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.

1970: Key Turnovers & Brodie TD Passes Lead 49ers Past Browns

The San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns were both 1-0 as they faced each other on September 27, 1970. The 49ers, in their third year under Head Coach Dick Nolan, were coming off of an injury-plagued 4-8-2 record in 1969 but had the tools in place to do much better. QB John Brodie (pictured above) was an experienced and able passer and there was quality at wide receiver and running back. The defense was effective as well, and the placekicking problem of the previous year was resolved with the acquisition of PK Bruce Gossett. The 49ers started off with a Week 1 win against the Redskins.

Cleveland, coached by Blanton Collier since 1963, was in a new division thanks to the AFL/NFL merger, having been placed in the AFC Central. A perennial contender in the NFL’s Eastern Conference, it was anticipated that the Browns would dominate the AFC competition. QB Bill Nelsen was a good leader and passer, although playing on gimpy knees, and star WR Paul Warfield had been dealt away during the offseason in order to trade up for QB Mike Phipps of Purdue in the first round to be groomed as the successor. WR Gary Collins and TE Milt Morin were proven pass receivers, and HB Leroy Kelly a consistent performer. The Browns defeated the Jets the previous Monday night.

There were 37,502 fans in attendance on a hot day at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers advanced 63 yards in eight plays on their first possession as John Brodie threw to HB Doug Cunningham for a 29-yard gain and capped the series with a swing pass to FB Ken Willard that covered the final five yards for a touchdown. Bruce Gossett added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Cleveland responded with a six-play, 68-yard possession. Bill Nelsen connected with Leroy Kelly on first down for a 41-yard pickup and FB Bo Scott swept for the final three yards and a TD. Don Cockroft added the game-tying point after.

With the game still in the first quarter, the 49ers got a big defensive play when Nelsen was hit while passing and SS Mel Phillips intercepted for the 49ers, who returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. Gossett’s conversion made it a 14-7 contest heading into the second quarter.

The teams exchanged punts before the Browns put together a 95-yard drive in 10 plays, the big one a Nelsen completion to WR Fair Hooker that gained 69 yards to the San Francisco 16. The 49er defense held and Cockroft kicked a 20-yard field goal to make it 14-10.

The 49ers advanced to the Cleveland 43 on their next series, losing WR Dick Witcher to a shoulder separation along the way, and a holding penalty forced a punt. However, San Francisco got another break on defense two plays later when Scott fumbled and DT Roland Lakes recovered at the Cleveland 15. On the next play, Brodie threw to WR Jimmy Thomas for a TD. Gossett added the extra point and the Niners led by a 21-10 score.

The Browns came back with an 80-yard drive in eight plays. Nelsen completed five passes, with the longest to Milt Morin for 27 yards and two to Hooker, for 18 yards and finally an eight-yard TD with 1:12 remaining in the first half. There was still time for the 49ers, but the clock ran out on them at the Cleveland 22 and the score remained 21-17 at halftime.

Cleveland’s first series of the third quarter ended with Kelly running 33 yards up the middle for a touchdown. With Cockroft’s point after, the Browns had their first lead of the day at 24-21. The teams traded punts and Cleveland then took six plays to advance 83 yards, helped along by a 28-yard pass interference penalty. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Willard (pictured at left) carried on a draw play for the last nine yards and a TD. Gossett’s extra point attempt was blocked, but San Francisco was back in front by 27-24.

The visitors fought back with a five-play, 80-yard drive. Nelsen was knocked out of the game when, under a heavy pass rush, he suffered a leg injury after completing a pass to Hooker that gained 62 yards to the San Francisco eight. Blanton Collier chose to go with Don Gault, who had spent time on the taxi squad, over Mike Phipps and Gault handed off to Kelly on the next play for an eight-yard TD. Cockroft’s extra point was successful and Cleveland was back in the lead at 31-27.

After a short series by the 49ers, the Browns, with Gault at quarterback, initially appeared to move the ball well. A throw to Gary Collins picked up 23 yards but, three plays later, LB Dave Wilcox intercepted a pass and returned it 11 yards to his own 36. On second down, Brodie connected with Thomas, who made the catch over LB John Garlington and raced the remaining 35 yards for a 61-yard touchdown. Gossett converted.

Down by three points and with eight minutes left on the clock, there was still plenty of time for the Browns. Taking possession at their 24 following the ensuing kickoff, they ran three plays and, facing fourth down and less than a yard to go, chose to punt. In a key series, the 49ers then controlled the ball for 13 plays (nine of them carries by Willard), going to the air only once. The Browns finally got the ball back at their 30, but with only 22 seconds left to play. San Francisco held on to win by a final score of 34-31.

Cleveland had the edge in total yards (448 to 435) while the 49ers led in first downs (24 to 20). The Browns turned the ball over four times, which proved critical, while San Francisco had none.

John Brodie completed 20 of 31 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Ken Willard ran effectively, gaining 105 yards on 22 carries that included a TD in addition to a score on his lone pass reception. WR Gene Washington had 5 catches for 40 yards but Jimmy Thomas was the pass receiving star for the 49ers with four for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

For the Browns, Bill Nelsen was successful on 14 of 25 throws for 308 yards and a TD, but also gave up an interception that led directly to a score, before being knocked out of the game. Fair Hooker (pictured at right) caught four passes for 157 yards and a touchdown and Gary Collins contributed four receptions for 68 yards. Leroy Kelly rushed for 74 yards on 16 attempts that included two scores and also gained 54 yards on two pass receptions. Bo Scott ran 15 times for 48 yards and a TD but gave up a critical fumble.

“You can’t blame the defense for two of the touchdowns,” said Coach Collier in defeat. “You can’t make as many mistakes as we did and win in this league.”

The 49ers lost the following week but went on to top the NFC West with a 10-3-1 record. They reached the NFC Championship game before falling to Dallas. Cleveland was without Bill Nelsen due to damaged knee ligaments the next week but won with Gault and Phipps at quarterback. However, the Browns slumped during the second half of the season and finished at a disappointing 7-7 and second in the AFC Central.

John Brodie had his finest season as he led the NFL, completing 223 passes for 2941 yards and 24 touchdowns, which were all league-leading figures. He was the consensus MVP and received first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

The performance by Jimmy Thomas was his best of the season. Appearing at halfback as well as wide receiver, he caught a total of 12 passes for 221 yards (18.4 avg.) and scored one more TD for a total of three. 

The unheralded Fair Hooker also had his best game of the year, not reaching the hundred-yard threshold for the remainder of the season (or his career, for that matter), but he did emerge as a pleasant surprise for the Browns with 28 catches for 490 yards (17.5 avg.) and two TDs.

1970: Second Quarter Surge Leads Lions to Win Over Browns

Two teams with 3-1 records, the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, met in Cleveland in the fifth week of the NFL season on October 18, 1970. The Lions, coached by Joe Schmidt, were coming off of their first loss of the year the previous week. The team had long been known for prowess on defense, and while the line was showing its age, linebackers Mike Lucci and Wayne Walker and the backfield led by CB Lem Barney were still assets. The offense had a competent quarterback in Bill Munson, who was starting ahead of the up-and-coming (and more mobile) Greg Landry, while the corps of running backs was a good one and the receivers competent.

Cleveland, under Head Coach Blanton Collier for the eighth year, was a team used to contending that had moved to the American Football Conference in the newly-merged and reorganized NFL, and was expected to do so again. QB Bill Nelsen was a good passer playing on brittle knees and QB Mike Phipps had been drafted out of Purdue in the first round to be groomed for the job. However, the receiving corps was missing WR Paul Warfield, who had been dealt to Miami in order to trade up for Phipps, and HB Leroy Kelly was still an effective runner, but showing signs of wear. The defensive line was effective, but the linebackers and backfield were a source of concern. 

It was a sunny afternoon with 83,577 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The Browns had the game’s first possession, had to punt, but got the ball back immediately when Lem Barney fumbled the kick and DB Freddie Summers recovered at the Detroit 20. Three plays later, Bill Nelsen threw to WR Gary Collins in the end zone, who beat Barney for a 14-yard touchdown. Don Cockroft added the extra point.

A short series by the Lions resulted in a punt and it looked promising for the Browns when FB Bo Scott ran for seven yards and then Leroy Kelly gained 24 yards to the Detroit 36. But a Nelsen swing pass was then intercepted by DE Larry Hand, who returned it 62 yards for a TD. Errol Mann kicked the point after and, instead of the home team possibly extending its lead, the score was tied at 7-7.

The Browns had to punt following their next possession and Detroit drove 77 yards in six plays. FB Mel Farr carried twice for a total of 13 yards and Bill Munson then threw deep to WR Larry Walton (pictured at top) for a gain of 56 yards to the Cleveland eight. Runs by Farr and HB Altie Taylor picked up six yards and, on third down, Munson tossed a pass to Taylor for a two-yard touchdown. Mann’s conversion put the visitors up by 14-7.

The teams exchanged punts as the game headed into the second quarter. The Browns crossed midfield but Nelsen fumbled while being sacked and Mike Lucci recovered for the Lions at the Cleveland 40. Munson completed three passes to Farr and Mann kicked a 51-yard field goal that hit the crossbar but tumbled on through to make it a 17-7 contest.

Cleveland responded with an eight-play, 79-yard drive. Nelsen completed passes to TE Milt Morin for eight yards and WR Fair Hooker for 18 and Scott had runs of 10 and six yards. Nelsen threw to Hooker for a 16-yard TD, Cockroft added the extra point, and Detroit’s lead was cut to 17-14.

The Lions came back with a scoring series of their own, going 80 yards in six plays. Facing third-and-ten from their own 20, Munson connected with Walton for a 40-yard pickup and, after runs by Taylor and Farr, it was Munson to Walton again for a 28-yard touchdown. Mann converted to put the visitors ahead by ten points. The lead expanded again quickly when, on the second play of the ensuing series, a Nelsen pass was picked off by SS Mike Weger (pictured above) and returned 29 yards for another Detroit touchdown.  Mann’s PAT made it 31-14.

Cleveland got the ball back with 2:39 remaining in the first half, and once again a Nelsen pass was intercepted, this time by Lucci. On the very next play, Munson again threw to Walton, this time for a 34-yard TD. Mann converted and, thanks to the 24-point second quarter, the Lions took a commanding 38-14 lead into halftime.

Detroit added another Mann field goal in the third quarter, from 34 yards. Rookie Mike Phipps came on at quarterback for the Browns but threw two more interceptions, the second on the first play of the final period. Cleveland finally scored again on a 47-yard Cockroft field goal and a late drive led to a Scott touchdown from three yards out, but it was all inconsequential as the Lions won by a final score of 41-24.

The Browns had a slight edge in total yards (318 to 315) and also led in first downs (19 to 13). However, Cleveland also turned the ball over six times, to two suffered by the Lions. Detroit also accounted for all of the game’s three sacks.

Bill Munson completed 10 of 20 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns while giving up an interception. Larry Walton had a huge performance with four catches for 158 yards and two TDs. Altie Taylor topped Detroit’s runners with 51 yards on 13 carries. On defense, Mike Weger accounted for two of the Lions’ five interceptions.

For the Browns, Bill Nelsen was successful on just six of 16 throws for 65 yards and two TDs while giving up three interceptions. In relief, Mike Phipps was six-of-13 for 141 yards and was picked off twice. Leroy Kelly (pictured at right) was effective running the ball, gaining 106 yards on 24 attempts. Fair Hooker had four pass receptions for 52 yards and a TD and TE Chip Glass gained 74 yards on his two catches.

The Lions endured a midseason slump to go 10-4 and finish second in the NFC Central, qualifying for a Wild Card playoff slot. They lost to Dallas in the Divisional round. Cleveland bounced back to win the following week but slumped badly during the second half of the season and finished second in the AFC Central at 7-7.

Bill Munson started eight games before yielding to Greg Landry. He completed 84 of 158 passes for 1049 yards and 10 touchdowns while giving up 7 interceptions. Larry Walton, in his second season, had 30 catches for 532 yards (17.7 avg.) and five TDs. The 158-yard performance against the Browns was his only hundred-yard game of the year and was also his career high.

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. 

1972: Browns Overcome Chargers on Late Pitts Touchdown

The Cleveland Browns had a 5-3 record and were trying to keep pace with the division-leading Steelers as they faced the San Diego Chargers on November 13, 1972. Head Coach Nick Skorich’s team had started off slowly, losing three of its first five contests, but had a three-game winning streak going coming into San Diego. Third-year QB Mike Phipps had been handed the starting duties in the second week of the season and displayed poise. HB Leroy Kelly and FB Bo Scott were aging but still dependable runners. The defense had problems against the run but, with young CB Clarence Scott and FS Thom Darden in the backfield, was sound against the pass.

The Chargers, under Head Coach Harland Svare, were heading in the opposite direction. They had lost four straight games and were a dismal 2-5-1. QB John Hadl had been effective in the team’s former pass-oriented offense, but bridled with the switch to a ground-based attack that featured HB Mike Garrett and FB Cid Edwards. San Diego had invested heavily in aging players, and it was not proving to be a sound strategy.

There were 54,205 fans on hand for the Monday night game at San Diego Stadium. The Chargers drove methodically down the field on their opening possession. They kept the ball on the ground with Garrett and Edwards carrying the load and John Hadl throwing to Garrett for a 13-yard gain on a third-and-three play. However, after going 73 yards to reach the Cleveland four yard line, Hadl fumbled and DE Bob Briggs recovered for the Browns. The teams traded punts for the remainder of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Chargers put together another long drive of 49 yards that ended with Dennis Partee kicking a 26-yard field goal. After another exchange of punts, the Browns started off at their 33 and moved the ball effectively themselves. WR Frank Pitts gained 13 yards on a reverse and Leroy Kelly ran for 11 yards and caught a pass from Mike Phipps for a 27-yard gain. Phipps threw to Bo Scott for 24 yards and, after a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the San Diego one, Phipps gained the last yard for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak. Don Cockroft added the extra point and Cleveland was ahead by 7-3, which remained the score at halftime.

The Browns took the second half kickoff and drove to midfield before LB Rick Redman intercepted a Phipps pass. They got the ball back two plays later when Garrett fumbled for the Chargers, but ended up having to punt. San Diego proceeded to go 86 yards in 12 plays. Hadl completed three passes, a key one of which was to WR Gary Garrison for 15 yards in a third-and-12 situation, and the last for a four-yard touchdown to Edwards. Partee added the PAT and the Chargers took a 10-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

Cleveland was on the move as the third quarter ended, with Phipps tossing an 18-yard completion to TE Milt Morin on third down to close out the period and then starting off the final quarter with a 19-yard pass to Pitts that reached the San Diego 33. Seven plays later, FB Ken Brown went two yards up the middle for a touchdown and, with Cockroft’s extra point, the visitors were back in front at 14-10.

The teams traded punts before the Chargers came back with another score. Starting off at their 39, they primarily stayed on the ground as Garrett and Edwards ran well and Hadl threw to Garrison for a 15-yard gain. Garrett capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Partee added the PAT and, with 1:21 remaining to play, San Diego appeared to be in control and set for an upset with a three-point edge.

After HB Bill LeFear ran the kickoff back 24 yards, the Browns started off from their own 36. Phipps tossed a screen pass to Brown for seven yards and then connected with the fullback again for a 19-yard gain. On the next play, Phipps went long for Pitts in the end zone, and he pulled it down for a 38-yard touchdown. With Cockroft’s extra point, Cleveland was suddenly ahead by four.

There were still 33 seconds left on the clock as the Chargers took possession at their 13 following a clipping penalty on the kickoff return. Hadl completed a pass to TE Pettis Norman for 24 yards to the Cleveland 45, but two more passes fell incomplete to end the game. The Browns came away with a 21-17 win.

The Chargers had the edge in total yards (327 to 299) and first downs (24 to 18), and were especially effective on the ground, where they generated 191 yards of their total. However, San Diego also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Cleveland.

Frank Pitts was the star on offense for the Browns as he caught 5 passes for 96 yards, including the game-winning touchdown, and despite suffering from a back injury. Mike Phipps completed 13 of 21 throws for 186 yards and a TD with one intercepted and also ran for 17 yards and a score on four carries. Leroy Kelly rushed for 67 yards on 17 attempts.

For the Chargers, Cid Edwards (pictured at left) gained 91 yards on 17 rushes and had three pass receptions for 34 more yards and a TD. Mike Garrett contributed 89 yards on 24 attempts and also scored a touchdown in addition to catching a team-high four passes for 29 yards. John Hadl was successful on 12 of 21 tosses for 140 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Pettis Norman led the club with 47 yards on his three catches. 

“Everybody wasn’t playing the same defense, particularly on that last series,” said a frustrated Coach Harland Svare. “It’s downright silly to let them go that long, that fast for a score.”

The win kept the Browns a game behind the Steelers, who they defeated the next week. The winning streak reached six games and the loss in the return engagement at Pittsburgh was the only one the team suffered for the remainder of the regular season. Cleveland ended up with a 10-4 record, good enough for second in the AFC Central and a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. The Browns gave the undefeated Dolphins a good scare in the Divisional round of the postseason before falling. The Chargers, meanwhile, continued to struggle and finished at 4-9-1 and at the bottom of the AFC West.

Mike Phipps (pictured below) went through his ups and downs, completing just 47.2 percent of his passes for 1994 yards with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Still, the team did well, although Phipps would never develop into the star that Cleveland had hoped he would be when they traded up for him (and gave up Hall of Fame WR Paul Warfield in doing so) in the first round of the 1970 NFL draft.

Frank Pitts continued to be Cleveland’s most reliable receiver, leading the club with 36 catches for 620 yards (17.2 avg.) and eight touchdowns.

The running back tandem of Mike Garrett and Cid Edwards remained a bright spot in an otherwise dreadful year for the Chargers. Garrett rushed for 1031 yards on 272 carries (3.8 avg.) and caught 31 passes for 245 more yards, ending up with a total of seven touchdowns. Cid Edwards ran for 679 yards on 157 attempts (4.3 avg.) and had 40 pass receptions for 557 yards, with an impressive 13.9 average per catch out of the backfield. He also scored a total of seven TDs and was named team MVP.

1968: Kelly Runs for 130 Yards as Browns Hand Colts Only Loss of Season

The Baltimore Colts were cruising at 5-0, and had lost only once in their previous 19 games (that included two ties), as they hosted the Cleveland Browns on October 20, 1968. Head Coach Don Shula’s team was winning despite the loss of star QB Johnny Unitas to a severe elbow injury in the preseason. 34-year-old QB Earl Morrall, acquired from the Giants as insurance, was filling in admirably for the all-time great. The rest of the club was solid. If anything, with the Browns coming into town they could be excused for looking ahead to a showdown with the Rams the next week – the team that had inflicted the defeat at the end of the 1967 that cost the Colts a spot in the postseason.

Cleveland, coached by Blanton Collier, had a 2-3 record and was most recently coming off a loss to the Cardinals. They, too, had gained a new quarterback in the prior offseason in Bill Nelsen, who came from the Browns and supplanted veteran Frank Ryan three weeks into the schedule. They had an outstanding runner in HB Leroy Kelly (pictured above) and equally great receiver in split end Paul Warfield and, after starting slowly, the offense was beginning to come to life following the change at quarterback.

There were 60,238 fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium on a sunny afternoon. The Browns took the opening kickoff and put together a long series that featured Bill Nelsen throwing to WR Eppie Barney for 15 yards and Leroy Kelly gaining 14 yards on a draw play in a third-and-six situation. But after reaching the Baltimore 29, Nelsen was dropped for a 10-yard loss on a third-down play and Don Cockroft’s 47-yard field goal attempt fell short and was returned by FS Rick Volk to the Baltimore 25.

The Colts got a quick first down when Earl Morrall threw to WR Jimmy Orr for seven yards and FB Jerry Hill followed up with a four-yard run. However, three plays later Morrall faced a heavy blitz and, hit by DT Jim Kanicki, fumbled. LB Jim Houston recovered for the Browns and they took advantage by driving 37 yards in seven plays. Nelsen threw two passes to Paul Warfield, for 15 and 9 yards apiece, and Kelly took a swing pass to gain the last two yards for a touchdown. With Cockroft’s extra point, the Browns were up by 7-0.

HB Preston Pearson returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to his own 40 and the Colts were at the Cleveland 49 as the first quarter ended, but had to punt. The Browns, pinned down at their 10, went three-and-out and Baltimore regained possession at midfield. Morrall immediately went to the air and hit Orr for 27 yards and HB Tom Matte then ran the remaining 23 yards for a TD. With the conversion by Lou Michaels, the score was tied.

The teams traded punts as neither offense was able to move until, with just under three minutes remaining in the half, the Browns took possession at their 19 and mounted an 81-yard drive in 10 plays. Kelly ran the ball well and gained 16 yards on a pass completion. A throw by Nelsen to TE Milt Morin picked up 20 yards and had another 15 yards tacked on for a roughing-the-passer penalty to get the ball to the Baltimore 19. The drive culminated in Nelsen passing to Warfield for a five-yard touchdown with the clock down to 24 seconds and Cockroft added the PAT. Cleveland went into halftime with a 14-7 lead.

When the Colts came out for their first series of the third quarter, Johnny Unitas was at quarterback, much to the excitement of the crowd. It was not a promising return for the veteran star, however, when his first pass was deflected and intercepted by FS Mike Howell. Starting at the Baltimore 34, the Browns methodically drove to another score in eight plays. Nelsen threw to Barney for a two-yard TD, Cockroft booted the extra point, and the visitors were now leading by 21-7.

Unitas threw two incomplete passes on the next series, but the Colts got a break when CB Ben Davis fumbled the resulting punt and LB Bob Grant recovered at the Cleveland 37. The rusty Unitas still had difficulty completing passes, but Baltimore managed to get a 17-yard Michaels field goal to make it a 21-10 game.

The Colts managed to retain possession on the following kickoff when Michaels recovered his own short, bouncing kick at the Cleveland 29. Baltimore picked up only four yards in three plays and Michaels kicked another field goal, this time from 33 yards.

The teams traded punts for the remainder of the period. The fourth quarter started with Unitas throwing for Orr, but the pass bounced out of the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by LB Bob Matheson, who returned it 30 yards to the Baltimore four. From there on the next play, Kelly ran around end for a touchdown. While Cockroft’s extra point attempt was blocked by DE Bubba Smith, Cleveland was now ahead by 27-13.

Another short series for the Colts ended in Unitas throwing an interception, this time with DE Bill Glass grabbing the deflected pass and giving the visitors the ball at the Baltimore 17. By this point, many in the crowd that was earlier buoyed by his return were booing the all-time great as he left the field. The Browns reached the four before Cockroft kicked an 11-yard field goal.

Morrall was back at quarterback for the Colts, to the cheers of the fans, and he went to the air eight times, completed five, with the last pass to WR Willie Richardson for an eight-yard touchdown. The extra point by Michaels made it a ten-point game, but that was the last gasp for Baltimore. An onside kick was recovered by the Browns and they were able to maintain possession and nail down the 30-20 win.

Cleveland had more total yards (305 to 212) and first downs (19 to 13) than the Colts. The Browns especially ran the ball effectively, gaining 179 yards on the ground. The key was Baltimore’s five turnovers, to one suffered by Cleveland.

Leroy Kelly was the star on offense with 130 rushing yards on 30 carries that included a touchdown plus 18 more yards on two catches that included another TD. Bill Nelsen (pictured at right) completed 15 of 23 passes for three touchdowns with none intercepted and also ran the ball four times for another 32 yards. Paul Warfield had 5 pass receptions for 46 yards and a score.

For the Colts, Earl Morrall was successful on 10 of 18 throws for 130 yards and a TD and one interception. Johnny Unitas completed only one of 11 passes for 12 yards and suffered three interceptions. Tom Matte rushed for 64 yards and a TD on 13 carries and gained another 37 yards on two catches. John Mackey led the receivers with three receptions for 41 yards while Jimmy Orr also caught three passes, for 38 yards.

“I couldn’t get the ball down,” explained Johnny Unitas of his difficulties throwing the ball. “I was releasing it high. But I did have some bad luck.”

When asked further about his reaction to being booed by the home crowd, Unitas responded with a terse “I could care less.”

With Morrall continuing to start for the remainder of the season, the Colts regained their footing to decisively defeat the Rams the next week and continue on to a 13-1 record and first place in the Coastal Division. The win over the Colts initiated an eight-game winning streak for the Browns, who topped the Century Division at 10-4. Both teams won their conference title games, with Cleveland upsetting Dallas in the Eastern Conference and Baltimore easily dispatching the Vikings in the Western Conference. In the rematch for the NFL Championship, the Colts gained their revenge by a convincing 34-0 score. However, the dream season ended with a stunning loss to the AFL-Champion New York Jets in the Super Bowl.

Leroy Kelly led the NFL in rushing for the second straight year with 1239 yards on 248 carries (5.0 avg.) and 16 touchdowns. Adding in 22 catches for 297 yards and another four TDs, he led the league in yards from scrimmage (1536), touchdowns (20), and scoring (120 points). In addition to receiving consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors, he was named as recipient of the Maxwell Club’s Bert Bell Award as NFL Player of the Year.

Earl Morrall was the consensus league MVP, however, as he led the league in passing (93.2 rating), touchdown passes (26), yards per attempt (9.2), and yards per completion (16.0) while placing second in passing yards (2909) and completion percentage (57.4). In sixth place (third by the current rating system, at 86.4) was Bill Nelsen, who ranked in the top five in yards (2366), touchdowns (19), yards per attempt (8.1), and yards per completion (15.6).

Johnny Unitas saw scant action during the remainder of the regular season, but did lead the Colts to their only touchdown in the Super Bowl defeat in relief of Morrall. While there were concerns as to his ability to come back (he was 36 by the start of the 1969 season), he did return to the starting job, although with increasingly diminishing returns until his last year in 1973.  

1970: Paul Brown’s Bengals Defeat Browns

Paul Brown (pictured above) had returned to pro football as a head coach (and GM and part owner) with the expansion Cincinnati Bengals of the AFL in 1968. He had been away from the game after being summarily fired by Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell following the ’62 season, ending a brilliant head coaching stint with the Browns going back to 1946 in the All-America Football Conference that included four AAFC titles and three NFL Championships. The parting had been a bitter one for Brown.

The AFL/NFL merger that culminated in 1970 made possible regular season meetings between the Bengals and Browns, particularly since both teams were now members of the new AFC Central Division. Cincinnati won a preseason contest between the clubs, but in their first meeting that counted in the standings the Browns had prevailed at Cleveland in Week 4. Now, on November 15, the clubs faced off once again in Cincinnati.

It had been a tough season thus far for the third-year Bengals. They were at 2-6 coming into the rematch with the Browns, having won their opening game before losing six straight contests and then thrashing the Bills the previous week. With the loss of their 1969 phenom, QB Greg Cook, to what would prove to be a career-ending shoulder injury, the Bengals were using the weak-armed but intelligent Virgil Carter under center. With the help of offensive assistant Bill Walsh’s redesigned offense that emphasized short passes, and with good mobility, Carter was improving and there was plenty of other promising young talent on the roster.

Cleveland, still coached by Brown’s successor Blanton Collier, had gotten off to a 4-2 start but lost its last two games to drop to an even 4-4. First-round rookie QB Mike Phipps out of Purdue was starting his first pro game against Cincinnati, in place of gimpy-kneed veteran Bill Nelsen, and Collier would be calling the plays from the sideline – a practice pioneered by Paul Brown.

There was a big crowd of 60,007 in attendance at Riverfront Stadium. The Browns went 77 yards in six plays following the opening kickoff, with the big play a 33-yard Phipps completion to TE Milt Morin. HB Leroy Kelly swept around left end for a nine-yard touchdown.

Near the end of the first quarter, an attempted screen pass by Carter to FB Jess Phillips bounced off of the running back’s hand and was ruled a lateral by the officials. Cleveland DT Jerry Sherk picked up the live ball and carried it 15 yards to the Cincinnati 20. A furious Paul Brown complained about the call, but to no avail. Seven plays later, Don Cockroft kicked a 15-yard field goal and the Browns held a 10-0 lead.

The turnover on the questionable call seemed to fire up the Bengals, however, and they went 80 yards in eight plays on the ensuing possession. Carter passed to Phillips for a 13-yard touchdown of which there was no doubt. Late in the second quarter Carter took off after rolling out for a 73-yard gain but fumbled at the Cleveland 10 when hit by CB Erich Barnes, who recovered to end the scoring opportunity. The tally remained 10-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Bengals put together an eight-play, 85-yard drive. HB Paul Robinson finished it off with a one-yard touchdown carry. Meanwhile, the Bengals defense rose to the occasion and thoroughly bottled up the Cleveland offense during the second half.

The Browns were hurt in the fourth quarter when a Phipps pass was intercepted. However, they got a break in the closing minutes when CB Lemar Parrish, while calling for a fair catch, muffed a punt and WR Dave Jones recovered for Cleveland. Four plays later, rather than keeping the ball on the ground and relying on the strong running game, Phipps passed in a fourth-and-three situation at the Cincinnati 30 with less then four minutes remaining in the game. The throw was intended for Morin, but safety Al Coleman batted the ball away at the last second. As an unfortunate side note, Coleman suffered a major knee injury on the play when he fell while tangled with Morin and Parrish.

That was the last shot for the Browns as Cincinnati’s offense controlled the ball for the rest of the game. The Bengals came away with a 14-10 win. When the final gun went off, the usually calm Paul Brown leaped up and tossed his hat into the air, running across the field ahead of his players.

Cincinnati outgained the Browns (333 yards to 296) although Cleveland had the edge in first downs (15 to 14). In particular, the Bengals outrushed the Browns by 210 yards to 153. However, Cincinnati turned the ball over three times, to one by Cleveland, although the Browns hurt themselves with eight penalties, as opposed to three flags thrown on the home team.

QB Virgil Carter (pictured at left) completed 10 of 17 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions and was also the game’s leading rusher with 110 yards on nine carries - the running plays were part of the game plan and came in some typical passing situations. Paul Robinson added 63 yards and a TD on 14 rushing attempts. WR Chip Myers was the team’s top receiver with three catches for 67 yards. MLB Bill Bergey had a noteworthy performance for the Bengals, accounting for 11 tackles, five assists, and a deflected pass.

As for the Browns, Mike Phipps was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 170 yards with no TDs and one interception. Leroy Kelly led the running attack with 60 yards on 21 carries that included a touchdown. Milt Morin caught three passes for 78 yards.

“This is my best victory. This one made it all worthwhile,” said Paul Brown, who shed tears while congratulating his players afterward.

“I like a November football team – one that stays in there,” added Brown. “They (the Bengals) may not be 100 percent in a lot of ways, but they sure battle, and that’s for me.”

“Errors and penalties hurt us,” summed up Coach Collier for the Browns.

Despite their losing record, the Bengals were in the thick of the race in the new AFC Central and would make the most of it the rest of the way. They didn’t lose again during the remainder of the regular season, a total of seven straight wins, and topped the division with an 8-6 record – a big achievement for a third-year expansion team in the pre-free agency era.

For the Browns, it was the third straight loss – the first time they had lost that many in a row in 11 years. They ended up placing second to Cincinnati at 7-7 and Blanton Collier retired afterward.

Virgil Carter was solid if not spectacular, passing for 1647 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. He rushed for 246 yards on 34 carries for an average gain of 7.2 yards.

The new Ohio rivalry was sealed by the fans. Between the preseason encounter (57,112) and two regular season games (83,520 in Cleveland plus 60,007 for the contest at Riverfront Stadium), attendance totaled 200,639.

MVP Profile: Leroy Kelly, 1968

Halfback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 26

5^th season in pro football & with Browns

College: Morgan State

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200

Prelude:

An unheralded player out of a small college, Kelly was taken by the Browns in the eighth round of the 1964 NFL draft (and was completely ignored by the AFL). He saw scant action on offense in his first two seasons, with star FB Jim Brown and HB Ernie Green starting in the backfield. As a kick returner, he led the NFL in punt returning in 1965 (15.6 avg.). The sudden retirement of Brown just prior to the opening of training camp in ’66 opened up a spot for Kelly in the backfield as he became the starting halfback and Green was shifted to fullback. The virtually-unknown Kelly rose to the occasion, nearly leading the league in rushing with 1141 yards while having the best yards-per-carry average (5.5), catching 32 passes for 366 more yards, and scoring a total of 16 TDs. He was a consensus first-team All-Pro and gained selection to the Pro Bowl. Kelly followed up by winning the league rushing title in 1967 (1205 yards), again with the highest average gain-per-carry (5.1). His 1487 yards from scrimmage also led the NFL and he was again a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl choice.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 248 [1]

Most attempts, game - 30 (for 130 yds.) at Baltimore 10/20

Yards – 1239 [1]

Most yards, game – 174 yards (on 27 carries) at San Francisco 11/3

Average gain – 5.0 [2]

TDs – 16 [1]

100-yard rushing games - 7

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 22       

Most receptions, game – 3 (for 29 yds.) vs. Atlanta 10/27, (for 104 yds.) vs. New Orleans 11/10, (for 35 yds.) vs. NY Giants 12/1

Yards – 297

Most yards, game - 104 (on 3 catches) vs. New Orleans 11/10

Average gain – 13.5

TDs – 4

100-yard receiving games – 1

Passing

Pass attempts – 4

Pass completions – 1

Passing yards – 34

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 1   

Yards – 10

TDs – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 1   

Yards – 9

TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1555 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 20 [1]

Points – 120 [1]

Postseason: 2 G

Rushing attempts – 33

Most rushing attempts, game - 20 vs. Dallas, Eastern Conf. Championship

Rushing yards – 115

Most rushing yards, game - 87 vs. Dallas, Eastern Conf. Championship

Average gain rushing – 3.5

Rushing TDs – 1

Pass receptions – 5

Most pass receptions, game - 3 vs. Baltimore, NFL Championship

Pass receiving yards - 73

Most pass receiving yards, game - 46 vs. Dallas, Eastern Conf. Championship

Average yards per reception – 14.6

Pass Receiving TDs - 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL Player of the Year: Bert Bell Award

1^st team All-NFL/AFL: Pro Football Weekly

1^st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, PFWA, NEA, NY Daily News, Pro Football Weekly

1^st team All-Eastern Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Browns went 10-4 to finish first in the Century Division while ranking third in the NFL in rushing yards (2031), scoring (394 points), and TDs (49). Won Eastern Conference Championship over Dallas Cowboys (31-20). Lost NFL Championship to Baltimore Colts (34-0).

Aftermath:

While Kelly never again had a thousand-yard rushing season, he remained productive, gaining over 800 yards in three of the next four years as well as over a thousand yards from scrimmage. In all, he was selected to six straight Pro Bowls through 1971. His career ended in 1974 as a member of the WFL’s Chicago Fire, gaining 315 yards on the ground and catching 8 passes for 128 more yards. Upon leaving the NFL, he ranked fourth all-time with 7274 rushing yards and sixth in touchdowns with 90. Kelly also caught 190 passes for 2281 yards and gained 12,329 total yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1994.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/8/14]