The dude saves the day
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the ninth in a series of stories about former Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano as he turned 90 on July 1.
By STEVE KING
Nearly every week during that Kardiac Kids season of 1980, the Browns would find themselves in a jam in the closing minutes.
And nearly every week, they had somebody to step up to pull the team out of it.
So, then, it came as no surprise that the regular-season finale at Cincinnati – the one that would, in all likelihood, determine if the Browns made it to the AFC playoffs for the first time in eight seasons or barely miss them for the third straight year – followed right in line.
Really, how could it be any other way?
The Browns knew that the Bengals, who lost 31-7 t Cleveland in the teams’ first meeting a month earlier in Cleveland, would play them tough in the rematch at Riverfront Stadium, and they were right.
The upstart Bengals jumped out to a 10-0 second-quarter lead before the Browns rallied to tie it 10-10 at halftime.
But in the third quarter, Cincinnati, undaunted, went back on top 17-10 when cornerback Ray Griffin, an Ohio State product and the younger brother of Bengals running back and Buckeyes legend Archie Griffin, intercepted a Brian Sipe pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown.
Now things were really getting dicey. The Browns had tried everything and everybody to get their high-potent offense jump-started, and to stay that way, but to no avail. Nothing was working. All the leading men in this production had had their time on stage under the bright lights, but even they couldn’t make a difference.
The Browns needed someone – anyone – to step up and steal the show in this moment of moments. But who?
Enter from stage left a player who had had barely a bit role all season, Ricky Feacher. Nicknamed “Hollywood Dude” for the fact he was the flashiest dresser on the team, he came into the day with just eight receptions on the year but was pressed into duty in the first half when starting wide receiver Dave Logan was forced out of the game with a knee injury after catching a 65-yard pass.
Immediately upon entering the fray, Feacher, confident he could get behind the Cincinnati secondary whenever he wanted, began lobbying Sipe to heave him a deep pass. Time after time as the Browns huddled up, Feacher would look at the quarterback and say, “Throw me the bomb.”
Sipe had not done so to that point, but perhaps now was the time. After all, what did he have to lose?
As the Browns got the ball back after the Cincinnati touchdown, Feacher looked at Sipe and asked again for the ball to be thrown to him.
“OK, I’m going to throw you the bomb,” Sipe said. “But you better catch it. If you drop it, you might as well just keep on running, right out of the stadium.”
Feacher answered with a smile, “Don’t worry. You just put the ball out there for me, and I’ll catch it.”
Sipe did just that, and Feacher made good on his promise, catching a 35-yard TD pass down the right sideline to tie the score at 17-all. Three minutes later, after the Browns regained possession, they ran the same play down the left sideline and Feacher caught the ball for a 34-yard score.
It was just the lift the Browns needed both on the scoreboard and emotionally. Just like that – in a veritable blink of an eye – they were ahead for the first time, 24-17, and had control of the game with the Bengals on their heels. Their confidence – their edge – had returned.
All because of some Dude from seemingly out of nowhere.
The Bengals managed to tie the score 24-24 with a TD of their own later in the third quarter, but the Browns held firm and went on to win the game 27-24 and earn the Central Division championship when Don Cockroft kicked a 22-yard field goal with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter.
Feacher ended the year with only 10 receptions, but for four touchdowns.
Stuff like that was the magic of that Kardiac Kids season.
Now the playoffs awaited, and so did fate.
