1987: Browns Rally to Defeat Jets in OT of AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The AFC Divisional playoff game on January 3, 1987 featured the Cleveland Browns, winners of the AFC Central Division, hosting the New York Jets, the second place finisher in the AFC East that qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card.

The Browns were coached by Marty Schottenheimer and won the last five games of the 1986 regular season to finish with a 12-4 record. Second-year QB Bernie Kosar (pictured above) had the league’s lowest interception percentage (1.9), being picked off just 10 times while tossing 17 TD passes. The receiving corps was a good one although the running back tandem of Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner, who was out against the Jets, had been disrupted by injuries.  A knee injury had cost the team the services of PK Matt Bahr and 38-year-old Mark Moseley, long-time kicker for the Redskins who was released earlier in the season and also was the league’s last remaining straight-ahead placekicker, was signed to take his place.

New York, under Head Coach Joe Walton for the fourth year, had gotten off to an impressive 10-1 start before losing five straight games to end up at 10-6. Injuries were a problem, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, and QB Ken O’Brien’s performance dropped off significantly. He was benched in favor of backup QB Pat Ryan, who led the Jets to a win over Kansas City in the Wild Card playoff round.  WR Al Toon was an All-Pro and RB Freeman McNeil, when healthy, was very productive. But the injuries on defense played havoc with the ability of the Jets to defend against the pass.

There were 78,106 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. The Jets had first possession and punted. The short kick by Dave Jennings had the Browns starting at their 44 and a personal foul on the defense two plays later moved the ball into New York territory. However, after reaching the 29, Cleveland came up empty when Mark Moseley was short on a 46-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts before the Jets advanced 82 yards in four plays. Pat Ryan threw to Al Toon for 28 yards and WR Wesley Walker for seven before firing to Walker once more on a flea-flicker for a 42-yard touchdown. Pat Leahy added the extra point and the visitors held the early 7-0 advantage.

The Browns started at their two following the ensuing kickoff but responded with a 98-yard drive in six plays. Bernie Kosar passed twice to TE Ozzie Newsome for 21 and 23 yards and to TE Harry Holt for nine yards to the New York 42. After an offside penalty on the Jets, Kosar went to the air once again, this time to RB Harry Fontenot for a 37-yard TD. Moseley’s point after tied the score.

The Jets punted after a short possession and the Browns were on the move as the opening period came to a close with Kosar connecting with WR Webster Slaughter for 15 yards and Newsome for 14. But the drive stalled at the New York 40 and, now in the second quarter, Cleveland was forced to punt.

The teams returned to trading punts until the Browns, regaining possession at midfield, advanced 29 yards in seven plays. Kosar completed three passes, the biggest to Newsome for 13 yards and Kevin Mack (pictured at right) for 25 down to the New York nine. However, a holding penalty moved the ball back and the offense could get no further. Moseley booted a 38-yard field goal to put Cleveland in the lead by 10-7.

Following another exchange of punts, the Jets took possession at their 31 with 1:29 remaining in the first half. QB Ken O’Brien, now behind center because of a groin injury to Ryan, twice scrambled for gains of nine and 16 yards and completed two passes. With the clock down to seven seconds, Leahy came on to kick a 46-yard field goal and the teams went into halftime with the score tied at 10-10.

The Browns had the ball first in the third quarter, punted, and New York started off with good field position at the Cleveland 41. Freeman McNeil ran three straight times for 23 yards but was then tackled for a loss and two O’Brien passes fell incomplete. Still, the Jets took the lead when Leahy kicked a 37-yard field goal that made the tally 13-10.

Cleveland responded by driving into New York territory, the big play being a Kosar throw to Holt for 33 yards. But after RB Curtis Dickey ran for three yards, two passes intended for Fontenot were incomplete, the second after being tipped by DT Tom Baldwin, and the Browns came up empty when Moseley was wide to the left on a 44-yard try for a field goal.

The teams returned to trading punts for the remainder of the period, with the Browns coming out ahead on the battle for field position. Starting at midfield early in the fourth quarter, Kosar threw to Newsome for a 34-yard gain and a pass interference call on a third-and-six play gave Cleveland a first down at the New York 10. But after Mack carried twice for eight yards, Kosar’s third down pass into the end zone was intercepted by CB Russell Carter. It ended a streak of 133 consecutive passes without an interception for Kosar.

O’Brien completed passes to Toon for 11 yards and FB Tony Paige for 10, and McNeil ran effectively as the Jets reached the Cleveland 43 before having to punt. However, they got the ball right back when Kosar was again picked off, this time by CB Jerry Holmes at the Cleveland 25. On the next play, McNeil carried the ball on a sweep to the right and went the distance for a touchdown. Leahy converted and New York was ahead by 20-10 with only a little over four minutes remaining in regulation.

It looked dire for the Browns on the next series as they faced third-and-24 at their 18, but a roughing-the-passer penalty on DE Mark Gastineau earned them 15 yards and a first down and, after two passes were incomplete to set up third-and-10, Kosar connected on five straight throws. WR Reggie Langhorne caught the first two, for 10 and 13 yards, and WR Brian Brennan followed up with receptions for 22 and 19 yards to get the ball to the New York three. Two plays later, Mack scored a TD from a yard out and, with Moseley’s extra point, the visitors’ lead was cut to 20-17.

The try for an onside kick was recovered by the Jets and they were able to run the clock down to 1:03 before punting. Starting from their 33, the Browns were helped along by a pass interference penalty that moved the ball to the New York 42. Kosar threw to Slaughter for 37 yards and, after the next pass was incomplete, Moseley kicked a 22-yard field goal with 11 seconds left to tie the score at 20-20 and send the game into overtime.

The Jets went three-and-out on the first possession of OT. It looked good for the Browns, starting from their 26, as Kosar completed five passes, the last to Langhorne for 35 yards down to the New York five. But Moseley then missed to the right on a 23-yard field goal attempt and the game continued.

Neither team could move on the next few possessions, resulting in punts. Cleveland had the ball at the New York 35 as time expired in the first overtime period and three runs by Mack picked up 26 yards to the nine before Moseley, given another opportunity, came through with a game-winning 27-yard field goal at the 2:02 mark of the second overtime period. The Browns advanced by a final score of 23-20.

Cleveland had by far the most total yards (558 to 287) and first downs (33 to 14). The Browns also recorded nine sacks, three of them by DE Carl Hairston, to four by New York. Cleveland turned the ball over twice, to none by the Jets, but the visitors were flagged 10 times at a cost of 94 yards, to four penalties for 40 yards on the Browns.

Bernie Kosar completed 33 of 64 passes for 489 yards, the attempts and yards setting new NFL postseason records, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Kevin Mack rushed for 63 yards on 20 carries that included a TD and also had 5 catches for 51 yards. Ozzie Newsome (pictured at left) had 6 pass receptions for 114 yards and Webster Slaughter also caught 6 passes, for 86 yards. Mark Moseley was successful on three of six field goal attempts.

For the Jets, Pat Ryan was 6 of 11 for 103 yards and a TD and, in relief, Ken O’Brien completed 11 of 19 throws for 134 yards. Al Toon caught 5 passes for 93 yards and Freeman McNeil rushed for 71 yards on 25 attempts that included a score along with four pass receptions for 35 yards. Dave Jennings punted 14 times for a 37.9-yard average.

“It has to be one of the finest games in the history of the game,” said Cleveland’s Coach Schottenheimer. “It equals any comeback I’ve ever seen and it is certainly the best I’ve ever been a part of.”

“I think the Browns just got revved up and played very well,” said Coach Walton of the Jets. “The big thing was our inability to move the ball.”

Cleveland advanced to the AFC Championship game and lost a close contest to the Denver Broncos, the first of two consecutive conference title game meetings between the clubs that were both won by the Broncos. The Jets dropped to 6-9 in 1987 and didn’t return to the postseason until 1991.

1984: Late Scores Propel Express Past Wranglers

Two teams struggling to remain in contention in the Pacific Division of the United States Football League met in a Saturday contest on May 26, 1984. The visiting Arizona Wranglers and the hosts, the Los Angeles Express, each came into the contest with 6-7 records that put them one behind the division-leading Denver Gold.

Arizona was having trouble with consistency despite being a veteran-dominated club coached by George Allen. The Wranglers were coming off a big win against Denver the previous week, but had yet to win consecutive games. 16-year veteran QB Greg Landry led the ball control offense that also featured WR Trumaine Johnson and the running back combination of Tim Spencer and Kevin Long. DE John Lee was leading the USFL in sacks and the defense was stingy. But the team tended to hurt itself with penalties and turnovers.

The Express was a young club, coached by John Hadl. High-priced rookie QB Steve Young provided a huge lift once he joined the team in the sixth week with his passing and mobility.  WR JoJo Townsell led the receiving corps and there was a good group of young running backs, although injuries were giving rookie Kevin Mack an opportunity to start.

There was a typically sparse crowd of 11,702 fans in attendance for the Memorial Day weekend game at the Memorial Coliseum. Following a punt by the Express, the Wranglers drove 67 yards in nine plays on their first possession, concluding with a five-yard touchdown carry by Tim Spencer. Frank Corral added the extra point.

Los Angeles responded by advancing into Arizona territory with Steve Young passing effectively and running for a first down on a third-and-short play.  A 15-yard carry by JoJo Townsell got the ball to the five yard line and, from there, Young ran for a TD. Tony Zendejas tied the score at 7-7 with the successful conversion.

The Express nearly scored on the ensuing kickoff when it was mishandled, but the ball went out of bounds for a touchback. The game remained tied as the contest headed into the second quarter. A promising LA possession ended with CB Carl Allen intercepting a Young throw at the Arizona 12. Following an exchange of punts, the Wranglers moved into LA territory thanks to a Greg Landry pass to Kevin Long for 27 yards in a third-and-three situation. Completions to Trumaine Johnson and WR Lenny Willis got the ball to the 15 but a sack by DE Fletcher Jenkins backed the visitors up and they settled for a 34-yard Corral field goal with 20 seconds remaining in the first half. Arizona took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter before the Wranglers, taking advantage of good field position, drove 55 yards in ten plays with Spencer bulling three yards for a touchdown. Corral’s extra point made it a ten-point advantage for Arizona. The Express came back on a series highlighted by Young throws to RB Tony Boddie for 32 yards and 20 yards to Townsell and completed by Mack running for a nine-yard TD on a third down draw play. It was the rookie’s first pro touchdown and, with Zendejas converting, the score was 17-14 heading into the final period.

The teams traded punts and a time-consuming drive by the Wranglers had them in Los Angeles territory, but Spencer fumbled the ball away at the 24. Young immediately fired to TE Darren Long for 36 yards and the Express tied the score with a 43-yard field goal by Zendejas.

Arizona had the ball back with two minutes remaining in regulation and, facing third-and-13, took advantage of back-to-back penalties to maintain possession and get to near midfield. However, in the key play of the game, a Landry pass was intercepted by DB Troy West, who sped down the sideline for 58 yards to the three yard line. RB Kevin Nelson, entering the game late due to a broken rib, took a pitchout and gained the last three yards for the touchdown. Zendejas booted the point after and the Express came away with a 24-17 win.

The Wranglers had the edge in total yards (355 to 282) and first downs (25 to 15). But the two late turnovers proved to be their undoing, to one suffered by the Express, and Arizona was also hurt by nine penalties to four called on LA. The Express accumulated four sacks, to two by the Wranglers.

Steve Young did not have an impressive completion percentage, hitting on 11 of 23 passes, but they were good for 184 yards with one interception. The nimble Young also ran the ball four times for 23 yards (and avoided several near-sacks) and scored one touchdown. Kevin Mack led the LA runners with 44 yards on 14 carries. JoJo Townsell had three catches for 38 yards and Darren Long gained 55 yards on his two receptions.

For the Wranglers, Greg Landry was successful on 19 of 37 throws for 232 yards and gave up the one big interception. Trumaine Johnson caught 12 of those passes for 145 yards and Tim Spencer rushed for 81 yards on 15 attempts, scoring two TDs although also making a costly fumble.

The win put the Express alone in second place and had Arizona in jeopardy of both not making the playoffs and becoming the first George Allen-coached team to finish with a losing record. LA won its next two games while the Wranglers finally caught fire and won three straight, leading to a final-week rematch that Arizona won. Both teams ended up at 10-8, with tiebreakers giving the Express the division title and the Wranglers second place and a Wild Card playoff slot (Denver collapsed, meanwhile, falling to third place at 9-9). The Express won in dramatic fashion over the Michigan Panthers in the first postseason round, prevailing in the third overtime period. Arizona edged the Houston Gamblers, and that set up a third meeting between Los Angeles and the Wranglers for the Western Conference Championship. Arizona won to advance to the USFL Championship game, falling to the Philadelphia Stars.

1986: Kosar Passes for 414 Yards as Browns Defeat Steelers in Overtime

The Cleveland Browns were 7-4, but coming off of a bad loss to the Raiders, as they hosted their fierce rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on November 23, 1986. Coached by Marty Schottenheimer, the Browns were benefiting from the rapid development of QB Bernie Kosar (pictured at right), who was two days short of his 23^rd birthday. TE Ozzie Newsome was nagged by injuries, as were the running backs, but wide receivers Webster Slaughter, Reggie Langhorne, and Brian Brennan were steady.

The Steelers, under the guidance of Head Coach Chuck Noll for the 18^th year, had gotten off to a 1-6 start but were now 4-7. QB Mark Malone was inconsistent but playing better after missing two weeks due to a thumb injury. Running backs Walter Abercrombie and Earnest Jackson were effective running behind a good line. The defensive line was lacking when it came to rushing opposing passers and CB Dwayne Woodruff, their best in the backfield at coverage, had gone down for the year in the preseason.  

It was a rainy day at Cleveland Municipal Stadium with 76,452 fans in attendance. The Steelers had first possession and drove 75 yards in eight plays. The big one was a pass from Mark Malone to WR Louis Lipps that picked up 44 yards to the Cleveland nine yard line. Walter Abercrombie ran for a one-yard touchdown and Gary Anderson added the extra point.

The teams exchanged punts before the Browns put together a promising drive. Bernie Kosar completed a third-and-10 pass to WR Clarence Weathers that gained 15 yards and throws to Brian Brennan picked up 28 and 21 yards. But after reaching the Pittsburgh four, a holding penalty nullified an apparent touchdown run and Kosar threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Bryan Hinkle.

The Steelers had to punt following a short series and Cleveland was again on the move as the game headed into the second quarter. Kosar connected with FB Kevin Mack for six yards and RB Curtis Dickey for four and two carries by Mack gained another nine yards. Kosar than threw to TE Harry Holt for 23 yards to the Pittsburgh 10 and, following a pass interference penalty, Dickey swept around left end for a two-yard TD to finish off the six-play, 53-yard series. Matt Bahr’s successful conversion tied the score at 7-7.

On Pittsburgh’s next offensive play, Malone’s errant pass was picked off by CB Mark Harper who returned it 31 yards to the Steelers’ 15. Five plays later Mack scored a touchdown from a yard out and, with Bahr kicking the point after, the Browns were now ahead by 14-7.

The Steelers responded with a scoring drive of their own that covered 61 yards in five plays. Malone completed two passes and Abercrombie took a pitchout and ran 38 yards for a TD. Anderson’s kick tied the score again at 14-14.

The Browns wasted no time in regaining the lead. Kosar threw to Webster Slaughter for 31 yards and passes to RB Herman Fontenot and Reggie Langhorne gained another 14 to the Pittsburgh 35. A defensive holding penalty was followed by a nine-yard run by Mack and Kosar then connected with TE Ozzie Newsome for a 20-yard touchdown. Bahr converted and the score was 21-14.

DB Lupe Sanchez returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to the Cleveland 40, but after the drive stalled at the 28, Anderson missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. With the clock down to 1:42 remaining in the first half, Kosar passed the Browns into Pittsburgh territory but Bahr was also unsuccessful on a 39-yard field goal try and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

Cleveland had the ball first in the third quarter and punted. The Steelers then drove 63 yards in nine plays to put more points on the board. Malone had completions to TE Preston Gothard for 19 yards and Lipps for 16. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Cleveland two and, two plays later, Malone scored a touchdown from a yard out on a quarterback sneak. Anderson knotted the score at 21-21 with the extra point.

The Browns responded strongly as Kosar completed three passes to Langhorne, the first for 20 yards in a second-and-17 situation and the second for 21 yards to convert on third-and-nine. A replay overturned  what was originally called a fumble by Kosar to keep the drive alive and Dickey finished off the 12-play, 76-yard series with a four yard touchdown carry. With Bahr adding the PAT, the home team was back on top by 28-21.

Pittsburgh was driving again as the game headed into the fourth quarter. Abercrombie (pictured at left) and Earnest Jackson had good gains and Malone converted a third down with an 11-yard completion to Lipps. Once again it was Malone keeping the ball himself for the final yard and a TD to cap the 11-play, 69-yard possession and, with Anderson’s extra point, the score was tied once more at 28-28.

Kosar went to the air on the next series and connected with Fontenot for 16 yards and Slaughter for 32 as the Browns advanced to the Pittsburgh 28. The drive stalled, however, and Bahr missed wide to the left on a 45-yard field goal attempt.

The Steelers went three-and-out and had to punt, and this time the Browns had a better result. Driving 64 yards in 14 plays, Kosar completed four passes and Mack and Dickey chipped away on the ground. A throw to Slaughter picked up 22 yards to the Pittsburgh 11 in a third-and-seven situation and, four plays later, Bahr made good on a 25-yard field goal try. Cleveland was up by three with 1:55 to play in regulation.

Starting from their 40 following the ensuing kickoff, the Steelers advanced 37 yards in nine plays. Malone hit on passes to Abercrombie for four yards and Lipps for 14. After RB Rich Erenberg dropped a pass with a clear field in front of him, he caught two throws from Malone for eight and five yards to get a first down. Finally, after two runs got the ball to the Cleveland 23, Anderson kicked a 40-yard field goal to knot the score at 31-31 with 11 seconds remaining, thus sending the game into overtime.

Cleveland’s placekicker Matt Bahr suffered knee ligament damage making the tackle on his last kickoff (which proved to be season-ending) and put the Browns at a disadvantage heading into OT because the reserve tight end Holt was the emergency backup and had never attempted a placekick in the NFL.

Both teams had short possessions to start the extra period. Cleveland WR Gerald “Ice Cube” McNeil had a 15-yard return that gave the Browns the ball at their 40. Mack ran four straight times to pick up 15 yards and Kosar, eluding a heavy rush in a third-and-seven situation, threw to Fontenot for another nine yards before connecting with Slaughter (pictured below) for a 36-yard touchdown to win the game by a final score of 37-31.

Despite the back-and-forth nature of the game and the closeness of the score, the Browns dominated in total yards (536 to 339), first downs (35 to 20), and time of possession (40:17 to 26:20). Each team turned the ball over one time apiece. Both teams had difficulties with field goals as Gary Anderson missed one from just inside 40 yards and Matt Bahr was unsuccessful on two of his three tries.

Bernie Kosar had a big performance, completing 28 of 46 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Webster Slaughter had 6 catches for 134 yards and the game-winning TD while Brian Brennan contributed five receptions for 87 yards and Herman Fontenot added 46 yards on his five catches. Kevin Mack rushed for 106 yards on 24 carries that included a touchdown.

For the Steelers, Mark Malone succeeded on 17 of 28 throws for 197 yards and was intercepted once.  Walter Abercrombie gained 86 yards on 15 carries that included two TDs and caught four passes for another 26 yards. Louis Lipps gained 85 yards on his four receptions and John Stallworth also caught four, for 48 yards.

“We felt like we could come in and shut them (the Browns) down,” said Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Tony Dungy. “We knew pretty much what they were going to do. We just didn’t get them stopped.”

Cleveland won its remaining regular season games to place first the AFC Central for the second straight year with a conference-best 12-4 record. The Browns defeated the Jets in the Divisional playoff round but lost the NFC Championship game to Denver. Meanwhile, the loss officially eliminated the Steelers from playoff contention. They ended up at 6-10 and third in the division.

Bernie Kosar passed for 3854 yards, which ranked fourth in the league, and threw 17 touchdowns with just 10 interceptions, giving him a league-low 1.9 interception percentage. He displayed his ability as a clutch performer by topping the NFL with seven game-winning drives. The 414 passing yards against the Steelers remained his career high.

1984: Fourth Quarter Rally Propels Wranglers Past Express

The teams meeting for the championship of the United States Football League’s Western Conference on July 7, 1984 both had 10-8 regular season records and had recently been hot, winning six of their previous seven games. But beyond that, there were significant differences in the composition and style of the two clubs.

The Arizona Wranglers were coached by George Allen, a 66-year-old veteran of 12 NFL head coaching seasons and one in the USFL’s inaugural year. As was typical of Allen’s teams, the Wranglers relied on veteran pro talent, with strong defense that ranked at the top of the league complemented by a conservative, ball-control offense. 37-year-old QB Greg Landry (pictured above) directed the attack that featured two thousand-yard rushers in Tim Spencer (1212 yards) and Kevin Long (1010 yards) as well as a talented wide receiver in Trumaine Johnson. Still, Arizona got off to a slow start before coming on strong to conclude the season and, qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card team after finishing second in the Pacific Division, came from behind to defeat the high-powered Houston Gamblers by a 17-16 score in the Quarterfinal round.

The Express, on the other hand, consisted of a large number of first- and second-year players and had an offensive-minded first-year head coach in John Hadl, a former AFL and NFL quarterback. Following a 2-3 start, the offense benefited from the arrival of rookie QB Steve Young, with talent that matched a huge contract. An effective left-handed passer with outstanding mobility, Young had second-year WR JoJo Townsell leading the receiving corps plus a group of three effective rookie running backs in Kevin Nelson, Mel Gray, and Kevin Mack to handle the ground game. The Express won the Pacific Division and then eliminated the defending-champion Michigan Panthers the previous week in a game that wasn’t settled until the third overtime period. Unfortunately, Gray, in scoring the winning touchdown, also suffered a broken leg.

There had been controversy in the week leading up to the game when Hadl accused Allen of putting a bounty on Steve Young. Beyond that, there was bad feeling between the two teams, and numerous scuffles broke out during the contest.

There were 33,188 fans in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium, as the Express had forfeited home field advantage due to lack of an available venue (although lack of fan support may have been the bigger consideration). USFL Commissioner Chet Simmons moved the starting time back by eight hours due to concerns about the intense daytime heat, but it was still 100 degrees at the 8:30 pm kickoff, mitigated somewhat by a light breeze.

Los Angeles took the opening kickoff and methodically drove 73 yards down the field, with running backs Kevin Nelson and Kevin Mack, who had a 34-yard carry, running effectively. The series stalled at the Arizona seven yard line and Tony Zendejas kicked a 25-yard field goal for the first score of the game.

Following a short series and punt by the Wranglers, Young threw a pass that was intercepted by FS Luther Bradley, thus giving Arizona good field position. The Wranglers took advantage of it, driving 36 yards in four plays culminating in a four-yard touchdown run by Tim Spencer. Frank Corral added the extra point and the tally remained 7-3 at the end of the opening period.

Early in the second quarter, the Express took advantage of a pass interference penalty to retake the lead on an 11-yard run by Nelson. On their next possession, the visitors again drove 62 yards to a score, once again on a Nelson carry, this time from a yard out. Zendejas successfully added both extra points for a 17-7 lead.

A promising Arizona drive came to naught when DB Darrell Pattillo picked off a Landry pass. However, up by ten points and with time running down in the first half, the Express attempted a fake punt, with Jeff Partridge trying to throw to DB Troy West, but the pass was broken up. Taking possession at the LA 35, the Wranglers were able to score a touchdown on a six-yard run by Spencer followed by a Corral PAT that narrowed the margin to three points going into halftime.

The defenses dominated the third quarter as the teams traded punts. Young had difficulty completing passes, not helped by injuries to his receivers, and Los Angeles, which was already missing Mel Gray, lost Kevin Nelson, who left the game in the third quarter with a sprained neck.

Still, the Express held a three-point lead and got a break when CB Wymon Henderson intercepted a Landry pass and returned it 28 yards to gain possession in Arizona territory. But, with the partisan crowd roaring, the Wranglers sacked Young on successive plays to force a punt from midfield.

Arizona responded with a long scoring series. A pass to RB Allan Clark picked up 44 yards and, on the second play of the fourth quarter, Kevin Long ran for a touchdown from a yard out. Corral’s extra point gave the home team a 21-17 lead.

A short LA possession that ended in a punt gave the Wranglers good starting field position at the Express 45 and they again drove to a score, this time with Landry throwing to Tim Spencer for a five-yard TD that extended the lead to 28-17.

Any prospect for a comeback by the Express, now being thoroughly dominated by the Wranglers, was snuffed out a few plays later when LB Jim Fahnhorst intercepted a pass by Young. Arizona moved methodically 36 yards down the field in eight plays and FB Mack Boatner finished off the spree of three touchdowns in 11 minutes by rushing five yards for a score. With less than three minutes left on the clock, the Wranglers were up by 18 points.

The Express came alive to score once, with a scrambling Young connecting with a leaping TE David Hersey in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown. But the try for a two-point conversion failed, as did the attempted onside kick. Time ran out on LA and the Wranglers advanced by a final score of 35-23.

The Wranglers overcame a significant deficit in the first half to lead in total yards (329 to 283) although Los Angeles maintained the edge in first downs (19 to 18). Each team turned the ball over twice, but the Wranglers recorded four sacks, for a loss of 36 yards, to just one by LA. Both teams were also penalized ten times apiece.

Greg Landry completed 10 of 21 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown along with two interceptions, but was at his best during the fourth quarter surge. Tim Spencer (pictured at right) rushed for 94 yards on 18 carries that included two TDs and Kevin Long contributed 60 yards on 13 attempts. WR Lenny Willis topped the receivers with three catches for 60 yards.

For the Express, Steve Young had his worst statistical game of the season, succeeding on only 7 of 23 throws for 126 yards and a TD, but with two picked off. Kevin Mack ran the ball 14 times for 88 yards and Kevin Nelson added 72 yards on 18 attempts that included two for scores before having to leave the game, with most of that production coming in the first half. David Hersey was the only LA receiver to catch two passes, for 27 yards and the one late TD, while WR Freddie Scott gained 39 yards on his lone reception.

“We never really got going,” said Steve Young in defeat. “It’s my job to make things happen. I’m the guy who’s supposed to be the catalyst, and unfortunately I didn’t do that. I’ve got to take the blame.”

The Wranglers were beaten the next week for the USFL Championship by the Philadelphia Stars, which proved to be the end of the line for George Allen, who stepped down as head coach. Arizona was merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws for 1985 and went 8-10 to finish fourth in the revamped Western Conference. Things got much worse for the financially strapped Express, who fell to the bottom of the conference at 3-15.

1987: Broncos Tie Score with “The Drive”, Beat Browns in OT for AFC Title

The AFC Championship game on January 11, 1987 featured the Denver Broncos, who had topped the AFC West with an 11-5 record, against the Cleveland Browns, champions of the AFC Central at 12-4.

The Broncos, coached by Dan Reeves, were benefiting from the continued development of QB John Elway (pictured above), who appeared to be hitting his stride in his fourth year. The running game was ordinary, but young receivers like WRs Vance Johnson and Mark Jackson plus TE Orson Mobley enhanced the passing attack. Key players on defense were DE Rulon Jones, linebackers Karl Mecklenburg and Tom Jackson, and SS Dennis Smith. Denver had gotten off to a 6-0 start but was less consistent during the season’s second half. Still, the Broncos topped the division and got past New England at the Divisional round to advance to the conference title game.

Cleveland seemed the hotter club coming into the matchup with Denver. Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer’s team was 4-3 after seven weeks but lost only one game after that. The Browns won their last five contests to close out the regular season with the best record in the AFC and then defeated the Jets in overtime at the Divisional playoff level. They, too, had a good young quarterback in 23-year-old Bernie Kosar, who may have lacked Elway’s mobility but was a fine passer who led the league with the lowest percentage of interceptions (1.9). Star TE Ozzie Newsome had suffered through an injury-plagued season, but Kosar spread his passes among several capable receivers, including utility back Herman Fontenot, who had 47 receptions. The ground game was also missing RB Earnest Byner due to injury, but FB Kevin Mack, who also had missed time, was back in action for the postseason. The defense was solid, if not spectacular. Placekicker Matt Bahr had undergone surgery during the season and in his place was 38-year-old Mark Moseley, the NFL’s last straight-ahead kicker who had finally reached the end of the line in Washington.

It was an overcast day in Cleveland with nearly 80,000 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The teams traded punts before the Browns put together a 14-play, 86-yard drive. On a third-and-twelve play, Bernie Kosar passed to WR Reggie Langhorne for 13 yards and followed up with a completion to Herman Fontenot for another 13 yards to the Cleveland 38. Kevin Mack ran three straight times for 23 yards and, facing a third-and-seven situation, Kosar connected with Fontenot once again for 24 yards to the Denver 15. The series ended with Kosar passing to Fontenot for a six-yard touchdown. Mark Moseley added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

The Broncos again punted following their next possession, with WR Gerald “Ice Cube” McNeil returning Mike Horan’s 48-yard kick for 18 yards to the Cleveland 37. McNeil fumbled at the end, but DB Chris Rockins recovered for the Browns. However, two plays later Kosar threw a pass that was intercepted by LB Ricky Hunley at midfield that, with a 14-yard return, gave Denver possession at the Cleveland 36.

The Broncos were unable to move the ball following the turnover and punted on the second play of the second quarter. Once again Kosar threw an interception, this time by LB Jim Ryan, who ran 26 yards to give the visitors first-and-goal at the Cleveland nine. Denver got to the one in three plays and Rich Karlis kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 7-3.

The Broncos got the ball back quickly when, on Cleveland’s next play from scrimmage, Mack fumbled and LB Ken Woodard recovered for Denver at the Browns’ 37. On first down, Elway was flushed out of the pocket but, despite a sprained ankle, scrambled for 34 yards to the three yard line. Two running plays got the ball to the one and, on third down, Elway, under pressure from LB Clay Matthews, threw an incomplete pass. The Broncos chose to go for it this time on fourth down, and, catching the Browns unprepared on defense, were rewarded when HB Gerald Willhite ran off right tackle for a TD. Karlis kicked the PAT and Denver was ahead by 10-7.

The Browns reached the Denver 45 on the next series, with Kosar completing three straight passes for 24 yards to start the drive off, but they could get no farther and had to punt. The Broncos had to punt it back and, starting at their 35, the Browns advanced 53 yards in nine plays. The highlight was a Kosar completion to WR Clarence Weathers that picked up 42 yards to the Denver 20 in a third-and-seven situation. Mack ran the ball twice for a total of five yards and, after Kosar was called for intentional grounding, Moseley came on to kick a 29-yard field goal that tied the score at 10-10 with 20 seconds remaining in the half.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter. On their second series, the Broncos reached midfield, but an Elway pass that was originally ruled incomplete was overturned, having been intercepted by DB Mark Harper. Still, the Browns went three-and-out. Following the punt, Denver put together an 11-play, 61-yard series. RB Sammy Winder ran four times for 20 yards and Elway had a completion to TE Clarence Kay for 15 yards and to Orson Mobley for nine, plus another 15 yards added at the end due to a roughing-the-passer penalty. The drive finally stalled at the Cleveland nine and Karlis kicked a 26-yard field goal that put the visitors back in front at 13-10.

The Browns responded by going 76 yards in ten plays that extended into the fourth quarter. Kosar had completions to WR Webster Slaughter for 20 yards and Langhorne for 22 to the Denver 38. Mack ran six straight times for a total of 31 yards and the possession finally ended with Moseley once again tying the score with a 24-yard field goal.

The teams again exchanged punts until the Browns, starting at their 48 after a ten-yard McNeil return, struck quickly. A pass was incomplete and Fontenot ran for four yards before, on third down, Kosar threw to WR Brian Brennan for a 48-yard touchdown, putting the home crowd in a frenzy. Moseley’s extra point gave the Browns a 20-13 lead with 5:43 left on the clock.

Things did not look promising for the Broncos, especially when they started their next series at the two yard line following the squibbed kickoff that was mishandled by RB Ken Bell. Elway threw to Winder for five yards and then, following three straight running plays, Denver was facing second-and-seven at the 15. Elway scrambled for 11 yards and followed up with completions to RB Steve Sewell for 22 yards and WR Steve Watson for 12 to the Cleveland 40.

However, another pass was incomplete and then Elway was sacked by NT Dave Puzzuoli, losing eight yards and bringing up a third-and-18 situation. But Elway connected with WR Mark Jackson for 20 yards and the Broncos had a first down at the 28. Two plays later, Sewell caught a pass for 14 yards and, with just under a minute remaining in regulation, the ball was at the 14. Following an incomplete pass, Elway was again forced to run and gained nine yards to set up third-and-one with the clock now down to 42 seconds. Elway, under a heavy rush, threw to a diving Jackson in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown to complete the 15-play, 98-yard series that would henceforth be referred to as “The Drive”. Karlis kicked the all-important extra point and the game went into overtime tied at 20-20.

The Browns had the first possession in OT but ran three plays and had to punt. Taking over at their 25, the Broncos gained five yards on a carry by Winder before Elway threw to Mobley for a 22-yard gain. A pitchout to Winder lost two yards and it was third-and-12 after a pass fell incomplete. Once again, Elway came through with a big play as he connected with Watson for 28 yards to the Cleveland 22. The Broncos ran the ball three times to set up a 33-yard field goal attempt by Karlis. While the kick hooked to the left, it passed just inside the upright and was successful.  At 5:48 into overtime the Broncos were AFC Champions by a score of 23-20.

Denver had the edge in total yards (374 to 356) and first downs (22 to 17). The Browns turned the ball over three times, to one turnover by the Broncos, and were penalized nine times at a cost of 76 yards, to six flags thrown on Denver.

John Elway completed 22 of 38 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown with one interception. He also ran the ball four times for 56 yards. Four Broncos caught three passes apiece, with Steve Watson gaining a team-leading 55 yards on his and Steve Sewell accumulating 47 yards. Sammy Winder rushed for 83 yards on 26 carries.

For the Browns, Bernie Kosar was successful on 18 of 32 throws for 259 yards and two TDs, but also two interceptions. Herman Fontenot had 7 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown and Brian Brennan, with the long scoring catch, gained 72 yards on his four pass receptions. Kevin Mack ran for 94 yards on 26 attempts. On special teams, Gerald McNeil averaged 12.3 yards on his three punt returns and Mark Moseley, in the final game of his long career, was successful on both of his field goal attempts as well as his extra points.

“I don’t know where to start, there are so many places you can start to talk about in this football game,” said Dan Reeves. “It was just a tremendous drive at the end.”

There was no Elway-inspired magic in the Super Bowl, where the Broncos lost decisively to the New York Giants. The Broncos and Browns, who again topped their divisions in 1987, met again to vie for the AFC title in a rematch, this time in Denver in a game that the Broncos won thanks to a late fumble by the Browns. 

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Mack, 1985

Fullback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 23

College: Clemson

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 212

Prelude:

A member of the 1981 national championship team at Clemson, Mack joined the Los Angeles Express of the USFL for the spring 1984 season and rushed for 330 yards on 73 carries (4.5 avg.). Waived by the Express and taken by Cleveland in the first round of the 1984 NFL Supplemental draft, he signed with the Browns and was considered a NFL rookie when he joined the club for the 1985 season. The power-running Mack moved into the starting lineup and teamed up effectively with RB Earnest Byner.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 222 [18]

Most attempts, game - 21 (for 94 yds.) vs. Buffalo 11/17

Yards – 1104 [10]

Most yards, game – 130 yards (on 16 carries) at San Diego 9/29

Average gain – 5.0 [5]

TDs – 7 [18, tied with seven others]

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 29       

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 49 yds.) at San Diego 9/29

Yards – 297

Most yards, game - 85 (on 5 catches) vs. New England 10/6

Average gain – 10.2

TDs – 3

Scoring

TDs – 10 [11, tied with thirteen others]

Points – 60

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff at Miami)

Rushing attempts – 13

Rushing yards – 56

Average gain rushing – 4.3

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

Pro Bowl

Browns went 8-8 to finish first in the AFC Central. Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Miami Dolphins (24-21).

Aftermath:

The combination of Mack and Earnest Byner that became the third NFL running back duo to each gain a thousand yards in a season in 1985 was less effective in ‘86, as both had injury problems and they only were paired together for a total of seven quarters. Mack’s shoulder injury slowed him early but he came back strong in the second half of the season and ended up rushing for 665 yards and 10 TDs. In the strike-shortened ’87 season, Mack ran for 735 yards and caught 32 passes, earning a second Pro Bowl selection as the team made it to the AFC title game for the second straight year. But injuries limited him to 11 games and 485 rushing yards in 1988 and injuries combined with a league suspension following a drug arrest held him to four games and 130 yards in ’89. Mack returned to form and was a bright spot on a 3-13 team in 1990, rushing for 702 yards and catching a career-high 42 passes for 360 more. He ran for 726 yards and caught 40 passes in ’91 but was showing clear signs of wear and, after a 543-yard season in 1992, he appeared in four games and rushed for 33 yards in 1993, his last year. Overall, Mack was considered one of the top power runners in the game, if not a particularly adept blocker, and rushed for a total of 5123 yards and 46 touchdowns with a 4.0 average per carry, along with 197 pass receptions for 1602 yards and another 8 TDs in nine seasons with the Browns.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

[Updated 2/8/14]