Here is my attempt to distract you from Reuben Droughns’ latest misjudgment. Sadly though, the diversion doesn’t even take us out of Colorado. It’s one of the most odd coincidences in Browns history, even more unlikely, perhaps, than the season finales of 2003 and 2004.
The Browns and the Broncos have met 23 times, 20 of them in the regular season. Three of these games have ended with the exact same score: Denver 23, Cleveland 20, in overtime.
Furthermore, each of those games followed a breakthrough regular season for the Browns.
- The Nov. 8, 1981, loss came after the breathtaking Kardiac Kids season of 1980, their first playoff appearance in eight years. A Calvin Hill fumble, followed by a 33-yard completion to Toledo native Rick Upchurch, set up the Broncos’ overtime kick.
- No one, unfortunately, will forget the Jan. 11, 1987, AFC Championship game that ended the Browns’ best season since the ’60s. Ohio-born Rich Karlis’ barefoot chipshot, nearly missed, was almost anticlimactic after “The Drive.” This, of course, followed the epic win over the Jets by the same score in double-overtime.
- And the Dec. 14, 2003, loss in Denver was actually one of the better showings in the abysmal 5-11 follow-up to the wild playoff season of ’02. On an extremely windy day, it would’ve taken a gutsy call by Butch Davis on the overtime coin toss to give up the ball and take the wind. Needless to say, neither he nor the Browns came through in the end.
By the way, Cleveland will host the Broncos (who currently employ, literally, a ton of former Browns’ defensive linemen, seven in all) this Oct. 22.
So, does anyone else want to nominate another uncanny Browns-related coincidence?
