By STEVE KING

The offense has done its job throughout this short season.

And the defense came up big — really, really big — last Sunday in a 26-6 dismantling of the Chicago Bears.

So, then, how about the special teams leading the way on Sunday as the Browns stay in the NFC North and visit the Minnesota Vikings?

It would be nice — it would give the Browns more of a complete team feeling — and it’s a real possibility. Their special teams, though no one has notice, are doing pretty well.

And if it would happen, then it would not be the first time for such a thing by the Browns in a game against the Vikings in Minneapolis.

It was 35 years ago, on Oct. 26, 1986, when a talented but young and growing Browns team — not unlike this year’s edition — rode their special teams to a 23-20 triumph over a pretty good Vikings team at the Metrodome.

Quarterback Bernie Kosar threw for just 101 yards with no touchdowns and an interception on nine-of-18 passing, the only offensive touchdown coming on a 17-yard run by Curtis Dickey (remember him?) as Cleveland rallied from a 20-10 third-quarter deficit. Its other TD came on a Felix Wright’s 30-yard return of a blocked punt.

In addition, Matt Bahr hit all three of his field-goal attempts, including one from 52 yards, which ended up as his longest kick of the season.

The win came at just the right time for the Browns. In fact, it was one of the biggest of the season, coming on the heels of a disappointing 17-14 home loss to the Green Bay Packers. It raised the Browns’ record to 5-3 at the halfway point of the year, the same as the Vikings. The impetus of the victory helped the Browns to win seven of their last eight games to finish a conference-best 12-4 and secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

Let’s see if history repeats itself.

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