1946: Browns Surge in Second Half to Defeat Dons

The undefeated Cleveland Browns faced a major test in the inaugural All-America Football Conference season as they hosted the Los Angeles Dons on October 20, 1946. The Browns were off to a sensational start under innovative Head Coach Paul Brown and had a 6-0 record. Brown had assembled a team that included many players that he was familiar with from coaching in the college and service ranks, such as QB Otto Graham, ends Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie, FB Marion Motley (pictured at right), G Bill Willis, and OT/PK Lou Groza, and they were all excelling.

The Dons were at 3-1-1 under Head Coach Dudley DeGroot. Viewed as the more glamorous team coming into the AAFC season, LA had several established pro veterans. They also had QB Angelo Bertelli, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Notre Dame, although Charlie O’Rourke had done the better job thus far behind center.

There were 71,134 fans in attendance, which was the largest crowd in pro football history at the time. The Browns threatened first as they reached Los Angeles territory thanks to a pass from Otto Graham to Dante Lavelli that gained 46 yards, but they came up empty when a fake field goal attempt failed. The Dons then drove 67 yards, resulting in QB Charlie O’Rourke throwing to end Bob Nowaskey for an 18-yard touchdown. Joe Aguirre added the extra point to make it 7-0.

Los Angeles was able to keep the Browns in check on offense for the remainder of the first half, but was also unable to add more points. In the second quarter, Cleveland stopped another advance by the Dons when Graham, showing his skill on defense, intercepted an O’Rourke pass at his 31 and returned it to the LA 45. HB Don Greenwood ran for two yards and two passes were incomplete but the Browns scored on a 48-yard Lou Groza field goal. The score remained 7-3 at halftime.

In the third quarter Cleveland’s offense came to life and put together an 85-yard drive. Key plays were runs by HB Edgar “Special Delivery” Jones for 15 yards and FB Gaylon Smith for 16 before a pass from Graham to Lavelli gained 36 yards and set up Graham’s two-yard carry for a TD. Groza added the point after and the Browns were in front by 10-7.

As the fourth quarter started, Joe Aguirre of the Dons attempted a 34-yard field goal that was blocked by tackle Chet Adams. Three plays later, Graham connected with Mac Speedie for a 47-yard touchdown, Groza again converted, and the home team’s lead was up to 17-7.

LA responded with a 50-yard series but, after reaching the Cleveland 26, had to turn the ball over on downs. Two running plays, the longest for 17 yards by Greenwood, got the ball past midfield and then, with the Dons looking for a pass, Marion Motley broke away for a 48-yard TD. Groza added the extra point to make it 24-7.

The Dons again drove into Cleveland territory, going 62 yards. Following an O’Rourke throw to Nowaskey to make it first-and-goal on the six, O’Rourke kept the ball himself on the next play, running around end for a touchdown. Aguirre’s PAT made it a ten-point game, but it didn’t take long for the Browns to respond. On their first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, Motley struck again, running 68 yards for a touchdown. Groza converted, thus sealing the 31-14 Cleveland win.

The Dons had the edge in total yards (395 to 353) and first downs (21 to 10), outrushing Cleveland by 274 yards to 224, but the Browns made the bigger plays in the second half that overcame LA’s statistical edge. Each team turned the ball over three times.

With the two long touchdowns, Marion Motley rushed for 143 yards on just eight carries. Otto Graham completed four of 10 passes for 129 yards with a touchdown and an interception. For the Dons, Charlie O’Rourke and Angelo Bertelli combined for 10 pass completions out of 20 attempts for 121 yards and a touchdown along with an interception.

The Browns finally lost the next week to another Western Division rival, the San Francisco 49ers. They were defeated again in the rematch with the Dons but didn’t lose another game on the way to a 12-2 record and a title game victory over the New York Yankees. Los Angeles placed third in the Western Division at 7-5-2.

Otto Graham went on to lead the AAFC in touchdown passes (17) and yards per attempt (10.5) and placed second in passing yards (1834) and completion percentage (54.6). He received first-team All-AAFC honors. Marion Motley rushed for 601 yards on just 73 carries for an 8.2 average and five touchdowns.

1957: Lions Overwhelm Browns for NFL Championship

The NFL Championship game on December 29, 1957 featured the Detroit Lions, top team in the Western Conference, hosting the Eastern Conference representative, the Cleveland Browns. The teams had faced off three times earlier in the decade for the league title, with the Browns routing the Lions the last time, in ’54.

The season got off to an awkward start for Detroit when Head Coach Buddy Parker abruptly quit on the eve of the preseason and George Wilson was elevated to the top job. The Lions had obtained QB Tobin Rote (pictured above) from Green Bay to back up star starting QB Bobby Layne, and the deal paid off when Layne went down with a broken leg in the ninth game. Another newcomer, FB John Henry Johnson, came from the 49ers and led the club in rushing. As usual, the defense was rugged, especially at linebacker with MLB Joe Schmidt and in the backfield, led by safety Jack Christiansen. Detroit went 8-4 to tie for first in the Western Conference and was coming off of a dramatic come-from-behind win over the 49ers in the resulting playoff.

The Browns, coached by the innovative Paul Brown for the twelfth year, had put together a 9-2-1 record to return to the NFL title game after a one-year absence. Rookie FB Jim Brown was the league’s top rusher and the key to the offense. QB Tom O’Connell led the NFL in passing efficiency, although he rarely threw the ball, and was already being pushed by rookie QB Milt Plum, who had been slated to start the title contest but suffered a hamstring injury during a recent practice that limited his mobility. The defense was stingy, averaging a league low of 14.3 points surrendered per game. Cleveland lost to the Lions during the regular season but came into the championship contest as a slight favorite.

There were 55,263 fans in attendance at Briggs Stadium, where the lights were on although unneeded on a pleasant 32-degree afternoon. They saw the home team score the first three times it had the ball. Jim Martin set the tone by booming the opening kickoff through the end zone. Tom O’Connell threw to end Pete Brewster for a Cleveland first down, but the series quickly bogged down and the Browns punted. Detroit moved methodically, both running with HB Gene Gedman and John Henry Johnson and with Rote passing effectively, and accumulated four first downs.  The 10-play, 66-yard drive finally faltered at the Cleveland 24 and Martin booted a 31-yard field goal for the game’s first points.

The Lions regained the ball quickly when an O’Connell pass was intercepted by LB Bob Long, who returned it to the Cleveland 19. Following a short running play, Rote faked a pass and instead carried for 17 yards down the middle. Rote ran again for a one-yard touchdown, Martin added the extra point, and Detroit was ahead by 10-0.

It got worse for the Browns when HB Milt Campbell fumbled after returning the ensuing kickoff 19 yards and DB Terry Barr recovered for the Lions at the Cleveland 15. Six plays later, Gedman dove into the end zone from a yard out for another TD. Martin’s point after gave the home team a 17-0 lead.

As the game moved into the second quarter, the Browns responded by advancing 78 yards in four plays. O’Connell passed to Brewster for 19 yards and flanker Ray Renfro gained 20 yards on a reverse. Jim Brown ran 29 yards for a touchdown and Lou Groza converted to narrow the Detroit margin to 17-7.

Following an exchange of punts, the Lions advanced into Cleveland territory. Facing fourth-and-11 at the Cleveland 26, they lined up for a field goal. But Rote, the holder on kicks, took the snap and spun to his right, passing to end Steve Junker, who gathered the ball in at the six and went the distance for a touchdown. Martin successfully converted.

Down 24-7 and with the Lions threatening once again, the Browns seemingly got a break when Junker fumbled the ball away at the Cleveland six. But facing third-and-10, O’Connell’s pass intended for Brewster was instead intercepted by Barr (pictured below), who returned it 19 yards for a touchdown. Martin added the extra point and the Lions held a commanding 31-7 lead.

The Lions got another chance thanks to a Cleveland turnover when HB Chet Hanulak fumbled and DT Gil Mains recovered with five seconds left in the half. But Martin missed a 44-yard field goal attempt and the score remained unchanged.

Milt Plum had taken over at quarterback for Cleveland late in the second quarter, and starting off the third quarter, the Browns finally scored again at the completion of a 10-play, 80-yard series. HB Lew Carpenter ran for the last five yards and a touchdown, and Groza added the point after. But any lingering hopes for a Cleveland comeback in the second half were snuffed out when, on the first play after the kickoff, Rote threw long to end Jim Doran for a 78-yard touchdown.

Tempers flared late in the period as both teams drew unnecessary roughness penalties. The rout was on as the Lions then padded their lead with Rote again connecting with Junker, this time for a 23-yard TD. Plum fumbled when being sacked by DE Gene Cronin on the last play of the period and the fourth quarter started with Rote firing another touchdown pass, to end Dave Middleton from 30 yards out.

Jerry Reichow relieved Rote at quarterback for the game’s last seven minutes and capped the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown pass to HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady. Martin converted, as he had done successfully after all of the TDs, and that provided the final score of 59-14.

The Lions achieved a franchise high for points scored in a game and administered the worst defeat endured by the Browns up to that time. They led in total yards (438 to 313) and first downs (22 to 17). Cleveland ran effectively, gaining 218 yards on the ground, but also turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by Detroit.

Tobin Rote was outstanding as he completed 12 of 19 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns, with none intercepted, and also rushed for 27 yards on seven carries that included a TD. Steve Junker (pictured below) had 5 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns and Jim Doran gained 101 yards on his three receptions that included the one long score. Hopalong Cassady led Detroit’s rushers with 48 yards on 8 attempts and also pulled in two passes for 22 yards and a TD. Jim Martin made good on all 8 of his extra point attempts and connected for one field goal in two tries.

For the Browns, Tom O’Connell was successful on four of eight throws for 61 yards and gave up two interceptions. Milt Plum was 5 of 12 for 51 yards and also had two picked off. Lew Carpenter ran for 82 yards on 14 carries that included a TD and Jim Brown contributed 69 yards on 20 attempts with one for a score and averaged 26.5 yards on four kickoff returns. End Preston Carpenter was the team’s leading receiver with four catches for 43 yards and Pete Brewster gained 52 yards on his three receptions.

“It wasn’t altogether us. They were hot,” summed up Cleveland’s Coach Brown regarding the defeat. “That was a great team we played today. Rote had a day, didn’t he?”

While it was anticipated that the Lions would contend again in 1958, they instead dropped to 4-7-1 and did not return to the postseason until 1970. To date, 1957 remains the last year that Detroit attained a NFL Championship. The Browns bounced back to go 9-3 in ’58 and tied for first in the Eastern Conference, losing to the Giants in the resulting playoff. They next reached the NFL Championship game in 1964.

1961: Giants Take Control in Second Half to Defeat Browns

Two fierce rivals in the NFL Eastern Conference, the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, faced off on November 26, 1961 in Cleveland. Having dropped to third in ’60 after winning the conference in three of the preceding four seasons, the Giants had a first-year head coach in Allie Sherman who, at age 39, was the NFL’s youngest. Two preseason acquisitions were paying off in rejuvenating the offense, with 35-year-old QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured at right), formerly of the 49ers, and split end Del Shofner, an ex-Ram, proving to be a particularly potent passing combination. The defense, dominated by savvy veterans, continued to be one of the league’s toughest units. New York had won its last three games and was 8-2.

The Browns were under the guidance of Head Coach Paul Brown for the 16^th year, going back to the years of domination in the All-America Football Conference. Cleveland had won four AAFC titles and three NFL Championships under Brown, but none since 1955. FB Jim Brown was the key to the offense that was directed by efficient, if unspectacular, QB Milt Plum. The line was excellent and the receivers capable while the defense was particularly strong up front. The Browns were coming off a big win over the Eagles in which Jim Brown gained a record 237 rushing yards and, at 7-3, could catch up to their New York rivals with a win at home.

There were 80,455 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The Browns took the opening kickoff and accumulated three first downs. Milt Plum completed three straight passes at one point to reach the New York 45, but the drive stalled when Plum missed on a throw intended for wide-open end Rich Kreitling and Cleveland was forced to punt.

The Giants punted in turn and the home team put together a 73-yard series in six plays. Facing third-and-15, Plum threw to Jim Brown for the necessary yardage and Brown then swept around left end for a 16-yard gain. Two plays later, Plum connected with flanker Ray Renfro (pictured below) for a 43-yard touchdown and, with Lou Groza adding the extra point, the Browns were ahead by 7-0.

The visitors again punted following their next possession and, as the game entered the second quarter, Cleveland was driving. Plum threw to Renfro for 11 yards and a first down and Brown gained 28 yards on a carry around end to the New York 43. However, DE Jim Katcavage sacked Plum on the next play and the Browns were unable to advance further, forcing them to punt.

The Giants proceeded to advance 80 yards in seven plays. Y.A. Tittle completed all four of his passes, two to TE Joe Walton for 11 and 12 yards and the last two to Del Shofner for 17 and 30 yards. Tittle carried the ball himself around end for a five-yard TD and Pat Summerall converted to tie the score at 7-7.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Plum went to the air and his pass was intercepted by safety Jim Patton, who returned it 21 yards to the Cleveland 38. Tittle completed passes to split end Kyle Rote for 19 yards and FB Alex Webster for 17 before a pass interference penalty on the Browns gave the Giants a first down at the one. From there, HB Bob Gaiters ran for a touchdown, Summerall added the point after, and the visitors were ahead by 14-7.

The Browns responded with an 85-yard drive in eight plays. Plum threw to Renfro for a 57-yard gain to the New York 29 and Brown ran for another 11. Another running play lost nine yards, but on second-and-19, Plum tossed a flare pass to HB Bobby Mitchell that gained 25 yards and, three plays later, Brown scored a TD from a yard out. Groza added the extra point and the halftime score was tied at 14-14. Thus far, Cleveland had outgained the Giants both on the ground (68 to 18) and through the air (181 to 133) but was not in the lead.

The Giants had the first possession in the third quarter and drove to a score. The big play was a Tittle screen pass to Webster that gained 22 yards, but the series stalled after reaching the Cleveland 25. Summerall kicked a 34-yard field goal that put the Giants in front by 17-14.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next series and the Giants, regaining possession at their 25, advanced to another score. Gaiters had runs of 8 and 11 yards and Tittle completed passes to Rote for 25 yards and Shofner for 15. Summerall booted another field goal, this time from 17 yards despite being partially deflected by DE Jim Houston, and New York’s lead was extended to 20-14.

The Browns punted once again but got the ball back on the next play when Gaiters fumbled and LB Galen Fiss recovered at the New York 22. But a pass intended for Renfro, who was wide open after CB Erich Barnes slipped and fell, was far off target. A sack of Plum by Katcavage and DE Andy Robustelli cost Cleveland 10 yards on a third down play and, attempting to convert on fourth down, Plum’s pass fell incomplete.

The failure to take advantage of the break proved costly to the Browns. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Giants were driving thanks to a Tittle pass to Shofner for 15 yards and an option throw by Gaiters to Webster that picked up 27 yards to the Cleveland 23. Gaiters ran for an 11-yard touchdown, Summerall converted, and New York was ahead by 27-14.

On the next Cleveland series, Coach Brown sent backup QB Len Dawson into the game. The move went awry when Barnes intercepted Dawson’s second pass and returned it 34 yards for a TD. Summerall again converted and, for all intents, with 12 minutes remaining the game was over. The Browns managed to score once more on a 15-yard TD pass from Plum to Renfro while Summerall capped the scoring for the Giants with an 11-yard field goal. New York came away with a convincing 37-21 win.

Thanks to their second half domination, the Giants led in total yards (369 to 334) and first downs (24 to 20). Cleveland managed just 66 rushing yards, to 116 for New York. Both teams turned the ball over twice.

Y.A. Tittle completed 17 of 26 passes for 233 yards with one interception, and while he threw for no touchdowns, he ran for one and his passing set up the other scores. Del Shofner caught 6 passes for 97 yards and Kyle Rote contributed five receptions for 58 yards. Bob Gaiters (pictured at right) topped the Giants with 63 yards on 15 carries that included two touchdowns and also completed a 27-yard pass. Alex Webster rushed for 49 yards on 15 attempts and caught four passes for another 65 yards.

For the Browns, Milt Plum was successful on 19 of 33 throws for 284 yards and two TDs while giving up an interception, but was just one-of-seven during the crucial third quarter. Likewise, Jim Brown gained just 68 rushing yards on 20 attempts with a TD and was effectively shut down in the last two quarters. He also had five pass receptions for 46 yards and his backfield mater, HB Bobby Mitchell, also had five catches, for 54 yards, but was virtually invisible as a ball carrier with two yards on two attempts. Ray Renfro led the club with 7 catches for 166 yards and two scores.

“This was our greatest game of the season,” said Coach Sherman for the Giants. “It was our greatest game because this was our greatest challenge. This is a team with a soul. They come back when they’re behind. They never let up.”

“My guys tried hard enough, we’re not good enough,” summed up Paul Brown from the Cleveland perspective.

It was the seventh win in the last eight meetings with the Browns for New York. The Giants lost to Green Bay the following week but defeated the Eagles and tied Cleveland in the rematch in New York to top the Eastern Conference with a 10-3-1 record. They lost badly to the Packers in the NFL Championship game. The Browns ended up in third at a disappointing 8-5-1.

Y.A. Tittle was one of the NFL’s top-ranked passers as he threw for 2272 yards and 17 touchdowns. He received MVP honors from the Newspaper Enterprise Association as well as being a first-team All-NFL selection of UPI and The Sporting News and a Pro Bowl participant. Del Shofner placed second in the league with 1125 yards on a career-high 68 pass receptions and scored 11 TDs. He also was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl choice. While rookie Bob Gaiters had a strong outing against the Browns, he struggled with consistency and had a tendency to fumble. He rushed for 460 yards on 116 carries and scored six touchdowns in what proved to be his most successful NFL season.  

1959: Late Score Propels Steelers Past Browns

Following a slow start, the Pittsburgh Steelers were at 3-4-1 as they faced the Cleveland Browns on November 22, 1959. Head Coach Buddy Parker’s club had lost some close contests but upset the Giants in New York the previous week. QB Bobby Layne (pictured at right), in his twelfth year, was still a formidable competitor and leader and had a good group of receivers led by second-year end Jimmy Orr. HB Tom “The Bomb” Tracy was reliable carrying the ball and the defense tough and typically stingy. The Steelers had beaten the Browns in the season’s opening game.

Cleveland was, as usual, a strong contender in the Eastern Conference in its 14^th season under Head Coach Paul Brown. The Browns were coming off of five straight wins and at 6-2 were tied for first place with the Giants. The ground game was the NFL’s best, led by FB Jim Brown and including fleet HB Bobby Mitchell, who had gained 232 yards against Washington a week earlier. QB Milt Plum was competent and had a good veteran receiving corps led by flanker Ray Renfro.

There were 68,563 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The Browns had the first possession and put together a drive that included two first downs, but came up empty when Lou Groza was wide to the right on a 48-yard field goal attempt.

On Pittsburgh’s second possession, the Steelers drove 94 yards in 16 plays that extended into the early stages of the second quarter. It nearly came to an end twice, but a defensive holding penalty on a punt from the Pittsburgh 11 gave the visitors a first down and, forced to go into punt formation again, they got another break when Bobby Luna dropped the snap but managed to recover and ran 11 yards for a first down. Jimmy Orr made an outstanding catch on an option throw by flanker Ray Mathews while double-covered by safety Junior Wren and DHB Jim Shofner for a 38-yard gain to the Cleveland six. Tom Tracy ran for a four-yard touchdown and Bobby Layne added the extra point for a 7-0 advantage.

The Steelers put together another long scoring drive on their next possession, taking 17 plays to advance 72 yards. Tracy and HB Tom Barnett ran effectively and Layne had a 19-yard pass completion with a roughing-the-passer penalty tacked onto the end of it. The series again ended with Tracy (pictured below) running for a TD, this time from one yard on a fourth down play.

Down by 14-0 with less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Browns advanced 80 yards in response. It took just five plays, the biggest a run by Jim Brown that covered 40 yards and the last a pass from Milt Plum to Ray Renfro for a 32-yard touchdown. Groza’s attempt for the point after missed to the left and the halftime score was 14-6.

The Steelers attempted to add to their lead in the third quarter, but Layne’s 31-yard field goal try was blocked by DE Paul Wiggin. Cleveland had a shot at a field goal late in the period but Groza was again unsuccessful, this time from 48 yards.

The Browns appeared to take control in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns. Plum passed to Renfro for a 27-yard TD and Groza added the point after. Shortly thereafter Plum, not known for his deep passing, went long for Renfro once more and it resulted in a 70-yard touchdown, with Groza again successfully converting. Cleveland was ahead by 20-14.

Meanwhile, Cleveland’s defense kept Pittsburgh in check on offense but, behind by six points and with time running down, the Steelers put together a scoring drive after regaining possession at their own 17 following a Cleveland punt. Layne threw to Orr for 17 yards and a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Browns added another 15. Another pass was incomplete, but Layne then connected with Orr again for 19 yards, and while the receiver fumbled at the end of the play, Mathews recovered to maintain possession at the Cleveland 33. Tracy ran up the middle for 16 yards and, two plays later and with 40 seconds left to play, Layne threw to end Gern Nagler under the goal post for a 17-yard touchdown that completed the 82-yard, six-play series. Layne added the all-important extra point.

There was still a chance for the Browns in the remaining time, and Plum passed them into Pittsburgh territory, but Groza missed a 49-yard field goal attempt on the final play and the Steelers came away winners by a final score of 21-20.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (387 to 338) while Pittsburgh had more first downs (21 to 16). Running the ball more than twice as often as Cleveland (47 carries to 22), the Steelers led in rushing yards (182 to 126) while the Browns, playing catch-up for most of the game, had 261 net passing yards to Pittsburgh’s 156. There were no turnovers and, while there were just seven penalties (four on Cleveland, three on the Steelers), the Browns and their supporters complained about the timing and effect of some of the penalties assessed on them, in particular the roughing-the-passer calls that sustained critical Pittsburgh drives.  

Bobby Layne completed 12 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Tom Tracy rushed for 99 yards on 24 carries that included two TDs. Three receivers had four catches apiece for the Steelers, with Jimmy Orr gaining 86 yards on his and Gern Nagler compiling 63 yards plus the game-winning TD.

Milt Plum was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 269 yards and three touchdowns and also had none picked off. Jim Brown gained 111 yards on 15 rushing attempts, although Bobby Mitchell was held to just 15 yards on 7 carries. Ray Renfro (pictured at left) accumulated 161 yards on 5 pass receptions, three of which went for TDs. End Billy Howton also caught a team-leading five passes, for 77 yards. It was a rough day for Lou Groza, who missed three field goals plus an extra point.

The second straight upset win on the road evened Pittsburgh’s record at 4-4-1 and the Steelers won again the next week, and twice in their last three games, to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 6-5-1 tally. As for the Browns, the loss dropped them out of a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference and was the first of three straight that saw them fall out of contention and end up tied for second in the conference with Philadelphia at 7-5.

Bobby Layne ranked second in the NFL with 20 touchdown passes, although first with 21 interceptions, and his 142 completions and 1986 yards gained placed fifth. He was named to the Pro Bowl, as was Jimmy Orr with his 35 catches for 604 yards (17.3 avg.) and five TDs. Tom Tracy was the NFL’s fourth-ranked rusher as he gained 794 yards on 199 carries (4.0 avg.) that included three touchdowns.

1975: Raiders Defeat Late-Rallying Bengals in AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The AFC Divisional playoff game on December 28, 1975 featured the Oakland Raiders, champions of the AFC Western Division, against the Cincinnati Bengals, second place finishers in the AFC Central who secured a Wild Card spot. Both teams completed the regular season with 11-3 records.

The Raiders, coached by John Madden, were a highly talented team that had won the division for the third consecutive year. QB Ken “The Snake” Stabler (pictured above) had played with a knee injury all season and was not as successful as he had been in 1974, but still passed for 2296 yards and 16 touchdown, although with 24 interceptions. 32-year-old WR Fred Biletnikoff was showing signs of wear, but deep threat WR Cliff Branch was outstanding, while the running game featured a group of solid, if unspectacular, backs playing behind perhaps the best offensive line in the NFL. On defense, LB Ted Hendricks played out his option and joined the Raiders from Green Bay at the cost of a first draft choice and had been utilized as a reserve for much of the year, but was in the starting lineup against the Bengals, who had beaten Oakland during the regular season.

Cincinnati was coached by the legendary Paul Brown and had an outstanding passing offense directed by QB Ken Anderson, the NFL’s top-rated passer for the second straight year. The receiving corps, led by Pro Bowl WR Isaac Curtis, was a good one while the running game was far less impressive. The defense missed the presence of DT Mike Reid, who retired to pursue a music career, and MLB Bill Bergey, who was traded to Philadelphia, but the secondary had capable performers in CB Ken Riley and SS Tommy Casanova.

It was a clear day at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum with 53,039 fans in attendance. The Raiders took the opening kickoff and drove into Cincinnati territory. Ken Stabler completed passes to WR Mike Siani for 15 yards and TE Bob Moore (pictured at left) for 11, but when the series stalled at the Cincinnati 24, George Blanda’s 41-yard field goal attempt was short.

The Bengals reached the Oakland 44 on their first possession and had to punt, and the Raiders, taking over at their 20, advanced quickly down the field as Stabler completed a pass to Cliff Branch for 36 yards and HB Clarence Davis ran around end for 18 yards to the Cincinnati 26. After getting inside the 20, Oakland’s drive stalled and Blanda kicked a 27-yard field goal.

The Bengals went three-and-out and punted, and in a series that extended into the second quarter, the Raiders, taking over at midfield, drove 50 yards in eight plays. In a third-and-five situation at the Cincinnati 34, Stabler connected with Davis for 10 yards and a personal foul on the Bengals moved the ball to the 12. A three-yard carry by FB Jess Phillips was followed by Siani catching a Stabler pass for a nine-yard touchdown. Blanda added the extra point and Oakland’s lead was extended to 10-0.

Once again the Bengals had to punt following a short possession, and Dave Green’s kick was partially blocked by Ted Hendricks and traveled only 21 yards. The Raiders had excellent starting field position at the Cincinnati 39, and after a loss on a running play, Stabler threw to Siani for 11 yards and Branch for 21 yards to reach the eight yard line. However, an end run by Davis resulted in a loss of six yards and Stabler’s next two passes were incomplete, setting up a 31-yard field goal attempt by Blanda that was blocked by DE Sherman White.

Having avoided another Oakland score, the Bengals came alive on offense and drove 65 yards in eight plays. It did not look promising when HB Essex Johnson lost six yards on first down, but Ken Anderson threw to WR Charlie Joiner for 28 yards and, after three running plays and a third down penalty on the Raiders gained 16 yards, Anderson passed to FB Boobie Clark for 26 yards to the Oakland one. Two plays later, HB Stan Fritts gained the last yard and a TD and, with Green’s conversion, the visitors had narrowed the score to 10-7.

Davis returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to the Oakland 46 and the Raiders came back with a nine-play, 54-yard drive. Stabler completed two passes to Moore for seven and eight yards, and HB Pete Banaszak had an 18-yard run to the Cincinnati 11. The series concluded with Stabler throwing to Moore once again, this time for an eight-yard touchdown. Blanda’s PAT gave the home team a ten-point lead once more, and the score remained 17-7 at the half.

The Bengals went three-and-out with the first possession of the third quarter, and the resulting punt was returned 20 yards to the Cincinnati 35 by CB Neal Colzie. It took the Raiders just four plays to score as FB Marv Hubbard gained 13 yards on two running plays, with a 16-yard carry by Davis in between. Banaszak finished off the series with a six-yard scoring run, Blanda kicked the point after, and Oakland’s lead was up to 24-7.

Cincinnati responded with an 11-play, 91-yard series that was helped along by three penalties on the Raiders, including a pass interference call on FS Jack Tatum that resulted in a 24-yard pickup. HB Lenvil Elliott and Boobie Clark ran effectively and Anderson completed two nine-yard passes. Facing fourth-and-one at the Oakland six, Elliott ran up the middle for a touchdown. Green’s conversion again made it a ten-point game at 24-14.

As the period wound down, the Raiders were advancing. Facing a third-and-12 situation at their own 43, Stabler once again threw to Moore, this time for a gain of 17 yards to keep the series going. A pass to Branch picked up 14 yards and, with Davis running for seven yards, the Raiders were at the Cincinnati 24 heading into the fourth quarter. Runs by Banaszak and Davis moved the ball to the two, and from there Stabler tossed a pass to backup TE Dave Casper for a TD. Blanda’s extra point widened Oakland’s lead to 31-14.

The Bengals again had to punt after a short possession and the Raiders appeared poised to finish the visitors off as they took over at their 49. But a Stabler pass was intercepted by Ken Riley, who returned it 34 yards to the Oakland 34, and two plays later Anderson (pictured at right) connected with Joiner for a 25-yard touchdown. Green converted to once more make it a ten-point contest with ten minutes left to play.

Now it was the Raiders going three-and-out as Stabler was sacked by DT Bob Brown for a 14-yard loss on third down, forcing Oakland’s first punt of the game. Starting at the Raiders’ 49, the Bengals moved themselves back with penalties, but on a second-and-20 play, Anderson threw to WR Chip Myers for 37 yards. Five plays later, Anderson completed a pass to Isaac Curtis for a 14-yard TD. Green kicked the PAT and the visitors were now behind by only three points with 5:44 remaining on the clock.

Stabler threw to Branch for 12 yards on Oakland’s first play following the kickoff, but two plays after that Banaszak fumbled and DT Ron Carpenter recovered at the Raiders’ 37. However, in a crucial defensive stand, Hendricks promptly sacked Anderson for a six-yard loss and, while a throw to TE Bruce Coslet regained five yards, the next two passes fell incomplete to return the ball to the Raiders.

Trying to run out the clock, Stabler converted a third-and-six play with a pass to Moore for the necessary yardage and the Raiders were able to maintain possession until there was under a minute remaining before lining up to punt. LB Chris Devlin of the Bengals was penalized for running into the kicker and that clinched the 31-28 win for Oakland.   

The Raiders topped Cincinnati in total yards (358 to 258) and first downs (27 to 17), with 173 yards of their total coming on the ground. Oakland also recorded five sacks, to one by the Bengals, but it was the two turnovers, to none by Cincinnati, that nearly proved fatal.

Ken Stabler completed 17 of 23 passes for three touchdowns while giving up one interception. Bob Moore, who had only 19 catches all season, had 6 for 57 yards and a TD and Cliff Branch gained 89 yards on five receptions. Clarence Davis led the Raiders with 63 rushing yards on 16 carries and Pete Banaszak was right behind with 62 yards on 17 attempts that included a score. On defense, Ted Hendricks (pictured at left) unofficially accounted for four sacks.

For the Bengals, Ken Anderson was successful on 17 of 27 throws for 201 yards and two TDs while not being intercepted. Chip Myers topped the club with 67 yards on three catches, followed closely by Charlie Joiner with his three receptions for 60 yards that included a touchdown. Boobie Clark rushed for 46 yards on 8 attempts and caught four passes for 38 yards.

The Raiders advanced to the AFC Championship game, where they lost a close contest to the Steelers. They would go on to a Super Bowl-winning season in 1976. Cincinnati’s playoff loss turned out to be the last game coached by Paul Brown. He announced his retirement a few days later, although he remained active in the front office. The Bengals were 10-4 under Brown’s successor, Bill Johnson, in 1976 but missed the postseason and wouldn’t return until 1981.

1953: Lions Rally to Edge Browns and Repeat as NFL Champs

The NFL Championship game on December 27, 1953 featured a rematch of the previous year’s participants, the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. The Lions won that contest and were looking to repeat as champions against the Cleveland team that was now appearing in its eighth straight title game (four in the All-America Football Conference, four in the NFL).

Detroit, coached by Buddy Parker, still featured fiery QB Bobby Layne (pictured above) surrounded by a capable group on offense and a rugged defense, and had added outstanding rookies that included tackles Charlie Ane and Ollie Spencer plus G Harley Sewell on offense and LB Joe Schmidt on defense. The Lions went 10-2 in winning the Western Conference, including victories in their last six contests.

The Browns, under the guidance of the innovative Paul Brown, had new ownership but continued to win with an almost machine-like consistency. QB Otto Graham remained the key to the offense, and while star end Mac Speedie defected to Canada, end Dante Lavelli was still available and two second-year players, end Pete Brewster and HB Ray Renfro, picked up the slack. FB Harry "Chick" Jagade was the successor to the fading Marion Motley and the defense gave up the fewest points in the league (162). Star MG Bill Willis was back in action, having missed the previous month due to injury. Cleveland topped the Eastern Conference with an 11-1 record, not losing until the season finale when they had already wrapped up first place. Despite losing to the Lions the previous year, the Browns were the favorites coming into the rematch.

There were 54,577 fans in attendance at Briggs Stadium, where the field was slippery in some spots. In the first play from scrimmage, the Browns were penalized back to their 19 yard line. Following a carry by Chick Jagade, LB LaVern Torgeson forced Otto Graham to fumble and MG Les Bingaman recovered for the Lions at the Cleveland 12. Detroit kept the ball on the ground, with Bobby Layne converting a fourth-and-one situation via a quarterback sneak and, after HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer gained nothing, HB Doak Walker dove for a touchdown from one yard out and then kicked the extra point.

With the help of a penalty, the Browns had good field position near midfield to start their next series. However, Graham overthrew an open receiver on a third down play and Cleveland had to punt. The Lions lost star end Leon Hart with a knee injury and Jim Doran (pictured below), who normally played on defense and had caught only six passes all year, took his place. Doran made his presence known by making a catch for a gain of 27 yards, but after reaching the Cleveland 46, Detroit had to punt, as did Cleveland again in turn.

The Browns got a break on defense late in the opening period when DE Len Ford recovered a fumble by Hoernschemeyer at the Detroit six. The Lions didn’t let down on defense, but in the first play of the second quarter, the Browns came close to a TD when Dante Lavelli dropped a pass in the end zone. Lou Groza kicked a 13-yard field goal to make the score 7-3.

The Lions punted again following their next series but got the ball back when HB Dub Jones fumbled and DE Sherwin Gandee recovered at the Cleveland 25. Detroit couldn’t take advantage of the turnover, as Layne was sacked for a loss of 12 yards on third down and Walker was wide to the left on a 45-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts and then interceptions. DHB Jim David picked off a Graham pass and returned it to the Cleveland 20, which set up the next Detroit score. The Lions came close to a touchdown on a trick play when Layne threw a lateral to Walker, who ran to his right, drawing the defense, and then passed it back to Layne for an apparent TD. However, the play was nullified by a 15-yard penalty and Walker ended up kicking a field goal from 23 yards.

With 1:15 left in the first half, QB George Ratterman came in for Graham after Jagade returned the kickoff 29 yards to the Cleveland 49. Ratterman was sacked for a 13-yard loss but also completed a screen pass to Jagade for 19 yards to the Detroit 44. As the seconds ticked away, Groza attempted a 51-yard field goal, but it missed and the score remained 10-3 in favor of the Lions at halftime.

On Cleveland’s first possession of the third quarter following an interception by safety Ken Gorgal, the Browns advanced 51 yards in eight plays. Jagade ran nine yards off tackle for a TD and Groza’s conversion tied the score at 10-10.

Such remained the situation until, in a series that extended into the fourth quarter, the Browns moved the ball effectively and Groza booted another field goal, this time from 15 yards, to put the visitors in front by 13-10.

Detroit followed up with a 14-play possession that reached the Cleveland 26. Layne completed passes to ends Dorne Dibble and Cloyce Box and ran the ball three times himself, but the Lions came up empty when Walker missed a field goal try from 33 yards. With Jagade running well, the Browns advanced from their 20 to the Detroit 33. Groza kicked a 43-yard field goal and the visitors were further ahead by 16-10.

The situation was looking dire for the Lions as they got the ball with four minutes remaining to play and down by six points. But Layne directed the home team on an 80-yard drive in which he completed three passes to Doran. The first came on the initial play of the series and picked up 17 yards, the second converted a third-and-10 situation with an 18-yard gain, and the last was on a perfect pass from Layne after the receiver had sprinted past DHB Warren Lahr into the end zone, making the catch for a 33-yard touchdown. Walker (pictured below) added the all-important extra point to put Detroit in the lead with the clock now down to 2:08. On the ensuing series, rookie DB Carl Karilivacz intercepted a hurried Graham toss to seal the 17-16 win for the Lions. Several fights broke out in the remaining time and Detroit’s Dibble was ejected.

The Lions led in total yards (293 to 191), almost completely grounding Cleveland’s vaunted passing attack (nine net yards), and had the edge in first downs also (18 to 11). Each team turned the ball over four times.

Bobby Layne completed 12 of 25 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown while being intercepted twice. He also rushed for 44 yards on 9 carries. Jim Doran had an outstanding performance as he caught four passes for 95 yards and scored the game-deciding TD (he had none during the regular season). Cloyce Box also had four catches, for 54 yards. Bob Hoernschemeyer rushed for 51 yards on 17 carries.

Otto Graham had an uncharacteristically dreadful performance in which he was successful on just two of 15 throws for 20 yards with no TDs while giving up two interceptions. George Ratterman completed his only pass for 18 yards. Chick Jagade gained 102 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included a score and also had one pass reception for 18 yards, which made him Cleveland’s most productive receiver as well as top rusher. Lou Groza was successful on three of four field goal attempts, tying the then-NFL championship game record.

Detroit’s Coach Parker praised the “terrific team effort” and singled out Jim Doran, saying “Sure, we had to have the touchdown. But that pass he leaped for and got on Cleveland’s 45 made it all possible. It was third down and gave us enough yardage for a first down to keep the ball.”

“Nobody will lose a tougher one,” said Paul Brown in the quiet Cleveland locker room. “We worked five months and lost it all in two minutes.”

As strong as the Browns were, the once-invincible team had now become the first in NFL history to lose three consecutive title games. The clubs met for a third time in the 1954 Championship game, and this time Cleveland thrashed the Lions, gaining a measure of revenge and ending Detroit’s hopes of topping the NFL for a third straight year.

1951: Long TD Pass Propels Rams Over Browns for NFL Championship

The Cleveland Browns had yet to fail to win a league championship in five years of existence and were looking to make it six straight as they faced the Los Angeles Rams for the NFL title on December 23, 1951. Head Coach Paul Brown’s team dominated the All-America Football Conference for four years before joining the NFL in 1950 and winning there as well.  While FB Marion Motley was showing signs of wear, QB Otto Graham was still an outstanding and mobile passer and had productive targets in ends Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli. After losing to ex-AAFC rival San Francisco in the opening game, the Browns didn’t lose again, finishing atop the American Conference with an 11-1 record.

One of those wins was over Los Angeles, the same team that the Browns had faced for the NFL Championship the previous year. LA had the league’s most explosive offense, with the quarterback combination of Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin (pictured above), fullbacks “Deacon Dan” Towler and Dick Hoerner, and ends Tom Fears and Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch contributing to a NFL-record 5506 total yards. The defense was less formidable, but benefited from the arrival of rookie DE Andy Robustelli, who joined a line that included All-Pro DE Larry Brink and MG Stan West. Head Coach Joe Stydahar’s team put together an 8-4 tally in winning the highly-competitive National Conference.  

There were 57,522 fans in attendance at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The Browns moved well on their opening possession, despite LA’s seven-man defensive front, but Lou Groza missed a 23-yard field goal attempt. Following a scoreless first quarter, the Rams put together a 55-yard drive in 12 plays that ended with Dick Hoerner plowing over for the last yard and a touchdown. Bob Waterfield added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

The Browns got on the board when Groza made up for the short miss with a 52-yard field goal, setting a new NFL Championship game record as he broke the previous mark by a full ten yards. Before the half was over, Cleveland drove to another score as Otto Graham completed three straight passes, to Mac Speedie for 14 yards, Marion Motley down the middle for 23, and the last to HB Dub Jones for a 17-yard TD. Groza kicked the point after and the defending champs took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

Graham faced heavy pressure from Larry Brink and Andy Robustelli throughout the contest, and in the third quarter the two combined on a big defensive play for the Rams. With the ball at the Cleveland 35, Brink hit Graham hard and forced a fumble. Robustelli recovered and ran to the one. From there, Dan Towler hit the line twice without success before finally breaking through for a touchdown. Waterfield’s conversion put the home team ahead by 14-10.

In the fourth quarter, the Rams drove to the Cleveland one but came up empty when they had to give the ball up on downs. They again drove inside the ten, but while the tough Browns defense again held, the Rams didn’t fail to score this time as Waterfield kicked a 17-yard field goal to increase LA’s lead to 17-10. The Browns fought back, advancing 70 yards in 10 plays as Graham had a 34-yard run and HB Ken Carpenter scored a two-yard TD. Groza converted to tie the score at 17-17.    

At this point Norm Van Brocklin relieved Waterfield at quarterback and he promptly threw deep for end Tom Fears, who gathered the ball in between two defenders and sprinted to the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown. It was the biggest play of the game, and Waterfield again added the PAT to put the Rams back in front by seven points.

Cleveland responded by advancing into Los Angeles territory, but facing fourth-and-two at the 42, Jones caught a short pass from Graham and was hit hard by hard-charging safety Norb Hecker for a two-yard loss, forcing the Browns to give up the ball. Late in the game, the Rams had a chance to add to their lead, but Waterfield missed on a field goal attempt. It had no effect as Los Angeles held on to win by a final score of 24-17.

The statistics bore out the closely-fought nature of the game. The Rams had the edge in total yards (334 to 325) while Cleveland accumulated more first downs (22 to 20). The Browns turned the ball over four times, to three turnovers suffered by LA, and the Rams, reflecting the outstanding play of their defensive ends, recorded all five of the game’s sacks.

Bob Waterfield completed 9 of 24 passes for 125 yards, giving up two interceptions, while Norm Van Brocklin was four-of-six for 128 yards with the long touchdown. Tom Fears (pictured at left) had four catches for 146 yards and a TD and “Crazylegs” Hirsch contributed four receptions for 66 yards. Dan Towler topped LA’s rushers with 36 yards on 16 carries that included a touchdown.

For the Browns, Otto Graham was successful on 19 of 40 throws for 280 yards and a TD, but gave up three interceptions. He also ran for a team-leading 43 yards on five attempts. Mac Speedie caught 7 passes for 81 yards and Dante Lavelli added four receptions for 65 yards. Dub Jones, in addition to a modest rushing total of 12 yards on 9 carries, had four catches for 62 yards that included a score.

Of the long game-winning touchdown pass, Tom Fears said that it was “the best thrown pass I’ve ever caught. He laid it right in there full stride.”

The Rams tied for first with Detroit in 1952, lost a playoff to determine the National Conference champion, and next appeared in the postseason in 1955. While often fielding contending teams over the years, the NFL Championship in 1951 was the only one the franchise achieved while based in Los Angeles (they won a NFC title in 1979, but lost the ensuing Super Bowl. Other NFL titles were while the team was in Cleveland in 1945 and St. Louis in 1999). The loss for the Browns, while putting a chink in the armor of their title-game invincibility, did not signal a decline. Cleveland continued to top its conference in each of the next four seasons, losing the next two Championship games before winning again in 1954 and ’55.

1947: Browns Defeat Yankees for Second AAFC Championship

The second Championship game of the All-America Football Conference on December 14, 1947 featured the same two teams as the first, the Cleveland Browns and New York Yankees. The Browns had beaten New York in four of five meetings thus far in the AAFC’s two-year existence, which included the ’46 title game and the first regular season matchup in ’47 in Cleveland. They rallied to overcome a 28-0 deficit and salvage a tie a few weeks earlier in New York.

The powerful Browns, coached by the innovative Paul Brown, had compiled a 12-1-1 record in topping the Western Division once again. QB Otto Graham (pictured above) was named MVP by the league and was the AAFC’s top passer while end Mac Speedie, with 67 catches and 1146 yards, was the preeminent receiver and had an able counterpart in end Dante Lavelli. FB Marion Motley rushed for 889 yards with an impressive 6.1-yard average. The league’s highest-scoring team, Cleveland was equally tough on defense.

New York, under the direction of Head Coach Ray Flaherty, operated a single-wing offense that featured tailback Spec Sanders, the AAFC’s leading rusher (1432 yards) and scorer (19 touchdowns, 114 points). Diminutive and fast HB Buddy Young added another 712 yards on the ground and the line was good on both sides of the ball. The Yankees put together an 11-2-1 record in topping the Eastern Division.  

There were 61,879 fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium on a cold day with the temperature near freezing. The turf was frozen, which seemed to affect the home team more than the visitors from Cleveland, and the teams agreed to wear cleats rather than sneakers.

The Yankees had the first possession and quickly found that Cleveland had made defensive adjustments to prevent a repeat of New York’s 28-point first half performance in the previous meeting. Late in the first quarter, following an exchange of punts, the Browns put together a 67-yard drive that was highlighted by a 51-yard carry by Marion Motley and culminated in a touchdown on a quarterback sneak by Otto Graham, who had also completed five of his first six passes. Lou Groza kicked the extra point.

The Yankees came right back as the game headed into the second quarter. Buddy Young (pictured at left) and Spec Sanders spearheaded an advance that reached the Cleveland five yard line before stalling, primarily as a result of the poor footing, and Harvey Johnson kicked a 12-yard field goal. Cleveland had two more chances to score, but Groza missed two field goals and the score remained 7-3 at halftime.

In the third quarter, DHB Tom Colella intercepted a Sanders pass and returned it to the New York 41. Motley ran for 16 yards, tosses by Graham to HB Edgar “Special Delivery” Jones and HB Lewis Mayne picked up another 19 yards and, three plays later, Jones ran four yards for a TD. Lou Saban, who had booted 10 extra points during the regular season, successfully converted.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Yankees drove to the Cleveland 18, but Young fumbled a lateral and Saban recovered at the 31. Another New York series highlighted by a 22-yard carry by Sanders reached the 23 but was blunted by a penalty for unnecessary roughness that moved the Yankees out of range for a score. Cleveland held on to win by a final score of 14-3.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (284 to 212) and first downs (15 to 13). The Yankees turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Cleveland. The Browns gained 172 yards on the ground, with 109 generated by FB Marion Motley (pictured below) on 13 carries. Otto Graham completed 14 of 21 passes for 112 yards, giving up no interceptions, and also ran the ball four times for 21 yards and a touchdown. Mac Speedie had four pass receptions for 25 yards and Dante Lavelli gained 37 yards on his three catches.

Suffering from a bad ankle, Spec Sanders was held to just 40 yards on 12 carries and failed to score a touchdown for the first time all season. He also completed 7 of 17 passes for 89 yards and was intercepted once. Buddy Young rushed for 69 yards on 16 attempts and caught two passes for a team-leading 25 yards, but fumbled twice.

“Neither team could play its best on that field,” said Paul Brown. “However, we tried to take advantage of the conditions by creating one-against-one situations on our pass patterns, and this worked pretty well on Otto Graham’s flat tosses.”

“I can’t overemphasize how much that slick footing cost us,” summed up Coach Flaherty for the Yankees.

The Browns went on to an even better season in 1948, compiling a perfect 14-0 record and winning a third AAFC Championship. They met Buffalo, not the Yankees, for the title as New York dropped to 6-8 and a third place finish in the Eastern Division.

1961: Mitchell & Plum Spur Browns Over Steelers

The Cleveland Browns were 3-2, having lost the previous week against Green Bay, as they took on the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 22, 1961. Head Coach Paul Brown’s team had an outstanding rushing tandem with FB Jim Brown and HB Bobby Mitchell operating behind a solid line, but the pass receivers were less impressive and now QB Milt Plum was out with a dislocated right thumb suffered against the Packers. Len Dawson, still yet to emerge in his fifth year after having been drafted by the Steelers in the first round out of Purdue in 1957, was starting in his place.

Pittsburgh, under Head Coach Buddy Parker, was 1-4 and had showed a tendency for losing close contests. QB Bobby Layne was out with a shoulder injury and Rudy Bukich, a 29-year-old career backup, was filling in. Split end Buddy Dial was a fine deep threat FB John Henry Johnson led the ground game, but age, combined with a big turnover in personnel, was a problem for the Steelers on both sides of the ball.

There were 29,266 fans in attendance at Forbes Field. The Steelers had first possession and punted, but got the ball back when CB Johnny Sample intercepted Len Dawson’s third pass. Rudy Bukich threw to Buddy Dial for 19 yards but, after advancing to the Cleveland 36, the home team came up empty when Lou Michaels was short and low on a 44-yard field goal attempt.

On Cleveland’s next series, Bobby Mitchell ran to his right and down the sideline for a 48-yard gain to the Pittsburgh 16. Two carries by HB Tom Watkins picked up six yards, but Dawson was then sacked by DT Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb and Lou Groza kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 3-0.

The Steelers punted following a short series and, in a drive that extended into the second quarter, the Browns advanced deep into Pittsburgh territory. Jim Brown ran four consecutive times for 22 yards to start things off and Mitchell converted a fourth-and-one play with a two-yard carry. However, after Brown took a pitchout and ran 20 yards to the Pittsburgh one yard line, the great fullback fumbled while attempting to hurdle the line and safety Jackie Simpson caught the ball in the air in the end zone and returned it to the nine.

The Steelers again had to punt and the Browns, taking possession at their 49, went 51 yards in seven plays, this time not coming up empty. Brown and Mitchell ran effectively and Dawson completed a pass to Mitchell for nine yards. Mitchell gained the last six yards for a touchdown and, with Groza’s extra point, the visitors were in front by 10-0. That remained the score at halftime as the teams traded punts for the remainder of the half.

The frustrated home fans booed the Steelers as they returned to the field for the second half. The Browns edged into Pittsburgh territory on the first series of the third quarter, but a Dawson pass was picked off by CB Bill Butler and he returned it to the Cleveland 42. Now the Steelers moved effectively with John Henry Johnson and HB Tom Tracy running well. Bukich threw to Dial for a 12-yard touchdown and, adding Michaels’ PAT, which hit the crossbar but made it over, the Cleveland lead was cut to 10-7.

A short possession by the Browns was followed by a punt and, after no gain on a first down running play, Bukich connected with Dial on three straight passes for 17, 33, and 10 yards to reach the Cleveland 13. HB Dick Hoak ran twice for eight yards and, on third-and-two, Dial came through with a leaping catch that picked up three yards. On the next play, Tracy ran for a two-yard TD between the goal posts and, with Michaels successfully converting, the Steelers were ahead by 14-10.

Milt Plum was at quarterback for the next Cleveland series, and he threw to ends Leon Clarke for 23 yards and Rich Kreitling for 10 to get to the Pittsburgh 35. The drive stalled at the 29 and Groza kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it a one-point contest.

On the last play of the period, safety Bobby Franklin intercepted a Bukich pass and the Browns, taking over at the Pittsburgh 25, drove to a score in five plays. Plum had a pass to Mitchell for 11 yards along the way and it was Mitchell running the last nine yards for a touchdown. Groza added the extra point and Cleveland was back in the lead by 20-14.

The Steelers had to punt on their next series, but got the ball back at the Cleveland 24 when Mitchell fumbled a pitchout and DT Joe Krupa recovered. Tracy was stopped for a four-yard loss on the next play, but Bukich connected with Dial for 24 yards and Tracy gained the last yard for a TD. Michaels converted to put the home team back on top by 21-20.

The Browns came back with a six-play, 72-yard drive. Plum completed a pass to TE Gern Nagler for 18 yards and another to Mitchell, also for 18, and after Mitchell ran for 14 yards, he sped around end for an 18-yard touchdown. Groza kicked the point after and the see-saw battle had Cleveland back in front by 27-21.

On Pittsburgh’s first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Bukich tossed a screen pass to Johnson who fumbled after running into his own man and DE Paul Wiggin recovered for the Browns at the 10. The Steelers were able to keep the visitors out of the end zone, but Groza kicked a 12-yard field goal to make the score 30-21 with less than three minutes remaining to play.

Pittsburgh, starting at its own six after the kickoff, responded with a big play two snaps later as Bukich connected with Dial for an 88-yard touchdown. Michaels kicked the PAT to make it a two-point game, but by the time the Steelers got the ball back again, the clock was down to 45 seconds and the game ended for them on their 32 yard line. Cleveland came away with a 30-28 win.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (378 to 309) and first downs (21 to 17), with 229 of their total coming on the ground. They also turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by Pittsburgh, but recorded six sacks, to one by the Steelers.

Both Bobby Mitchell and Jim Brown went over a hundred yards rushing, with Mitchell compiling 119 yards on 14 carries that included three touchdowns and Brown gaining 114 yards on 29 attempts. Mitchell also caught four passes for 47 more yards to lead the Browns. Len Dawson completed 6 of 12 passes for 68 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions before being relieved by Milt Plum, who was 6-of-8 for 88 yards and, while also throwing for no TDs, gave up no interceptions. Lou Groza was successful on all three of his field goal attempts.

For the Steelers, Buddy Dial (pictured at right) had a huge performance in defeat with 9 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns. Rudy Bukich was successful on 15 of 24 throws for 275 yards and two TDs with one interception. John Henry Johnson rushed for 35 yards on 8 carries and Tom Tracy was right behind with 34 yards on 12 attempts that included two for touchdowns.

The Browns won again the next week as they sought to keep up with the Giants and Eagles in the Eastern Conference, but they ultimately finished at 8-5-1 to settle for third place. Pittsburgh came back with a three-game winning streak, including one over the Browns in the rematch in Cleveland, and finished strong for a 6-8 record that ranked fifth in the conference.

Bobby Mitchell was called up to active military duty but was still able to get passes to play on the weekends and rushed for 548 yards on 101 carries (5.4 avg.) and had 32 pass receptions for another 368 yards (11.5 avg.), scoring a total of 10 touchdowns. Jim Brown, as he had in each of the previous four seasons since entering the NFL, led the league in rushing with 1408 yards on a then-record 305 carries (4.6 avg.) and received his annual first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors. Milt Plum topped the NFL in passing efficiency for the second straight year, completing 58.6 percent of his throws for 18 TDs against 10 interceptions.

As had been the case throughout his career to date, Len Dawson saw scant action over the course of the season, throwing 15 passes -  his highest total thus far. He moved over to the Dallas Texans of the AFL in 1962 and his fortunes changed dramatically for the better.

In his third year, Buddy Dial gained selection to the Pro Bowl after catching 53 passes for 1047 yards (19.8 avg.) and 12 touchdowns. His 235-yard pass receiving performance against the Browns remained the franchise record until 2002. Rudy Bukich ultimately moved back to the bench with the return of Bobby Layne, but won four of his seven starts and had a solid completion percentage of 57.1 on his 156 passes. 11 were good for TDs, but he also gave up 16 interceptions.

1968: Bengals Fall to Chargers in AFL Debut

The Cincinnati Bengals, an AFL expansion team for 1968, started off their inaugural season on September 6 at San Diego. At the helm was Paul Brown, already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his near-legendary work with the Cleveland Browns from 1946 through ’62. After five years out of the game, he was back as a part-owner, general manager, and head coach. The first-year Bengals were a typical collection of fading veterans and untested young talent. First draft choice Bob Johnson was to anchor the line at center, there was a promising rookie halfback in Paul Robinson, as well as HB/WR Warren McVea, and while a deal with Miami had brought former minor league QB John Stofa to the team, Dewey Warren, a rookie out of Tennessee, was behind center for the debut.

The Chargers, coached by Sid Gillman, were coming off of a respectable 8-5-1 record in ’67, although in the tough Western Division that was good only for third place. The offense was typically explosive and contained QB John Hadl, flanker Lance Alworth (who was coming off of an injury-plagued season), and HB Dickie Post, among others, but the defense was less impressive and still in rebuilding mode.

There were 33,687 fans on hand at San Diego Stadium for the nationally televised Friday night game. Taking the opening kickoff, the Bengals drove impressively down the field for 72 yards in eight plays. Warren McVea had a run of 28 yards and Paul Robinson had a 14-yard gain. Robinson capped the series by running two yards around end for a touchdown.

The Chargers drove into Cincinnati territory but stalled at the 34 and Dennis Partee kicked a 42-yard field goal to get the home team on the board. On San Diego’s next possession, and still in the opening period, Dickie Post broke away on a sweep for a 48-yard TD. With Partee’s extra point, the home team carried a 10-7 lead into the second quarter. Neither offense could move consistently during the remainder of the first half, but the Bengals managed to tie the score with a 22-yard field goal by Dale Livingston.

In the second half, John Hadl began to exploit weaknesses in Cincinnati’s pass defense. The Chargers moved 76 yards to start the third quarter and FB Brad Hubbert plunged into the end zone to put the home team in front. Partee added the extra point that made it 17-10.

TE Willie Frazier (pictured at top), who caught 57 passes and was an AFL All-Star in 1967, had lost his starting job to Jacque McKinnon and didn’t get into the game until the second half, but he made an impact when he did. Up by four points late in the third quarter, Hadl threw down the middle to Frazier, who caught the ball at the 20 and carried three defenders into the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown. Partee’s extra point attempt was blocked but it had no effect with the Chargers up by ten.

Attesting to the physicality of the game, Lance Alworth, who was clotheslined after his first catch by CB Fletcher Smith, was ejected in the fourth quarter for fighting. But the Chargers were able to keep the visitors in check for the remainder of the contest. In the closing seconds, Frazier pulled in a second scoring pass, this time from five yards out to secure the win. San Diego came out on top by 29-13.

The Chargers dominated in total yards (554 to 226) and first downs (27 to 13). They were impressive on both the ground and through the air, gaining 229 rushing yards and 325 via passing. However, San Diego was also hurt by 10 penalties, at a cost of 100 yards, while the Bengals were flagged five times. Each team turned the ball over twice, and the Bengals also gave up two sacks.

John Hadl completed 20 of 37 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Dickie Post ran for 140 yards on 16 carries that included the one long TD and Brad Hubbert added 54 yards and a touchdown on his 11 attempts. WR Gary Garrison led San Diego’s receivers with 5 catches for 101 yards while TE Jacque MacKinnon added four receptions for 87 yards, Lance Alworth four for 58, and Willie Frazier contributed three catches for 66 yards and the two touchdowns. Dennis Partee (pictured below) had an uneven performance in his first game as placekicker/punter for the Chargers, connecting on one of three field goal attempts and failing on his last two extra point tries.

For the Bengals, Dewey Warren received praise for his poise after completing 14 of his 26 throws for 125 yards, giving up one interception. Paul Robinson gained 33 yards on 16 rushing attempts that included a TD. FB Tom Smiley ran for 26 yards on 9 attempts and led the club with 6 catches for 51 yards.

“My timing was off in the first half,” explained John Hadl regarding San Diego’s sluggish start. “We just didn’t click.”

“If we lose every game this year and are contenders in three years, I’ll be satisfied,” said Paul Brown, attesting to the difficulties as well as the ultimate goal in starting from scratch with an expansion team.

Coach Brown need not have worried about going winless, however, for the Bengals won their next two games at home, although they came out on top just one more time on the way to a 3-11 record and last place in the Western Division. San Diego won its first three contests, but again finished third in the division at 9-5.

Dewey Warren (pictured at left) was replaced by John Stofa the following week and, as one of three quarterbacks who started for the Bengals in their first year, completed 58.8 percent of his 80 passes for 506 yards and a touchdown with four intercepted. Paul Robinson, who scored the franchise’s first TD, had a much bigger year, leading the league in rushing with 1023 yards and gaining All-AFL as well as Rookie of the Year honors.

John Hadl went on to lead the AFL in pass attempts (440), completions (208), yards (3473), and TD passes (27), but also in interceptions (32). Dickie Post ranked fifth in rushing with 758 yards and Lance Alworth and Gary Garrison both finished over a thousand receiving yards (1312 and 1103, respectively). Willie Frazier remained a backup at tight end and caught 16 passes for 237 yards and a total of three touchdowns. Dennis Partee kicked 22 field goals, the third-highest total in the AFL, averaged 40.7 yards on 56 punts, and spent eight years with the Chargers.