If the Browns are going to beat the favored Denver Broncos on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium, then they will no doubt have to make some big plays in the fourth quarter.
That’s exactly what they did on Oct. 1, 1989.
And even then, it wasn’t easy.
In fact, the Browns had to wait until the final play to do it, getting a 48-yard field goal by Matt Bahr as time expired to gain a 16-13 win in front of a full house of 78,637 at Cleveland Stadium.
It was Bahr’s third field goal of the day, and his second from that distance.
The Browns, who improved to 3-1 under first-year head coach Bud Carson, hired by owner Art Modell to beat Denver and get the team to its first Super Bowl, led 13-3 in the fourth quarter on Bernie Kosar’s nine-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Webster Slaughter, and 36- and 48-yard field goals by Bahr.
But the Broncos rallied to tie it at 13-13 in the fourth quarter and threatened to go ahead after intercepting a Kosar pass in Cleveland territory. But, just as the Broncos were beginning to position themselves to kick the potential game-winning field goal, linebacker Mike Johnson forced a fumble that was recovered by cornerback Frank Minnifield at the 16-yard line with just 1:42 left.
Given a reprieve, something they had not gotten against Denver in recent meetings, the Browns drove into position to get their game-winning field goal, halting a 10-game losing streak to the Broncos dating all the way back to 1975.
Kosar completed 25 of 38 passes for 216 yards. The Browns did their best job ever against John Elway, limiting him to just six completions in 19 tries for 198 yards. Both quarterbacks threw a touchdown pass and an interception.
Wide receiver Reggie Langhorne caught seven passes for 67 yards, while Slaughter added five receptions for 67 yards and running back Eric Metcalf also had five catches.
The victory provided two valuable things for the Browns.
First, it gave them a measure of revenge after losing twice to the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game following the 1986 and ’87 seasons.
Secondly, it gave them the confidence that they could win if they met Denver again with a Super Trip trip riding on the outcome.
And the Browns did indeed get that opportunity, but the third time was not the charm.
That, however, is another story for another time.
