By: Kris Mead
On Saturday, that’s right Saturday, the Browns were able to
escape out of Denver with a 17-16 victory. It wasn’t a marvelously performed
game, but hardly any Browns’ games are, nor was it an impressive win, but
again, almost no Browns’ game is. The importance of achieving this win,
however, was both impressive and marvelous. For if the Browns lost this game they
would not only be eliminated from any playoff chance, but the loss would have
been marked as another devastating defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
NFL Network was sure
to promote, during both the pregame show and game itself, all of the crushing defeats that the Browns
have received from the Denver Broncos. Of
course, the NFL Network made sure to show clips, these can be seen on YouTube.
The first famous defeat was called “The Drive.” For those that don’t know “The
Drive” occurred in the 1986 AFC Championship Game. The Browns were leading
20-13 late in the fourth quarter. However, John Elway and his Denver Broncos
would lead a 15 play drive that would span five minutes and two seconds and
finish with a tying touchdown pass from Elway to receiver Mark Jackson. What
makes “The Drive” so (unfortuantly) memorable is the fact that Denver muffed
the kickoff, so Elway was forced to start from his own two-yard line.
The second soul crushing defeat that the Browns received
from the Denver Broncos happened a year later in the 1987 AFC Championship
Game. This nightmare would simply be remembered as “The Fumble.” In this horrid
and tragic defeat the Browns’ running back, Earnest Byner, would fumble the ball
when trying to score a touchdown, which would bring the Browns within one point
of the Broncos (presumably, if Cleveland made the touchdown, they would then
make the extra point and tie the game). What is so monumental about this moment
of heartbreak is twofold. First, Byner would fumble the ball at the Broncos’ one-yard
line. Secondly, Byner would fumble with a minute and twelve seconds left in
regulation. After recovering the fumble, the Broncos would drown out the clock,
which included taking an intentional safety.
It should be noted that if the Browns won either AFC
Championship game, they would have gone on to play in that respective year’s
Super Bowl. In turn, Denver in both
years went on to represent the AFC in both ’86 and ’87. Furthermore, and as The NFL Network reminded
everyone days leading up to the game, was that the Browns held the longest
losing streak to any one team in the NFL. As you may have guessed that 11 game
losing streak was at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
So suffice to say that the win in Denver on Saturday did
more for the fans of the Browns than might have been thought to the average NFL
fan. It wasn’t the fact that the win kept Cleveland’s chances of having its
first winning season since 2007 alive, or, as mentioned above, the fact that
the Browns still have a “chance” at making the playoffs, or even the simple
fact that it was the Browns second game won on the road since the 2015 season.
It was the way in which the game was won which was so rewarding.
“The Fumble” and “The Drive” represent victory being
snatched away from the Browns. That same sort of feeling crept in during
Saturday’s game. On fourth down, in Denver’s territory, Greg Williams elected
to go for it on fourth and short. The Browns lined up and Baker Mayfield tried
to lure the Broncos’ defenders into the neutral zone. At one moment a Denver
defender jumped into the neutral zone and Browns’ offensive lineman, Greg
Robinson, did what he was supposed to – react to the defender in the neutral
zone. In any typical game this would result in a five yard penalty and provide
the Browns with a new set of downs, which would likely allow them to run out
the clock. However, there was no flag. Apparently prior to Robinson reacting,
head coach, Greg Williams called a timeout. This negated any chance of their
being a penalty. So again, the Browns lined up to try to gain the first down.
The Browns failed miserably and memories of all the haunting Cleveland
disappointments started to lurk in the back of every fan’s mind.
The nightmare became even more real as Denver was reaching
field goal range, which would provide them the opportunity to, as they have
done to Cleveland so many times in the past, thrust the stake in every
Cleveland fan’s heart. However, there was a slight moment of hope. Denver was
still out of field goal range and failed to reach the first down marker on
three tries. So it now was facing a fourth down. In the past the Browns would
allow Denver to convert, but as soon as Denver snapped the ball, Browns’
safety, and still developing first round draft pick, Jabrill Peppers, blitzed
and took down Denver’s quarter back, Case Keenum. The game was over.
Although this game was not one Baker Mayfield would place on
his highlight reel, it was marvelous due to the historical implications that
seem to haunt Cleveland whenever they faced the Broncos. However, and as noted,
the win was not without drama. There
were times when there was going to be a third installment to coincide with the
likes of “The Drive” and “The Fumble.” The moment when Greg Williams called a
timeout just before the Browns would have received a first down could have been
called “The Timeout,” or when it appeared that Denver was about to make a game
winning scoring drive could have been called, “The Drive II.” Luckily and
through the Browns staunch defense not breaking, the Browns were able to
prevent any of these cute wannabe headlines from making their way on sports
websites and pages. Rather, this installment of the Browns against the Broncos
should be titled, “The Stop.”
Beat Cincinnati!
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