1987 Cleveland Browns season

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

1987 Cleveland Browns season
Owner	Art Modell
General manager	Ernie Accorsi
Head coach	Marty Schottenheimer
Home stadium	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Results
Record	10–5
Division place	1st AFC Central
Playoffs	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Colts) 38–21 Lost AFC Championship (at Broncos) 33–38
Pro Bowlers	T Cody Risien QB Bernie Kosar FB Kevin Mack NT Bob Golic OLB Clay Matthews, Jr. CB Frank Minnifield CB Hanford Dixon RS Gerald McNeil
← 1986 Browns seasons 1988 →

A ticket for the AFC Championship game between the Browns and the Broncos.

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.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1987 NFL draft

1987 Cleveland Browns draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	5	Mike Junkin	Linebacker	Duke	from San Diego
2	32	Gregg Rakoczy	Center	Miami (FL)	from San Diego
3	80	Tim Manoa	Fullback	Penn State
3	82	Jeff Jaeger *	Kicker	Washington
6	165	Stephen Braggs	Defensive back	Texas
8	220	Steve Bullitt	Linebacker	Texas A&M
10	276	Frank Winters *	Center	Western Illinois
11	303	Larry Brewton	Defensive back	Temple
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

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

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NFL replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

1987 Cleveland Browns replacement roster
Quarterbacks 11 Jeff Christensen -- Homer Jordan -- Joe Pizzo -- Karlton Walton Running backs 47 Mike Crawford 35 Stacey Driver -- Corey Gilmore 33 Kirk Jones -- George Landry 42 Larry Mason -- Calvin Pierce Wide receivers 87 Clayton Beauford -- Terry Bell -- Stanley Carraway 22 Perry Kemp -- Mike McDade 28 Steve Pierce 84 Keith Tinsley 85 David Verser 89 Louis Watson -- Arthur Williams -- Ray Williams Tight ends 83 Donnie Echols 80 Chris Kelley 81 Derek Tennell		Offensive linemen -- John Askin 73 Keith Bosley 62 Mike Katolin -- Barry Lee 66 Dave Sparenberg 50 Mike Teifke 71 Ralph Van Dyke 64 Blake Wingle Defensive linemen 94 Robert Brannon 75 Alex Carter -- Scott Cooper 98 Aaron Moog -- Morgan Roane 79 Mike Rusinek 91 Darryl Sims		Linebackers 92 Dave Butler 59 James Capers 55 Tim Crawford 52 David Grayson 58 Cliff Hanneman 97 Mike Kovaleski 57 Steve Nave 54 Jerry Parker 53 Tom Polley -- Dick Teets Defensive backs 25 Vincent Barnett 36 Vince Carreker 27 Brian Dudley -- Robert Goins 38 Alvin Horn -- Steve Lauter -- Earnest Moore 30 Billy Robinson 23 DeJuan Robinson 41 Troy Wilson -- Stacy Williams Special teams  4 Brian Franco K  3 Goran Lingmerth K  5 Dale Walters P

Roster

1987 Cleveland Browns roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 18 Gary Danielson 19 Bernie Kosar 10 Mike Pagel Running backs (RB) 44 Earnest Byner 28 Herman Fontenot 34 Kevin Mack 42 Tim Manoa Wide receivers (WR) 86 Brian Brennan 88 Reggie Langhorne 89 Gerald McNeil 84 Webster Slaughter 85 Clarence Weathers 83 Glen Young Tight ends (TE) 82 Ozzie Newsome 81 Derek Tennell

Offensive linemen (OL) 61 Mike Baab C 74 Paul Farren T/G 69 Dan Fike G 65 Darryl Haley G/T 73 Gregg Rakoczy G/C 63 Cody Risien T 70 Larry Williams G Defensive linemen (DL) 60 Al Baker DE 91 Sam Clancy DE 79 Bob Golic NT 78 Carl Hairston DE 95 Marlon Jones DE 72 Dave Puzzuoli NT 90 Darryl Sims DE

Linebackers (LB) 56 David Grayson OLB 53 Anthony Griggs ILB 94 Rusty Guilbeau OLB 51 Eddie Johnson ILB 59 Mike Johnson ILB 57 Clay Matthews OLB 52 Nick Miller ILB 50 Lucius Sanford OLB Defensive backs (DB) 36 Stephen Braggs CB 29 Hanford Dixon CB 24 Ray Ellis SS 27 Al Gross FS 23 Mark Harper CB 31 Frank Minnifield CB 37 Chris Rockins SS 22 Felix Wright FS Special teams (ST)  9 Matt Bahr K  8 Jeff Jaeger K 11 Lee Johnson P 64 Frank Winters LS

Reserve 43 Tony Baker RB (IR) 16 Albert Bell WR (IR) 77 Rickey Bolden T (IR) 97 Steve Bullitt LB (IR) 96 Reggie Camp DE (IR) 71 Dave Cullity T (IR) 35 Will Hill S (IR) 48 D.D. Hoggard CB (IR) 54 Mike Junkin LB (IR) -- Steve Lawrence S (PUP) 40 Aaron Sam RB (IR) 66 Dave Sparenberg G (IR) -- Robert Stallings TE (IR) 38 George Swarn RB (IR) 87 Travis Tucker TE (IR)  5 George Winslow P (IR) Rookies in italics

Schedule

Regular season

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

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 9: vs. Atlanta

Week 9: Atlanta Falcons at Cleveland Browns – Game summary

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

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Date: November 8
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 54 °F or 12.2 °C, relative humidity 48%, wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn)
• Game attendance: 71,135
• Referee: Bob McElwee
• TV announcers (CBS): Tim Brant (play–by–play) and Hank Stram (color commentator)

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays 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

Postseason

See also: 1987–88 NFL playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
Divisional	January 9, 1988	Indianapolis Colts (3)	W 38–21	1–0	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,586	Recap
AFC Championship	January 17, 1988	at Denver Broncos (2)	L 33–38	1–1	Mile High Stadium	75,993	Recap

AFC Divisional Game

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

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

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Date: January 9, 1988
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: 16 °F or −8.9 °C, relative humidity 71%, wind 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h; 4.3 kn)
• Referee: Red Cashion
• TV: NBC
• Boxscore

AFC Championship game

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

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

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

• Date: January 17, 1988
• Game time: 4 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: 29 °F or −1.7 °C, relative humidity 63%, wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
• Referee: Jim Tunney
• TV: NBC Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen
• Boxscore

Standings

AFC Central
view talk edit	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