of the key plays of the game, running 46 yards to the Baltimore 18. Ryan fired a pass to Collins in the end zone (pictured at top), and the Browns were ahead, 10-0.

Before the third quarter was over, the Browns struck again, with Collins once more gathering in a pass from Ryan and going 42 yards for a TD on a blown coverage by the Colts. Cleveland made it 20-0 early in the fourth quarter, thanks to another Groza field goal of 10 yards, and finished off the stunning win with a third scoring pass from Ryan to Collins, this one covering 51 yards. The defense harassed Unitas to the end (see picture at bottom), and the final score was an amazing 27-0 shutout.

Collins was the most obvious hero for the Browns, catching 5 passes for 130 yards and the three touchdowns. Frank Ryan completed 11 of 18 passes for 206 yards with three TDs and an interception. Jim Brown ran the ball 27 times for 114 yards and caught 3 passes for 37 more. In all, Cleveland accumulated 339 total yards.

By contrast, Baltimore and its formidable offense was held to just 181 yards by the inspired Browns defense. Unitas completed 12 of 20 passes for only 95 yards and was intercepted twice. Raymond Berry had only three receptions for 38 yards. Lenny Moore led the runners with 40 yards on 9 carries; a telling statistic was that Unitas, forced out of the pocket by the Cleveland pass rush, ran the ball 6 times for 30 yards.

“The Browns secondary forced us to play conservatively, and that wasn’t our style”, said Unitas later. “We wanted to go out and gun ‘em down, but they took that away.”

The championship was Cleveland’s fourth in the NFL, and eighth in all (counting the AAFC). But while the team reached the league title game three more times in the 1960s and the conference championship game twice in the 80s, they have yet to win another.