Editor’s note: The following, about the contest against the Houston Oilers on Nov. 30 at the Astrodome, is the 13th 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.
If Brian Sipe’s 46-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dave Logan with 16 seconds left to beat the Green Bay Packers 26-21 on Oct. 19 was the offensive play of the year, then what safety Clarence Scott did six weeks later against the Houston Oilers at the Astrodome was the top offensive play for the Kardiac Kids.
Scott’s interception of a Ken Stabler pass deep in Cleveland territory with 1:17 remaining preserved a key 17-14 Browns victory 35 years ago today, on Nov. 30, 1980, and moved them to 9-4 and a game ahead of the Oilers (8-5) in the AFC Central with three games to play.
Taking over at their 22 with just 1:40 left, Stabler hit his favorite target, tight end Dave Casper, with a 43-yard pass to the Cleveland 35 on the first play. Trailing by just three points, the Oilers were on the edge of field-goal range to tie it. But they wanted more. A touchdown would put them ahead, and if they could just hold on in the final seconds, then they would get a one-game lead in the division and would sweep the season series based on their 16-7 victory at Cleveland in Week 2. That would give them the first tie-breaker in determining the Central champion, head-to-head competition, should the teams finish the regular season deadlocked for first place.
Stabler misfired on the next play as he tried to hit wide receiver Mike Renfro, the son of Browns legendary wingback Dub Jones. But the quarterback didn’t care, for that play was just a ruse so as to take attention from Casper and open up the field for him. Casper had already caught six passes for 130 yards, including a 30-yarder for a touchdown with 9:33 left in the third quarter that pulled the Oilers to within 17-14.
But Scott, a wily veteran who was in his 10th season, wasn’t fooled. He read Stabler’s mind and, using the skills he had honed in starring as a cornerback for the first eight years of his career, he dived in front of Casper as the ball came his way on the following play. Scott cradled it like a baby and then quickly got to his feet and returned it nine yards to the 33 to seal the win.
The Browns looked to be in great shape after gaining a 14-0 lead with 12:45 left in the second quarter on the latter of two Cleo Miller touchdown runs, a one-yarder. He had a six-yarder barely one minute into the game.
But the Oilers fought back to trail 14-7 at halftime. The Browns increased the advantage to 17-7 early in the third quarter on Don Cockroft’s 25-yard field goal.
Casper’s TD catch later in the quarter made things dicey, but Scott made sure he didn’t hurt the Browns again.
The Browns picked off Stabler twice on the day, and although Earl Campbell rushed for 109 yards, he was held in check.
Miller rushed for 69 yards in eight carries, and Mike Pruitt added 50 yards on 16 tries.
Brian Sipe was held to just 93 yards passing and was intercepted once. Wide receiver Reggie Rucker had three receptions for 31 yards.
But those meager passing statistics didn’t matter. What was important was that the Browns were in first place all by themselves and controlled their own destiny as they tried to win their first division title in nine years.
Next: Same time next week.
