Browns vs. Raiders: 5 best games of all-time
By Thomas Moore
A year after breaking the Three Rivers Jinx in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns headed west late in the 1987 season looking to end another losing streak.
The Browns had lost to Oakland eight consecutive times, and had not won a game in the city of Los Angeles in 29 years, when they took the field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Dec. 20 to face the Raiders.
Bernie Kosar had the Browns offense operating at its peak that season and that day was no different as Kosar would throw for 294 yards and a pair of touchdowns along the way toward more than 400 yards of total offense.
The defense did its part as well, forcing a fumble in the third quarter when Oakland was driving and keeping the Raiders’ offense out of the end zone until the two-minute mark of the fourth quarter.
That score cut the Cleveland lead to just seven, but the Browns were able to run out the clock, thanks in large part to a 21-yard run by Byner on a third-and-seven.
When the Browns walked off the field with a 24-17 victory, not only had they beaten the Raiders for the first time in 14 years, but they had also clinched their third consecutive playoff appearance.
Next: No. 2: Eric Metcalf's career day