Former Browns linebacker Clay Matthews’ other two memorable plays occurred in back-to-back games near the end of the 1989 season.
They were connected, in fact.
The Browns went to Houston on Dec. 23 in the regular-season finale for a special Saturday night nationally-televised game trying to recapture the AFC Central title and win it for the fourth time in five seasons.
They started as if they were going to do it easily by blowing out to a 17-0 second-quarter lead, but the Oilers rallied to cut the margin to 17-13 in the fourth quarter, revving up the Astrodome crowd. They got the ball back and were driving again when an early shotgun snap surprised quarterback Warren Moon and sailed over his head. Matthews rushed in to recover the ball, which would have likely sealed the victory, but then, for some unknown reason, he tried to lateral to a teammate. The attempt went wary and the Oilers recovered. Moon threw a touchdown pass on the next play to give Houston the lead for the first time, 20-17.
The Browns needed a late touchdown on Kevin Mack’s four-yard run with 39 seconds left to win the game and the division crown, 24-20.
Afterward, Matthews was criticized heavily for his poor decision, and he did not like it.
Two weeks later, on Jan. 6, in the AFC divisional playoffs against the Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Stadium, the Browns got into a shootout. They led 34-24 with eight minutes left, but the Bills scored to make it 34-30 – they missed extra point — and were driving again deep into Cleveland territory in the final minutes, needing another TD to win.
Matthews planted himself in the middle of the field, just outside the end zone, and quarterback Jim Kelly tried to burn the Browns again with a pass over the middle. He never saw Matthews, who intercepted at the 1 with nine seconds left to preserve the victory.
He just fell down. There would be no lateral this time. He then got up and showed the ball to the crowd, and especially to Browns owner Art Model, who had been one of the critics for Matthews’ mistake against the Oilers.
Steve King
