WEEK 12 CRYSTAL BALL - WEEKEND: Browns-Broncos Brings Back Memories
WEEK 12 CRYSTAL BALL - WEEKEND: Browns-Broncos Brings Back Memories
My friends, there are a lot of interesting games this weekend but only one that leads to memories of one of the most famous plays in football history. Yes, I’m talking about Browns vs Broncos in the Mile High City.
The teams first met in 1970 and, though Cleveland captured three of the first four matchups, the Denver franchise has controlled things since, giving the Broncos an all-time series edge of 24-7.
Adding insult to injury for Browns Nation, three of the defeats were in the American Football Conference championship game following the 1986, 1987 and 1989 regular seasons. First, there was “The Drive,” then “The Fumble,” and, finally, a 16-point Denver win that didn’t need John Elway’s patented last-minute magic.
“The Drive” was great football theater, with Elway leading his mates on a 98-yard march and throwing a last-minute five-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson to send the game to overtime. Barefooted kicker Rich Karlis added the extra point to tie it and Denver prevailed in overtime on a Karlis field goal, 23-20.
Fast forwarding to 1989, the Denver win was another classic case of Elway making fourth-quarter plays to keep the opponent at bay. Of course, it’s no surprise as #7 had a flair for the dramatic throughout his career.
Still, I believe the AFC title game in the 1987 playoffs – since named “The Fumble” – was the best of the three contests, an epic battle of two heavyweights determined to get to the Super Bowl. And it took some effort for both teams to reach the conference championship in the first place.
The 1987 NFL campaign was odd as a 24-day players’ strike early in the year led to each team playing three games with rosters primarily of non-union replacements. The only franchise that didn’t have any players cross the picket line was Joe Jackson Gibbs’ Washington squad, which went 3-0 during the interruption and eventually won Super Bowl XXII.
DC’s effort inspired an ESPN “30 for 30” program and “The Replacements,” a film released in the year 2000, starring Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. Hackman, of course, won two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes during his illustrious career while Reeves claimed the “Most Desirable Male” mantle for playing Johnny Utah in “Point Break.” THE CHIEF, sadly, finished second.
Both Denver and Cleveland did well during the strike by winning two of their three replacement games, helping them to finish atop the AFC in the 15-game season, at 10-4-1 and 10-5, respectively. Though the Broncos had a slightly better record, coach Marty Schottenheimer’s Browns were particularly strong, outscoring opponents by an average of 10 points per game.
In the postseason, host Cleveland got off to a hot start, beating the Indianapolis Colts, 38-21, behind star running back Earnest Byner, who recorded 158 total yards and two touchdowns. The following day, the Broncos routed visiting Houston, 34-10, setting the stage for an AFC Championship rematch, in Denver.
A year removed from “The Drive,” the Browns were bent on exacting their revenge and the aforementioned Byner was particularly fired up, having barely played in the 1986 title game due to a lingering ankle injury.
The game kicked off at 2 p.m. MST on January 17, 1988, at Mile High Stadium and it looked like a waltz for coach Dan Reeves, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and the Broncos as they stormed to a 21-3 halftime lead. Cleveland responded with a quick TD pass from Bernie Kosar to wideout Reggie Langhorne early in the third quarter, but Elway then found Mark Jackson, a hero in “The Drive,” with a short pass that the Purdue product turned into an 80-yard touchdown.
The score was 28-10, Denver, with 9:57 remaining in the third quarter and things looked bleak for the visitors. But that’s when Byner took over.
First, he caught a 32-yard touchdown pass midway through the period from QB Bernie Kosar, who was brilliant on the day with 356 yards passing and three scores. Next, Byner ran four yards for another TD to shave the lead to 28-24, Denver, with 3:45 left in the third. Karlis, the Broncos’ kicker, responded with a field goal and, heading to the fourth quarter, the hosts held a slim 31-24 lead.
In the final stanza, Cleveland struck first as Kosar hit future Pro Bowl wide receiver Webster Slaughter1 with a four-yard touchdown pass, knotting the game at 31. Then Elway performed his usual eleventh-hour theatrics, leading Denver on a drive that ended with a brilliant 20-yard catch-and-run by running back Sammy (Side) Winder. Winder’s nifty moves got him to paydirt just ahead of Browns cornerback Hanford Dixon,2 a tremendous defender who was actually one of Winder’s college teammates at Southern Miss.
With the score 38-31, Denver, and 4:01 remaining, it was Cleveland’s turn to respond, and respond they did, with Kosar methodically leading his mates down the field. With 1:10 left on the clock, the Browns sat at Denver’s eight-yard line, plenty of time to tie the game and send the AFC title tilt to overtime for the second straight year.
Yet, as Byner and the Browns tore through the Broncos D for 28 second-half points, there was a largely anonymous player on the Denver sideline who was yearning to make a big play and contribute to a Super Bowl run. A guy who was used to coming up big in the clutch.
Cornerback Jeremiah Castille, a five-year veteran from the University of Alabama, was in his first year with the Broncos after four productive seasons as a starter in Tampa Bay. Still, he hadn’t played a ton under well-respected Denver defensive coordinator Joe Collier, serving as a reserve in 12-plus games over the course of the regular season and playoffs. He was ready to do something, anything.
With time running out, Kosar took the Browns to the line of scrimmage. Merlin Olsen, the Hall of Fame defensive lineman-turned-broadcaster and actor, told the audience, “Down near their own goal line, these are the toughest yards in football right here.”
His partner, play-by-play man Dick Enberg, took it from there:
“Draw to Byner,” as the Browns runner, a Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity member, took the handoff, immediately picked up steam and prepared to step (show) into the end zone…
…“Earnest Byner” as Castille suddenly converged, knocked the ball out of the running back’s left hand, and quickly fell on the loose football…
…“Fumbled the ball and Denver has recovered! Oh my!” as the Broncos celebrated and a forlorn Byner trudged off the field with 65 seconds left.
Afterwards, Castille said, “I saw it was a draw play and that Byner had the ball. I remember thinking that Byner ran all over us that entire second half, so there was no way I was going to tackle him. Instead, I went for the ball the whole time."
His strategy worked.
Elway then brought the offense onto the field and ran the clock down to the nub before punter Mike Horan entered the game and took an intentional two-point safety with 10 seconds left. Denver, 38-33. Final.
After the game Byner, who had 187 total yards, was exactly the accountable guy you’d imagine.
"I played my ass off," Byner said. "I played my heart out. I'm not going to stand up here and cry. I'm a man. And I'm going to act like one. I left everything on the field."
Schottenheimer defended his star running back, saying, "Earnest never saw Castille coming. Earnest was the reason we were still in the game at that point. He had several heroic runs and catches over the course of the second half that allowed us to have a chance to tie the game at 38. All of these heroics, unfortunately, were overshadowed by a single draw play from the eight-yard line."
And Webster Slaughter, the wide receiver, blamed himself: “Hey, the fumble was partly my fault. I should have made a block (on Castille). The play was supposed to go inside, but there were no holes, so Earnest took it outside like the great back he is."
With Castille’s history as a guide, it wasn’t a surprise that the five-year pro would step up and force a turnover, especially when it counted. Times were tough in Tampa when he was a Buc as the 1983 team lost as many games (eight) in the first half of Castille’s rookie season as he lost in his entire Alabama career. Still, he was credited with 15 takeaways in four productive seasons with the Bucs and his seven interceptions in 1985 remain tied for fourth-best in team history for a single year.
His success in Tampa followed a storied career in Tuscaloosa under Bear Bryant as the undersized (5’10”, 175 lbs.) Castille finished tied for first in school history with 16 regular-season picks. He added a punt return touchdown for good measure, was an All-American in his senior season of 1982, and has been ranked among the five best defensive backs in Crimson Tide history.
He also had a knack for coming up big in big games. He intercepted three passes in a hard-fought 1982 loss to Tennessee and saved his best effort for later that year in the Liberty Bowl, a game likely as important to him as the 1987 AFC Championship.
The game, played in Memphis, Tenn., vs. the University of Illinois, was noteworthy for two reasons: Coach Bryant had announced it would be the finale of his storied career and the ever-quiet Castille decided to give a pregame speech.
“Coach, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Four years ago, I came here as an 18-year-old boy. Tonight, I’m leaving as a 22-year-old man, and I personally want to thank you for that,” he said. “Coach, there ain’t no way we’re gonna lose this game tonight, even if I got to play it by myself.”
Castille honored the promise to his coach by intercepting Illini quarterback Tony Eason three times and earning Most Valuable Player honors, ending his career with 19 INTs. Bryant retired and, less than a month later, was dead of a heart attack. The well-respected Castille was one of eight pallbearers at the funeral, at the Bryant family’s request.
Surely, The Bear would have approved of his pupil’s effort against the Browns and, even more so, would be proud of the man that Castille has become.
After intercepting a pass in Denver’s next game, the 42-10 Super Bowl XXII loss to Washington, Castille played one more NFL season before calling it quits to coach and teach at Briarwood Christian High School in his native Birmingham, Ala. He runs the Jeremiah Castille Foundation and remains very connected to the Alabama program, even sending three sons to play for the Crimson Tide.
One of the young men, Caleb, is an actor who was once on the cast of NCIS: LA while Tim and Simeon followed their dad’s path to the NFL, playing four seasons apiece. In fact, Simeon, who sits alongside his father on Alabama’s top-10 career interceptions list – played pro ball for a bit longer, even suiting up for an outfit named the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League (UFL) in 2011.
Simeon’s head coach in Virginia? Marty Schottenheimer. What are the odds?
After “The Fumble,” things turned out just fine professionally for Schottenheimer and Byner. The coach was fired after the 1988 season and then won an additional 151 NFL games with Kansas City (1989-98), Washington (2001) and San Diego (2002-2006). And the 2011 Destroyers won the UFL title. He passed away on February 8, 2021, and remains eighth all-time with an impressive 200 victories.
As for Byner, he was traded by the Browns and general manager Ernie Accorsi after the team fired Schottenheimer, landing in Washington with Coach Gibbs. He played five seasons in DC and developed into one of the league’s top backs, rushing for big yards three years in a row (1,219 in 1990, 1,048 in 1991, 998 in 1992) and enjoyed five playoff victories, including Super Bowl XXVI in the 1991 season.
Byner left Washington after the 1993 season and closed out his 14-year career with a two-year return to Cleveland, even winning a playoff game with Bill Belichick’s 1994 squad. He finished up with two seasons in Baltimore and currently ranks in the top 10 as a rusher for two franchises – the Browns (eighth) and Washington (seventh) – and is 18th on the Ravens’ list.
Putting the East Carolina University alum’s career in perspective, Byner still ranks 60th in NFL history in career all-purpose yards with 13,497, more than Hall of Famers such as Steve Largent and John Riggins. And that’s 26 years after retirement; when he stepped away from the playing field, he was in the top 15.
Not too shabby.
After retiring, Byner worked as the running backs coach for two of his former employers – the Ravens (1998-2003) and Washington (2004-07), winning a second Super Bowl ring in 2000 with Baltimore. He was the first individual inducted into the Ravens Ring of Honor and was named one of the “70 Greatest” players in WFT history.
After leaving DC for the second time, he continued to mentor running backs as a coach in Tennessee (2008-09), Jacksonville (2010-11), and Tampa Bay (2012-13). Indeed, like his old foe Castille, Byner is a Buccaneers alum.
Speaking of both men, I’ve got one last thought about that 1987 AFC Championship game, the dramatic sequence that came in at #49 on the NFL Network’s “100 Greatest Plays” list.
Instead of celebrating one man’s unfortunate misstep and calling it “The Fumble,” let’s instead acknowledge the great effort Castille made on the play. Yep, I’ve got a name for it. How about “The Denver Strip”? No, it doesn’t roll off the tongue like its Vegas, New York, or KC counterparts, but it won’t affect your wallet or your waistline either.
As for Sunday’s game, I think it’ll be one of the best of the weekend. And, with both teams hot, I’ll go with the hosts at 4:05 pm ET on Fox. Let’s say Broncos, 20-17.
A 3-1 Thursday/Friday record leaves the season mark at 109-61 (.641) heading into today’s action. No teams are on the bye, so we’ve got 12 games to discuss. Let’s get to it.
1 PM ET - FOX
Take the Saints (5-5, 3-3 away) at the Falcons (4-6, 3-2 home) in an NFC South matchup. I still believe in Heinicke magic, but Taylor is on the bench and Desmond Ridder is running the show once again…
…the Panthers (1-9, 0-5 away) fall at the Titans (3-7, 3-1 home). People want to talk about the Bryce Young selection at the top of the 2023 draft but, when you have the #1 pick, it’s because you’ve got more holes than FATBACK’s golf swing. This rebuild is going to take time…
…the Pats (2-8, 1-3 away) get a win at the Giants (3-8, 1-3 home). New England may be headed for its worst season since Dick MacPherson’s 1992 squad3 went 2-14 but I’ve gotta believe Bill Belichick can rattle Tommy Devito.
1 PM ET - CBS
The Steelers (6-4, 2-2 away) win at the Bengals (5-5, 3-2 home). As Homer Simpson might say, Cincinnati without Joe Burrow is like a bowling ball without a liquid center…
…the Colts (5-5, 1-4 home) beat the visiting Bucs (4-6, 2-3 away). I’ll say what all of us are thinking: Gardner Flint Mayshew II vs. Baker Reagan Mayfield is a QB facial-hair matchup made in heaven. It’s also a meeting of two guys who view themselves as underdogs. Mayshew went to three colleges and is on his third pro team. Mayfield attended two schools and is on his fourth NFL roster….
…the Jaguars (7-3, 4-0 away) get a big win at the Texans (6-4, 4-1 home). Houston is red hot, and C.J. Stroud is worthy of every superlative one can conjure up, but I think the Jags find a way to get the W.
4:05 PM ET - FOX
I like the Rams (4-6, 2-3 away) at the Cardinals (2-9, 2-3 home) in a matchup of franchises that once abandoned St. Louis. A horrible unintended consequence: hundreds of players for both teams have missed out on the Gateway delicacy of toasted ravioli,4 a life-changing treat.
4:25 PM ET - CBS
In the late window, I like the Chiefs (7-3, 3-1 away) at the Raiders (5-6, 4-1 home) but it’ll be very close. Antonio Pierce is well on his way to earning the full-time gig in Las Vegas…
…the Bills (6-5, 1-3 away) fall at the Eagles (9-1, 4-0 home). Philly leads the league in two major “offensive categories”: third-down conversions and percentage of adult fans whose mouths never shut.5
When it comes to this week’s game, the Eagles are far better, top to bottom, than Buffalo at this point so it’s unlikely to be a happy homecoming for Sean McDermott, a native of Philly’s suburbs. When other teams turn the ball over, the Birds punish them, a safe bet this afternoon.
8:20 PM ET - NBC
The Ravens (8-3, 4-1 away) win a shootout at the Chargers (4-6, 2-3 home). Here’s betting that Lamar and Herbert both go nuts in this one.
MONDAY, 8:15 PM ET - ESPN
The Bears (3-8, 1-5 away) take one to the chin at the Vikings (6-5, 2-3 home). Chicago doesn’t fare well in hostile environments and the Minneapolis faithful are likely to be at full throat in this one. Actual game script below.
That’s all for today, folks. Enjoy your weekend and God bless!
“Webster Slaughter” is on my short list of favorite player names, alongside Dieter Brock, Obed Ariri, any of the Zendejas brothers, Pudge Heffelfinger and the following variants: LeRoy (Butler), Leroy (Kelly), Lee Roy (Jordan) and La’Roi (Glover). Head coach: Greasy Neale.
Dixon paired with Frank Minnifield to form one of the best cornerback combos of the 1980s. Two tremendous football players with a nose for the ball and a willingness to hit.
MacPherson came to the Pats after a successful run as Syracuse head coach and inherited a New England team that had won just one game the previous season under Rod Rust. He led the squad to six wins in his first campaign, but his second year (1992) was brutal with only two victories as he started the following quarterbacks Hugh Millen (seven starts), Scott Zolak (four), Tommy Hodson (three) and Jeff Carlson (two). Those days were pitch black in Foxboro.
Ok, they’re not really toasted, they’re fried, but, man, are they delicious. If you’re fortunate enough to come across a restaurant that serves them, ignore the rest of the menu and get to work.
I like to joke about Philadelphia but, folks, I kid because the city is near and dear to my heart. After all, the City of Brotherly Love has given us THE FAIR CLAUDINE; my in-laws, BETTINA THE MEATBALL QUEEN and SLICK WILLIE; BYO restaurants; Tastykakes; cheesesteaks; the Declaration of Independence; Betsy Ross; the Slinky; and toilet paper rolls.