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Five Near Misses for a Cleveland Browns Super Bowl

By Elliot Kennel

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - SEPTEMBER 25: Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar talks with Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown before the start of the game against the Miami Dolphins on September 25, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - SEPTEMBER 25: Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar talks with Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown before the start of the game against the Miami Dolphins on September 25, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 20: First row, U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) is presented with a jersey by current team owner Stephen Ross (3rd L) as members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, head coach Don Shula (R), quarterback Bob Griese (L), running back Larry Csonka (4th L) and other members look on during an East Room event August 20, 2013 at the White House in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the undefeated 1972 Super Bowl champions who didnt get the chance to be honored at the White House back then. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 20: First row, U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) is presented with a jersey by current team owner Stephen Ross (3rd L) as members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, head coach Don Shula (R), quarterback Bob Griese (L), running back Larry Csonka (4th L) and other members look on during an East Room event August 20, 2013 at the White House in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the undefeated 1972 Super Bowl champions who didnt get the chance to be honored at the White House back then. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) /

No. I:  The Immaculate Interceptions–Dec 24, 1972

The 1972-73 Miami Dolphins team deserves all the credit in the world for being the only undefeated team in NFL history, but the Cleveland Browns outplayed them in the playoffs, should have won, and the fact that the Browns traded away Paul Warfield cemented Art Modell’s place in Cleveland’s Hall of Infamy.

Most fans do not realize how close the Browns were to upending the Dolphins, and if that had happened, the AFC was there for the taking. Pittsburgh admittedly had the best talent in the AFC, but they had not learned to win yet, and should have lost to Oakland were it not for the Immaculate Reception, the miraculous catch by Franco Harris of a ball that seemed to have been batted away by Oakland’s Jack Tatum.

At any rate, that brings us to January 1973, when the Cleveland Browns took a 10-4 record to face the 14-0 Miami Dolphins in a playoff game.

On paper, the Browns were not that fantastic of a team. But without anyone really noticing it, their defense came together at the end of the year.

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This game may have been the greatest defensive effort in team history. They completely shut down Earl Morrall, the ageless veteran backup who had been the NFL MVP when he came in for Johnny Unitas in 1968. Morrall was 6-of-13  for only  88 yards and was sacked four times for 14 yards. Overall, they were held to only 272 yards. They netted 198 on the ground and had only 74 through the air.

Walter Johnson and Jerry Sherk were dominant at the defensive line and were in Morrall’s face all day. Linebackers  Dale Lindsey, Charley Hall, and Billy Andrews were able to slow down the running game led by Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick. Understand also that the running totals of the Dolphins were distorted by five extra positions created by Browns turnovers.

The first score was not the Dolphins’ offense, but their special teams when they blocked a punt by Don Cockroft and scored a touchdown.

Cleveland was totally dominant on defense, but so was Miami. Incredibly Phipps had thrown four interceptions but the Browns were still in the game late in the fourth quarter.  Behind 20-16, after a Miami punt, Cleveland had the ball at its 49 with 1:40 left to play.

A touchdown would win the game and send the 14-0 Dolphins home. Phipps ran for eight yards, then completed a pass to fullback Bo Scott for another eight. Then Phipps was intercepted by linebacker Doug Swift to extinguish the Browns’ comeback, 20-14.

Five interceptions. If they had had only four, they would have probably beaten the Dolphins and then would have headed to Pittsburgh where the Steelers were coming off the so-called Immaculate Reception.

It was even worse because Art Modell had acquired Phipps by trading away future Hall of Famer Paul Warfield to this very team. Warfield accounted for 91 yards that day, including two runs for 41 yards.

This writer strongly believes that Art Modell should never, never be voted into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton. However, maybe the Dolphins Hall of Fame would be a better match, because, without Modell, 17-0 would never have been achievable.

This probably sounds like sour grapes, and it is,  but what is so great about the Immaculate Reception? It did not lead to a Steelers Super Bowl, only a close loss to the Dolphins the next week. While admitting that the Steelers arguably had the best talent in the NFL that year, they were so young that they really did not yet know how to win.

They should have lost to the Raiders, were it not for the flukiest play of all time, and they did lose to the Dolphins. You cannot assume that they would have held up against the pressure of a playoff game with the more experienced Browns.

A Steelers-Browns championship battle would have been so awesome. Modell destroyed the heart of the team with his foolish trade (and it would be remiss not to mention that he traded away All-Pro halfback Ron Johnson at the same time, getting a washed-up wide receiver to replace Warfield,  who caught only ten passes in his entire Browns career).  Even so, the Browns almost won that game, should have won that game.

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