Wednesday marks the 52nd anniversary of the first Monday Night Football game.
It was Sept. 21, 1970 that the Browns defeated the New York Jets 31-21 at Cleveland Stadium before 85,703, the largest crowd ever to see the Browns play in Cleveland.
The Browns got off to a lightning-quick 14-0 first-quarter lead, the Jets got back into the game and then, while clinging to a 24-21 advantage, head coach Blanton Collier’s team sealed the deal in the final minute when little-known linebacker Billy Andrews intercepted a short Joe Namath pass and rambled 26 yards for a touchdown.
Collier had about six assistant coaches overall, including three on defense. Somehow, some way, those defensive coaches were able to pool their football expertise and get all 11 players knowing, and handling, the right assignments. No Jets receiver was running scott-free down the sideline. In fact, the deep coverage was so good that Namath had to check down to fullback Emerson Boozer. Andrews was waiting patiently and stepped in front of him to make the play of his life.
Three days ago, another Jets quarterback named Joe — Flacco, much less skilled than Broadway Joe — who was playing in Cleveland, found a wide-open receiver for a 66-yard touchdown that began the process of New York overcoming a 13-point deficit with 1:55 left to win 31-30.
None of the 10 Browns defensive coaches was able to get the coverage scheme figured out and
conveyed clearly to the members of the secondary.
Things were so much simpler — and better — for the Browns back in the day. They didn’t blow assignments, and as such games they were supposed to win.
Steve King
