Editor’s note: The following, about the contest against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 14 at Metropolitan Stadium, is the 15th in a series of stories on the games that made up the Browns’ 1980 Kardiac Kids season. This is the 35th anniversary of that memorable year.
The Kardiac Kids almost always found a way to win the close games they played.
The key word here is “almost.”
Sometimes – not often, but sometimes — they didn’t win.
As exhilarating as those victories were, the losses were devastating to that same degree.
And one of the worst defeats occurred 35 years ago today, on Dec. 14, 1980, at Metropolitan Stadium.
Needing a win to clinch their first AFC playoff berth in eight years, the Browns (10-4) seemed to be in great shape, leading the host Minnesota Vikings by 14 points with just under eight minutes left. In fact, they were still ahead by a point until the final play.
That’s when Tommy Karmer heaved a 46-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to wide receiver Ahmad Rashad as time expired to give the Vikings a stunning 28-23 victory.
At 10-5, Cleveland fell back into a tie with the Houston Oilers for first place in the AFC Central with one game to play.
The Vikings scored a touchdown with 1:35 left to cut their deficit to 23-22 with 1:35 remaining, then forced the Browns to go three plays and out on the ensuing possession. When Johnny Evans’ punt pushed the Vikings back to their 20 with just 14 seconds left, it seemed a sure bet that the Browns, though staggered, would hold on for the win.
With the Browns playing a prevent defense, the Vikings gained 34 yards on a pass and lateral to the Cleveland 46.
Still, it appeared the Browns were OK.
But they weren’t, as Kramer’s pass into the end zone was batted up into the air and into the arms of Rashad.
It was the first lead that Minnesota had all day.
The Browns were on top 13-0 at halftime on two TDs by Brian Sipe, on his 18-yard pass to running back Calvin Hill and his two-yard run.
Don Cockroft kicked a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter as the Browns stayed ahead 16-9.
Cleo Miller’s one-yard TD run with 7:44 remaining pushed the bulge to 23-9 and looked to be the play that cemented the victory.
But it was not meant to be.
Sipe completed 20 of 33 passes for 232 yards and the TD and was intercepted once. Wide receiver Dave Logan caught two passes for 56 yards, while running back Mike Pruitt added five receptions for 32 yards and also rushed for 88 yards in 19 carries.
It wasn’t enough, though, in large part because Kramer had 456 yards passing, the most ever against Cleveland, and four TDs.
Now the Browns had to go to Cincinnati and beat the Bengals if they wanted to go to the playoffs.
But before they started thinking about that contest, they first had to shake the memory of this one out of their heads.
Next: Stealing the show.
