1987 Cleveland Browns season

1987 Cleveland Browns season
Head coach	Marty Schottenheimer
General manager	Ernie Accorsi
Owner	Art Modell
Home field	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Results
Record	10–5
Division place	1st AFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost AFC Championship (Broncos) 38–33

The 1987 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 38th season in the National Football League.

Led by another 3,000-yard season from Bernie Kosar, the Browns captured their third-straight AFC Central crown. In the divisional playoffs, against the Indianapolis Colts at Municipal Stadium, the Browns routed the Colts 38–21 to advance to their second-straight AFC Championship Game. For the second year in a row, the Browns were matched up against the Denver Broncos for a trip to Super Bowl XXII. The Browns fell behind early at Mile High Stadium, as the Broncos roared out to a big halftime lead. However, the Browns scored 30 points in the second half, and drove down the field in the late fourth quarter with a chance to score a game-tying touchdown. With 1:12 left in the game, RB Earnest Byner was stripped of the ball at the 2-yard line by Broncos' defensive back Jeremiah Castille in a play since dubbed The Fumble. Denver ran down the clock and took an intentional safety with 8 seconds left, and the Browns fell 38–33. Denver returned to the Super Bowl for a second straight year at the expense of the Browns.

Personnel

Staff

1987 Cleveland Browns staff
	Front office President and Owner – Art Modell Executive Vice President of Football Operations – Ernie Accorsi Director of Player Personnel – Chip Falivene Head coaches Head Coach – Marty Schottenheimer Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Lindy Infante Running Backs – Joe Pendry Receivers – Richard Mann Tight Ends – Charlie Davis Offensive Line – Howard Mudd			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Dave Adolph Defensive Line – Tom Pratt Secondary – Bill Cowher Special Assistant/Defense – Darvin Wallis Special teams coaches Special Teams – Kurt Schottenheimer Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Dave Redding

Schedule

Regular season

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 13, 1987	at New Orleans Saints	L 28–21	59,900
2	September 20, 1987	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 34–10	79,543
3	September 28, 1987	Denver Broncos	canceled
4	October 4, 1987	at New England Patriots	W 20–10	14,830
5	October 11, 1987	Houston Oilers	L 15–10	38,927
6	October 18, 1987	at Cincinnati Bengals	W 34–0	40,179
7	October 26, 1987	Los Angeles Rams	W 30–17	76,933
8	November 1, 1987	at San Diego Chargers	L 27–24	55,381
9	November 8, 1987	Atlanta Falcons	W 38–3	71,135
10	November 15, 1987	Buffalo Bills	W 27–21	78,409
11	November 22, 1987	at Houston Oilers	W 40–7	51,161
12	November 29, 1987	at San Francisco 49ers	L 38–24	60,248
13	December 6, 1987	Indianapolis Colts	L 9–7	70,661
14	December 13, 1987	Cincinnati Bengals	W 38–24	77,331
15	December 20, 1987	at Los Angeles Raiders	W 24–17	40,275
16	December 26, 1987	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 19–13	56,394

Game Summaries

Week 9: vs. Atlanta

Week 9: Atlanta Falcons at Cleveland Browns – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	0	3	0	0	3
Browns	0	14	21	3	38

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH

• Date: November 8
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 54°F, relative humidity 48%, round (wind) 13 MPH
• Game attendance: 71,135
• TV announcers (CBS): Tim Brant (play–by–play) and Hank Stram (color commentator)
• [1]

Game information

First Quarter No scoring Second Quarter CLE (6:50) – Slaughter 54 yard pass from Kosar (Jaeger kick) Browns 7, Falcons 0 CLE (11:04) – Mack 1 yard rush (Jaeger kick) Browns 14, Falcons 0 ATL (15:00) – Luckhurst 42 yard field goal Browns 14, Falcons 3 Third Quarter CLE (4:05) – Byner 3 yard rush (Jaeger kick) Browns 21, Falcons 3 CLE (8:59) – Byner 5 yard rush (Jaeger kick) Browns 28, Falcons 3 CLE (12:45) – Byner 4 yard pass from Kosar (Jaeger kick) Browns 35, Falcons 3 Fourth Quarter CLE (9:41) – Jaeger 38 yard field goal Browns 38, Falcons 3 Top passers ATL – Scott Campbell 15/22, 169 yds, 1 INT CLE – Bernie Kosar 13/23, 192 yds, 2 TD Top rushers ATL – Gerald Riggs 16 carr, 93 yds CLE – Kevin Mack 18 carr, 52 yds, 1 TD Top receivers ATL – Aubrey Matthews 5 rec, 70 yds CLE – Earnest Byner 4 rec, 40 yds, 1 TD Turnovers ATL – 2 CLE – 1

Playoffs

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
Divisional	January 9, 1988	Indianapolis Colts	W 38–21	78,586
Conference Championship	January 17, 1988	at Denver Broncos	L 38–33	75,993

AFC Divisional Game

AFC Divisional Game: Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	7	7	0	7	21
Browns	7	7	7	17	38

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH

• Date: January 9, 1988
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: 16°F, relative humidity 71°F, round (wind) 5 MPH
• TV: NBC
• Boxscore [2]

AFC Championship Game

AFC Championship Game: Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	0	3	21	9	33
Broncos	14	7	10	7	38

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO

• Date: January 17, 1988
• Game time: 4 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: 29°F, relative humidity 63°F, round (wind) 8 MPH
• TV: NBC
• Boxscore [3]

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Cleveland Browns(2)	10	5	0	.667	5–1	8–3	390	239	W3
Houston Oilers(4)	9	6	0	.600	5–1	7–4	345	349	W2
Pittsburgh Steelers	8	7	0	.533	2–4	6–5	285	299	L2
Cincinnati Bengals	4	11	0	.267	0–6	3–9	285	370	L3