Recalling the Cleveland Browns 5 wins against the Denver Broncos
By Thomas Moore
Sep 21, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns helmet on the field before a game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports
Bring up the Denver Broncos to any Cleveland Browns fan of a certain age and you will receive responses ranging from “pain” to “misery” to a few that are not acceptable for a family website.
The anguish tends to center around the late 1980s, when the Browns and the Broncos faced off three times over a four-year period in the AFC Championship Game.
The Broncos won the 1986 game thanks to John Elway driving Denver 98-yards into the teeth of the Dawg Pound for a touchdown, sending the game into overtime, where the Broncos won on a Rich Karlis field goal. (Although whether or not the kick was good remains a debate to this day.)
The following year, Earnest Byner’s goal-line fumble derailed a Browns comeback attempt. (Although to this day there are people who mistakenly believe a touchdown from Byner would have won the game, rather than just tied it.)
The third time was not the charm for the Browns, who once again dropped the conference title game to Denver in 1989, a playoff loss that has fallen a bit by the wayside in the annals of Browns lore.
While those games are the most noticeable games in the rivalry, when you go deeper into the history of the two teams you realize just how much the Broncos have owned the Browns.
Heading into Sunday’s game at FirstEnergy Stadium the Broncos have won 10 consecutive games in the series, and 21 of the past 23. The last Browns win? Try 1990, when a Jerry Kauric field goal gave Cleveland the win on a Monday night.
Overall, the Browns are just 5-22 against the Broncos since the team’s first started playing each other in 1970.
Since it has been so long since Browns fans have actually witnessed a Cleveland victory over Denver, let’s take a look back at those five times the Browns were actually able to corral the Broncos. As always, a big tip of the hat to Jonathan Knight’s The Browns Bible, a must-have for Browns fans.
Next: Blanton Collier Goes Out a Winner