>> RIGHT NOW THE BROWNS ARE PROUDLY THE AMERICAN CONFERENCE FAVORITE TO GO TO THE SUPER BOWL SINCE THEY WOULD HAVE HOME FIELD FOR THE NEXT GAME, ALSO, SHOULD THEY WIN TODAY, THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. THEY KICK OFF BY MOSELEY, A HIGH, SPINNING KICK. GOES TO JO-JO TOWNSELL AT THE 9-YARD LINE. BIG, OPEN-FIELD STRIKE. COMING DOWN TO MAKE THE HIT FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS WAS MIKE JOHNSON, A LINEBACKER. AND NOW RYAN BRINGS OUT THE JETS OFFENSE. RUNNING BACK FREEMAN McNEIL AND TONY PAIGE. AL TOON AND WESLEY WALKER, TWO OF THE BEST DEEP THREATS IN THE NFL, AND MICKEY SHULER'S THE TIGHT END. HE'S CAUGHT 69 PASSES. JOE FIELDS, THE ANCHOR OF THE OFFENSIVE LINE, IS BACK. HE MISSED MUCH OF THE SEASON WITH INJURIES. AND THE JETS ARE READY RIGHT NOW TO GO FIRST AND 10. >> JETS START WITH TWO TIGHT ENDS, DON. >> AND GO RIGHT TO THE AIR. A SWING PASS GOES TO McNEIL. AND THE CLEVELAND BROWNS, WITH GOOD OPEN-FIELD TACKLING, SHUT HIM DOWN AFTER A GAIN OF JUST 3 YARDS. >> THE CLEVELAND DEFENSE HAS ACROSS THE FRONT REGGIE CAMP, BOB GOLIC, A PRO BOWL NOSE TACKLE, AND CARL HAIRSTON, THE LEADING SACKER, "BIG DADDY." THE LINEBACKERS -- BRILLIANT ON THE OUTSIDE. CHIP BANKS, AN ALL-PRO PLAYER. CLAY MATTHEWS, A PRO BOWLER. EDDIE JOHNSON AND ANTHONY GRIGGS INSIDE. AND AS "TRUMP" POINTED OUT, MINNIFIELD AND DIXON, THE CORNERS, MIGHT BE THE TWO BEST COVERS ON ANY ONE TEAM IN THE NFL. ELLIS AND ROCKINS, THE SAFETIES. FREEMAN McNEIL TAKES IT OUT TO THE 30-YARD LINE. MIGHT HAVE HAD A LOT MORE, BUT THAT ANKLE-HIGH TACKLE BY THE NOSE TACKLE, BOB GOLIC, CUT HIM DOWN AT THE 30-YARD LINE, AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE THIRD DOWN AND ABOUT 4. THIRD AND 3 WHERE IT'S POSITIONED. THREE WIDE RECEIVERS ARE IN THE GAME FOR THE JETS. NO SCORE, OPENING DRIVE. FREE BALL. VERY NEARLY PICKED OFF. ROCKINS HAD A PLAY ON IT. SO, IT'S THREE DOWNS AND OUT FOR THE JET OFFENSE, AS THE INTENDED RECEIVER, AL TOON, COULDN'T HOLD IT. AND NOW THE JETS SEND THEIR PUNTER, DAVE JENNINGS, OUT. >> ALL DAY LONG, YOU'LL SEE BUMP-AND-RUN COVERAGE. 23, HARPER, ALL OVER AL TOON. MINNIFIELD AND DIXON WILL DO THE SAME THING. THERE'S GONNA BE VERY LITTLE MARGIN FOR PAT RYAN TO GET THE BALL IN. THE DEFENSIVE BACKS RIGHT IN THE HIP POCKET OF RECEIVERS ALL DAY LONG. >> GERALD McNEIL IS BACK, AWAITING DAVE JENNINGS' PUNT. McNEIL, THE LIGHTEST PLAYER IN THE NFL AT 142 POUNDS, HAS RETURNED A PUNT THIS SEASON 84 YARDS FOR A TOUCHDOWN. JENNINGS DOESN'T GET TOO MUCH BEHIND IT, AND HERE COMES McNEIL. BUT HE'S TAKEN DOWN AT THE 44-YARD LINE, A RETURN OF ONLY 3 YARDS. JUST A 29-YARD PUNT, THOUGH. AND SO, THE BROWNS COME OUT ON OFFENSE FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY, AS THEY GET A STANDING SALUTE. BERNIE KOSAR AT QUARTERBACK. SECOND YEAR, FROM MIAMI OF FLORIDA. CURTIS DICKEY AND KEVIN MACK ARE HIS RUNNERS. LANGHORNE AND SLAUGHTER ARE THE WIDEOUTS. OZZIE NEWSOME, THE VETERAN TIGHT END, ALL-PRO MANY TIMES. HE'S PLAYING WITH NAGGING INJURIES, THOUGH. OFFENSIVE LINE VERY BIG AND SOLID FOR CLEVELAND. MIKE BAAB IS IN AT CENTER. HE'S BEEN INJURED. THEY DIDN'T THINK HE'D PLAY, BUT HE'S READY TO GO, AT LEAST AT THE START. LONE SET BACK IS KEVIN MACK. HE GETS THE BALL. AND THE JETS DON'T GIVE HIM MUCH, AS THEY KNOCK HIM DOWN AT THE 45-YARD LINE. MARTY LYONS AT LEFT END MADE THE STOP FOR THE JETS. THE NOSE TACKLE IS TOM BALDWIN, REPLACING THE ALL-PRO, JOE KLECKO, WHO'S OUT. BARRY BENNETT AT RIGHT END. LINEBACKERS HAVE BEEN SHIFTED AROUND THIS SEASON BECAUSE OF INJURY. BOB CRABLE HAS NOW MOVED TO THE LEFT OUTSIDE. INSIDE BACKERS, CLIFTON AND McARTHUR. RUSTY GUILBEAU, RIGHT OUTSIDE BACKER. THE SECONDARY FINALLY COVERED WELL FOR THE JETS AFTER GIVING UP A LOT OF YARDS TO THE PASS. THE JETS ARE 28th IN THE NFL AGAINST THE PASS -- LAST. AND KOSAR COULD BE GOING TO WORK ON THAT RIGHT NOW. SECOND DOWN AND 9. QUICK THROW, AND HE'S GOT A MAN COMING OUT. OUT TO THE 46-YARD LINE IS OZZIE NEWSOME, THE TIGHT END, IN HIS NINTH YEAR FROM ALABAMA. FREE SAFETY HARRY HAMILTON BROUGHT HIM DOWN. IT WAS A GAIN OF 9 YARDS ON THE PLAY, AND IT APPEARS TO BE CLOSE ENOUGH FOR A FIRST DOWN. >> NICE, LITTLE HALF ROLL BY KOSAR. THIS CLEVELAND OFFENSE IS NOT A HIGH-RISK OFFENSE. THEY'LL TAKE THE 6- OR 8-YARD COMPLETION EVERY SINGLE TIME. THAT TIME, A 2-TIGHT END FORMATION FOR CLEVELAND, 2 WIDE RECEIVERS AND 1 RUNNING BACK. AND WE'VE ALSO GOT A PENALTY ON THE JETS, THE MOST PENALIZED TEAM IN THE NFL. AND IT'S GONNA BE A BIG ONE, 15 YARDS FOR A PERSONAL FOUL. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> BEN DREITH, THE REFEREE. AND SO, A ROUGHING CALL AGAINST THE JETS. THEY HIT BERNIE KOSAR LATE. NOW GIVE THE BROWNS GOOD FIELD POSITION AT THE JET 31-YARD LINE IN THIS SCORELESS GAME. BRIAN BRENNAN, AN UNDERSIZED, OVERACHIEVING WIDEOUT AT THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN AS THE STACKED RECEIVER. SECOND MAN BACK. "I" SET IN THE BACKFIELD. JETS THREATEN TO BLITZ. NOW THE LINEBACKER PULLS UP. KOSAR OUT OF THE BACKFIELD. HITS KEVIN MACK. AND A GOOD, OPEN-FIELD STICK IS MADE BY CORNERBACK RUSSELL CARTER. SHORT GAIN, TRUMP. >> IT'S ONE THING ABOUT THIS JET DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD -- I'M NOT REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY THEY COVER PEOPLE. BUT THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE HARDEST-HITTING DEFENSIVE BACKFIELDS YOU'LL FIND. ALL ARE BIG, OVERSIZED DEFENSIVE BACKS. SO, YOU'RE GONNA SACRIFICE SOME SPEED AND QUICKNESS. BUT WHAT THEY LIKE TO DO IS LET YOU MAKE THE CATCH, THEN POP THE BALL LOOSE. CLEVELAND MUST HANG ONTO THE FOOTBALL AFTER CATCHING IT TODAY. >> THEY DO INDEED GIVE UP THE BIG BALL. THEY'VE GIVEN UP 35 TOUCHDOWN PASSES, HAVE THE JETS. THEY'RE ALL HITTERS, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR FUMBLES TODAY, AND THERE WILL BE SOME IN THIS COLD WEATHER ON THE SHORES OF LAKE ERIE. SECOND DOWN NOW AND 7 FOR THE BROWNS. >> FUMBLE. >> FREE BALL. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] NO SOONER SAID. BROWNS HAVE FUMBLED THE BALL 17 TIMES IN THEIR LAST 6 GAMES. BUT THEY'VE ONLY LOST 4 OF THE 17. AND THEY MAINTAIN POSSESSION HERE. >> I THINK KEVIN MACK MADE THE RECOVERY THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE. NOW, A FACTOR THERE -- MIKE BAAB WITH THAT STRAINED KNEE PROBABLY HAS NOT PRACTICED A GREAT DEAL IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. AND IT LOOKED LIKE BERNIE KOSAR PULLED OUT A LITTLE QUICKLY, OR MAYBE BAAB SNAPPED THE BALL SHORT. BUT BAAB'S IN THERE PLAYING, AND THE BROWNS SURVIVE THEIR FIRST ALMOST-DISASTER. >> BROWNS COME IN WITH 5 STRAIGHT WINS. THEY'VE WON 11 OF THEIR LAST 13 GAMES THIS SEASON. KOSAR ON THIRD AND LONG. WHOA! CARTER HAD A FREE PLAY ON THE BALL AT THE 20, BUT RUSSELL CARTER COULDN'T HOLD IT FOR THE JETS. >> SEE IF WE CAN PICK UP ON THIS FUMBLE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT KOSAR, THAT RIGHT FOOT IS PULLED BACK. I SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE'S GOT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF DAN FIKE. DAN FIKE IS COMING ON THE PULL, SO BERNIE NEEDS A QUICK SETUP. GET AWAY FROM THE CENTER. I THINK HE PULLED OUT A LITTLE TOO QUICKLY, AND, THEREFORE, THE BALL ON THE GROUND. BUT IT BRINGS UP FOURTH DOWN, AND MARK MOSELEY IN FOR A FIELD GOAL. >> LOOKING TO TRY A 46-YARDER, THE 15-YEAR VETERAN. HE SPENT ALL OF HIS SEASON, OR MOST OF IT, WITH THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS PRIOR TO COMING HERE AS A FREE AGENT. HE'S 6-OF-7 KICKING FIELD GOALS, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA BE CLOSE. WAY SHORT. KICKING TO THE CLOSED END OF THE STADIUM, THERE ARE SOME SWIRLING WINDS HERE TODAY, AND THEY'LL MAKE IT EVEN COLDER AS THE DAY WEARS ON. THE JETS GET THE BALL AGAIN WHEN WE COME BACK. FIRST DOWN AND 10 FOR THE JETS IN A SCORELESS GAME. FREEMAN McNEIL TAKES THE BALL BUT NOT FOR VERY MUCH. THOSE BIG LINEBACKERS FOR CLEVELAND FILLED QUICKLY. CHIP BANKS, AN UNBELIEVABLE TALENT. WHEN HE'S AT THE TOP OF THE GAME, HE MIGHT BE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. CERTAINLY RATING WITH LAWRENCE TAYLOR AS THE BEST AMONG THE OUTSIDE BACKERS. THE BROWNS AND THE JETS, AS YOU KNOW, TRUMP, PLAYED LAST SEASON, AT THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON IN '85. THEY PLAYED AT GIANTS STADIUM. CLEVELAND JUMPED OFF TO A 10-0 LEAD. JETS CAME BACK TO TIE IT AND THEN BLEW OUT CLEVELAND 37-10. >> THAT'S WHY THE JETS HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SELF-CONFIDENCE ABOUT PLAYING CLEVELAND. >> DOUBLE TIGHT ENDS FOR THE JETS TO START THIS GAME. THEY'RE KEEPING SOMEBODY IN FRONT OF CHIP BANKS ALL THE WAY, AS RYAN LOOKS TO THROW ON SECOND AND 9. HE'S GOT A PROBLEM NOW, AND HE'S SACKED BACK AT THE 16-YARD LINE BY CLAY MATTHEWS. [ CROWD CHEERS ] DEFENSIVE CAPTAIN OF THE BROWNS. >> THAT'S A 12-YARD LOSS. GOLIC VERSUS FIELDS IS A NICE MATCHUP, BUT YOU SEE 57 KIND OF FLY BY. THEY TRY TO BLOCK HIM WITH A RUNNING BACK. I THINK HE THREW TONY PAIGE, 49, RIGHT TO THE GROUND AND THEN RYAN RIGHT TO THE GROUND. FIRST SACK OF THE DAY FOR EITHER TEAM, LOSS OF 12 YARDS. >> THE JETS' WIN OVER KANSAS CITY IN THE WILD-CARD GAME AFTER 5 STRAIGHT LOSSES GAVE THE JETS BACK SOME SELF-CONFIDENCE, BUT THE CLEVELAND DEFENSE WORKING HARD TO TAKE THAT AWAY. RYAN HAS AN OPEN TRACK, BUT HE'S GONNA THROW. HE HAS A MAN, SHULER THE TIGHT END. HE'LL BE SHORT OF THE FIRST DOWN AS HE GETS THE BALL OUT TO THE 35-YARD LINE, AND THE JETS WILL HAVE TO PUNT A SECOND TIME. >> DON, THAT'S ONE FACTOR I THINK JOE WALTON CONSIDERED WHEN HE CHANGED QUARTERBACKS. KENNY O'BRIEN'S HAND WAS HURT A LITTLE BIT, BUT PAT RYAN A MUCH MORE MOBILE QUARTERBACK TO TRY TO GET THIS OFFENSE OF THE NEW YORK JETS OUT OF ITS COMA. LAST WEEKEND AGAINST THE CHIEFS, IT WORKED. >> DAVE JENNINGS HAS GIVEN THAT FREE-AGENT LEG OF HIS A GOOD WORKOUT -- MORE PUNTS THAN ANYBODY IN NFL HISTORY. HE HAS SURPASSED JOHN JAMES, FORMERLY OF THE FALCONS AND OILERS, THIS SEASON. "THE ICE CUBE" IS BACK, GERALD McNEIL. REMEMBER, THE FIRST PUNT BY JENNINGS TODAY ONLY 29 YARDS. THIS ONE NOT LONG, EITHER, BUT McNEIL WILL FAIR-CATCH THE BALL AT THE CLEVELAND 35-YARD LINE, AND KOSAR AND THE BROWNS OFFENSE COMES OUT FOR A SECOND TIME. THAT WAS JUST A 30-YARDER, KICKING INTO THE OPEN END OF THE STADIUM WHERE THE WIND IS COMING FROM. THIS IS DON CRIQUI WITH BOB TRUMPY HERE AT CLEVELAND STADIUM, WHERE RIGHT NOW THE BROWNS BREAK THE HUDDLE, THEIR SECOND POSSESSION. THEIR FIRST ONE CULMINATED IN A MISSED 46-YARD FIELD GOAL. THERE'S NO SCORE. THE WINNER GOES TO THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. AGAIN, A ONE-BACK SET FOR CLEVELAND, AND KEVIN MACK GETS THE BALL AS MARKERS GO DOWN. MACK, A TOUGH, DURABLE RUNNER FROM CLEMSON, TAKES IT AHEAD JUST TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, WHERE HE'S KNOCKED DOWN BY AN INSIDE BACKER, KEVIN McARTHUR, AND CORNERBACK RUSSELL CARTER. >> ONE THING YOU'LL NOTICE ALL DAY LONG FOR THIS CLEVELAND OFFENSE WITH BERNIE KOSAR -- THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. REASON BEING -- LINDY INFANTE, THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, LIKES TO GIVE KOSAR A COUPLE OF CHOICES. SO, THEY GO TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE WITH A "CHECK WITH ME" EITHER/OR PLAY. ONCE BERNIE READS THE DEFENSE, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHAT HE DOES BEST, HE THEN CHOOSES THE PLAY, AND THEY GO FROM THERE. YOU SEE BRENNAN ALREADY BRINGING THE PLAY IN FROM LINDY INFANTE ON THE SIDELINE. THEY'LL SPEND VERY LITTLE TIME THERE, COLLECT IT. AND THE COUNTERPART TO LINDY INFANTE, BUD CARSON, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR OF THE JETS, TRYING TO MATCH WITS. >> AND AS YOU WERE POINTING OUT, THE JETS, THE MOST-PENALIZED TEAM IN THE NFL. JUST HAD ONE CALLED FOR OFFSIDES, SO THE BALL'S POSITIONED AT THE 40. NICE PLAY CALL FOR KOSAR -- FIRST AND 5. NO SCORE IN THE FIRST QUARTER. >> AUDIBLE. YOU CAN SEE OZZIE NEWSOME MOVE. >> WITH CRABLE RIGHT UP ON NEWSOME. AGAIN, THE LONG COUNT. THEY'RE LETTING THE JETS COME EARLY. HERE'S A THROW AND A MISS AT THE 47-YARD LINE. FONTENOT, A FREE AGENT FROM LSU, WHO'S MADE A BIG CONTRIBUTION TO THIS CLEVELAND TEAM. BUT RIGHT ON HIM, AS HE CAME DOWN THE FIELD, WAS A BIG, TOUGH SAFETY, LESTER LYLES, FROM VIRGINIA, 220-POUND HITTER. >> DON, THAT'S ONE THING, THAT THE SIZE ON THESE DEFENSIVE BACKS FOR THE JETS HELPS. THAT FIRST CHUCK AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE AGAINST SMALL RECEIVERS IS A BIG FACTOR, AND IT LOOKS LIKE LYLES HAD A HOLD OF FONTENOT'S JERSEY. NO CALL, INCOMPLETE PASS. SECOND AND 5. >> ONLY ILLEGAL IF YOU GET CAUGHT. SECOND AND 5 FROM THE 40. DRAW TO MACK. HIT MADE AT THE 43-YARD LINE. IT'LL BRING UP THIRD DOWN AND ABOUT 3, AS GUILBEAU AND CRABLE, THE OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS, COMBINE ON THE STOP FOR THE JETS. THE JETS, WITH A ROLLER-COASTER SEASON. A 10-1 START AND PROJECTIONS OF A SUPER BOWL. THEN, DISASTER -- 5 STRAIGHT LOSSES. AND FINALLY THEY CAME OUT OF THE SLIDE AGAINST KANSAS CITY IN THE WILD-CARD GAME. AND GASTINEAU IN THE GAME NOW TO RUSH THE PASSER ON THIRD DOWN AND 3. EVERYONE WONDERS, INCLUDING THE JETS, WHICH JET TEAM WILL SHOW UP. PROBABLY REACH THE MIDDLE GROUND RIGHT NOW, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN DISASTER AND GREATNESS. THEY WERE GREAT EARLY IN THE YEAR. STRAIGHT-AHEAD DRIVE, AND HE DIDN'T GET THERE. ON A THIRD-DOWN RUN, THE CLEVELAND BROWNS ARE STOPPED. HERMAN FONTENOT TAKES IT STRAIGHT AHEAD, AND NOW THE JETS COULD GET RELATIVELY GOOD FIELD POSITION, AS CLEVELAND HAS TO PUNT THE BALL FOR A FIRST TIME. >> THIS DEFENSIVE LINE OF THE JETS MUCH MALIGNED BECAUSE OF INJURIES, PEOPLE PLAYING OUT OF POSITION. THERE YOU SEE GASTINEAU. HE ASSISTS ON THE TACKLE. AN EXCELLENT JOB DONE BY TOM BALDWIN AND BARRY BENNETT TO KEEP CLEVELAND FROM PICKING UP THAT FIRST DOWN. >> YOU HAVE GOSSETT IN TO PUNT NOW FOR CLEVELAND. KURT SOHN IS BACK FOR THE JETS, STANDING AT HIS 15-YARD LINE. WELL-HIT BALL, DRIVING SOHN BACK TO THE 10. CLEVELAND, A TEAM THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON GREAT SPECIAL-TEAMS PLAY, GETS MORE HERE. A 46-YARD PUNT BY GOSSETT, AN 8-YARD RETURN, AND THE JETS GET THEIR THIRD POSSESSION OF THIS SCORELESS GAME WHEN WE COME BACK TO CLEVELAND. GOSSETT AFTER HIS PUNT, COMING DOWNFIELD, AND THE JETS GOT A LITTLE ROUGH WITH HIM, BUT THERE WAS NO PENALTY. >> JUST A CLEAN BLOCK BY MICHAEL HARPER. >> THIS PLACE IS LIKE THE ROMAN COLOSSEUM WHEN THE LIONS ARE ON THE MARQUEE. PEOPLE UP AND CHEERING, 80,000. AND THEY'VE BEEN VOCAL SINCE THEY SAT DOWN. THEY'VE BEEN UP MUCH OF THE DAY. HERE'S A THROW DOWNFIELD TO AL TOON, WHO BREAKS IT ACROSS THE 40, AND HE'S OUT TO THE 46-YARD LINE. SO, THE JETS HIT THE FIRST BIG PLAY OF THIS GAME, A 28-YARD THROW TO THE CONSENSUS ALL-PRO AL TOON. >> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT JOB OF GETTING BY THE MAN UP FRONT, WHICH WAS MINNIFIELD. KIND OF CAUGHT CLEVELAND OFF BALANCE. THEY WEREN'T READY. AND YOU SEE, AS TOON GOES BY MINNIFIELD, RYAN PUTS IT RIGHT ON THE MONEY. RAY ELLIS EVENTUALLY WITH THE TACKLE. FIRST BIG PLAY. THAT'LL RUN CLEVELAND OUT OF THAT DEFENSE IF TOON CAN CONTINUE TO GET BY MINNIFIELD. >> ON THE RUN NOW, TO FREEMAN McNEIL, WHO'S AS HEALTHY AS HE'S BEEN IN A LONG TIME, AND McNEIL, WITH HIS GREAT ABILITY TO CUT BACK, MOVES AHEAD FOR A GAIN OF CLOSE TO 5 YARDS. HE CROSSED MIDFIELD. ANTHONY GRIGGS, AN INSIDE LINEBACKER, MADE THE STOP, ALONG WITH THE STRONG SAFETY, RAY ELLIS. >> DON, YOU CAN SEE THERE WHY FREEMAN McNEIL NEEDS GOOD FOOTING TO BE A SUCCESSFUL RUNNING BACK. HE SLIDES FROM SIDELINE TO SIDELINE UNTIL HE SEES JUST A LITTLE GAP SOMEWHERE IN THAT DEFENSE AND THEN ACCELERATES UPFIELD WITH ONE STEP. >> HE HAS RUN THE BALL 3 TIMES, HAS FREEMAN McNEIL, FOR 10 YARDS. NO SCORE. SECOND DOWN, A LONG 5. SWING PASS. COMING UP WITH THE BALL IS WESLEY WALKER, WHO TAKES IT INSIDE THE 42-YARD LINE. IT'S A FIRST DOWN FOR THE JETS, AS ON THEIR THIRD POSSESSION OF THIS SCORELESS GAME, THEY START TO MOVE THE BALL AGAINST A STRONG CLEVELAND DEFENSE. RICH KOTITE, THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR THE JETS, SAID THEY WANT TO TRY TO THROW A LOT OF LOOKS AT CLEVELAND BECAUSE CLEVELAND HAS A DEFENSE THAT REACTS. THEY DON'T STAY IN ONE POSITION. THEY'LL KEEP CHANGING AS THE OFFENSE CHANGES. >> BOTH OF THESE OFFENSES WITH FORMATION AND MOTION ON ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PLAY -- DIFFICULT TO PREPARE FOR. >> A CAULDRON OF SOUND HERE IN CLEVELAND, AS THE JETS SET UP NOW, FIRST DOWN AND 10. McNEIL. >> HE'S GONNA THROW! >> BACK TO THE QUARTERBACK. HE CAN THROW IT AGAIN. >> WALKER! >> IT'S A LATERAL. MAN IS OPEN, WESLEY WALKER. AND HE'S GOT THE BALL FOR A JET TOUCHDOWN! WE LOOK FOR INNOVATION, AND THE JETS SHOW A LOT OF IT ON A 42-YARD SCORING PLAY, MR. TRUMPY. >> THEY'RE PULLING THEM OUT OF THE LAST PAGE OF THE PLAYBOOK HERE. THE JETS ARE NOT GONNA TAKE ANY CHANCES WHATSOEVER. THE ONLY THING THAT McNEIL HAS TO MAKE SURE HE DOES IS THROW THE BALL BACKWARDS, WHICH HE DOES. NOW, I THINK WALKER IS THE ALTERNATE RECEIVER. HE'S LOOKING TO THE FIRST GUY, WHO IS TOON. WALKER IS UNCOVERED. YOU CAN SEE THAT 24, ELLIS, CAN'T QUITE GET BACK THERE IN TIME. HUGE PLAY. SILENCED THE CROWD. >> THAT ONE'S FROM TOUCH FOOTBALL ON THE PLAYGROUND. IT'S THE LATERAL, ANOTHER PASS DOWNFIELD, AND THE JETS -- THE UNDERDOG ALL OF A SUDDEN PULL A BIG PLAY AND GO TO A 7-0 ADVANTAGE. >> AND ANY PSYCHOLOGICAL LIFT THEY CAN GET IN THIS FIRST HALF, A HUGE FACTOR IN THIS GAME. >> McNEIL, HE'S RUN BACK A KICKOFF FOR 100 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN. LOOK AT THE SPECIAL-TEAMS PLAY BY THE JETS, AS THE BIG PLAY ON OFFENSE IGNITES THIS WHOLE JET FOOTBALL TEAM. >> FAAOLA MAKES THE TACKLE. WATCH AGAIN. ALL McNEIL HAS TO MAKE SURE HE DOES IS THROW THE BALL BACKWARDS. TWO FORWARD PASSES NOT ALLOWED ON THE SAME PLAY. AND RYAN PUTS IT UP. NOW FELIX WRIGHT ALMOST GETS THERE, BUT WALKER, WITH GREAT CONCENTRATION. AND WITH THE WAY THE JETS PLAY WHEN THEY LEAD IN THE FIRST HALF, THAT'S WHEN THEY WIN FOOTBALL GAMES. >> THAT WAS THEIR SUCCESS STORY AS THEY BUILT THAT 10-1 EARLY SEASON RECORD. REALLY, MOST OF THEIR VICTORIES WERE OVER IN THE FIRST HALF. THEY WERE BLOWING PEOPLE AWAY, AND THEN THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH CAME AT MIAMI ON A MONDAY NIGHT. DOLPHINS 45, JETS 3. AND THEY DIDN'T COME OUT OF THAT SLIDE FOR THE REST OF THE REGULAR SEASON, LOSING 5 STRAIGHT GAMES. NOW THE BROWNS, HEAVILY FAVORED, ARE TROUBLED, DOWN 7-0 AND STARTING OUT DEEP IN THEIR OWN END. KOSAR THROWING TO NEWSOME. HE'S OPEN FOR A FIRST DOWN TO THE 23-YARD LINE, AS THE BROWNS GET OUT OF JAIL WITH A 21-YARD PASS PLAY. >> KYLE CLIFTON ON THE COVERAGE. YOU COULD SEE THE WIDE RECEIVER WAS COMING NEAR SIDE, FAKING THE REVERSE. WATCH WHAT KOSAR DOES HERE. HE'S VERY DELIBERATE. HE FAKES TO LANGHORNE COMING AROUND. FONTENOT COMING AROUND. AND THEN FINDS NEWSOME BEHIND THE COVERAGE. THE CLOSEST MAN WAS KYLE CLIFTON. >> KOSAR'S PUT IT UP NOW 5 TIMES. HAS COMPLETED 3 -- 35 YARDS. MACK ON FIRST AND 10. NOT MUCH THERE -- A DRIVING TACKLE BY KYLE CLIFTON, VERY QUICK INSIDE BACKER FROM TCU. >> DON, SO FAR, THIS DEFENSIVE FRONT SEVEN OF THE NEW YORK JETS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. THE OFFENSIVE LINE OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS, GREAT RUN BLOCKERS, BUT SO FAR MACK NOT BEEN ABLE TO POP ONE THROUGH THERE AND REALLY GET LOOSE. EXCELLENT JOB OF GROUP TACKLING BY THE JETS. >> TWO BACKS IN NOW -- KEVIN MACK, THE POWER BACK, AND CURTIS DICKEY, WHO'S BIG AND HAS FASTEST-PLAYER-ON-THE-TEAM SPEED. ACTUALLY, AT ONE TIME HE HAD WORLD-CLASS SPEED -- NCAA SPRINT CHAMPION. THEY FAKE TO DICKEY, AND NOW KOSAR DRILLS IT TO A WIDE-OPEN OZZIE NEWSOME AGAIN. THE JETS LEAVE THE TIGHT END UNCOVERED. HE'S OUT TO THE 48-YARD LINE, A 23-YARD GAIN AND ANOTHER CLEVELAND FIRST DOWN. >> KYLE CLIFTON AGAIN THE MAN THAT MAKES THE TACKLE. INTERESTING TO NOTE, I BELIEVE -- IN 1984, CLEVELAND PLAYED THE JETS, AND OZZIE NEWSOME HAD A CAREER DAY, 191 YARDS RECEIVING ON 9 CATCHES. LOOK AT KOSAR. YOU SEE THE WAY HE LOOKS AROUND THE FIELD? JUST EXTRAORDINARY AT THAT. NEWSOME'S THIRD CATCH NOW -- 53 YARDS ON THE DAY. >> SO, CLEVELAND COMING RIGHT BACK DOWN THE FIELD AFTER THE JETS SCORED ON A 42-YARD PASS PLAY. IT'S 7-0, JETS, IN THE FIRST QUARTER. KOSAR DUMPS IT OFF TO ANOTHER TIGHT END, HARRY HOLT. AND HE TAKES IT AHEAD TO THE 42-YARD LINE OF THE JETS'. HE'LL BE JUST A YARD SHORT OF ANOTHER CLEVELAND FIRST DOWN. 9-YARD GAIN ON THE PLAY. AND THEY'RE THE FIRST TEAM IN NFL HISTORY TO LOSE THEIR LAST 5 GAMES AND STILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LEADING THE FAVORED CLEVELAND BROWNS 7-0. SECOND AND 1, AND KOSAR'S LOOKING DEEP. HOME RUN. COVERAGE IS THERE. BUT THE BALL IS ALMOST CAUGHT, ANYWAY. IT'S AN INCOMPLETE PASS TO THE 14 BY ROOKIE WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. HARRY HAMILTON HAD A PLAY ON THE BALL, BUT SLAUGHTER GOT BOTH HANDS ON IT BEFORE HE LOST IT. >> DON, THE JETS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB HERE IN COVERAGE. THEY'RE RUNNING THE DOUBLE ROTATION. THAT'S CORNERS UP, SAFETIES OUT. THE GUY THAT SHOULD BE GETTING THE BALL HERE IS NEWSOME DOWN THE MIDDLE. MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER AND LINDY INFANTE DO NOT WANT BERNIE KOSAR THROWING THE BALL INTO DOUBLE COVERAGE. THAT'S WHAT THAT DEFENSE IS DESIGNED TO DO. YOU GOT TO GET THE BALL TO NEWSOME DOWN THE MIDDLE AGAINST THAT DEFENSIVE SET. >> SO, NOW THE BROWNS WITH A POWER STACK ON THIRD DOWN AND 1. SECOND BACK THROUGH. TAKING IT STRAIGHT AHEAD IS KEVIN MACK, AS A MARKER GOES DOWN. MACK DID GET TO THE 40-YARD LINE AND DID GET A FIRST DOWN IF THE PLAY GOES CLEVELAND'S WAY. GAME CLOCK STOPPED NOW WITH 2:19 TO PLAY IN THE FIRST QUARTER. >> OFFSIDES AGAINST NEW YORK AGAIN. >> THIRD PENALTY ON THE JETS, THE MOST PENALIZED TEAM IN THE LEAGUE THIS YEAR. >> INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE JETS, TOO. THEIR PENALTIES HAVE PRODUCED 41 FIRST DOWNS BY OPPONENTS. YOU CAN TAKE PENALTIES, BUT WHEN THEY PRODUCE FIRST DOWNS CONSISTENTLY, THAT'S TROUBLE. ALREADY TWO FIRST DOWNS PRODUCED BY PENALTIES FOR CLEVELAND AND AGAINST THE JETS. >> THE BROWNS OFFENSE REALLY GOT COOKING LATE IN THE SEASON. CLEVELAND AVERAGED OVER 30 POINTS A GAME IN WINNING ITS LAST 5 AND ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED CINCINNATI AND THEN SAN DIEGO TO CLOSE OUT THE REGULAR SEASON, OUTSCORING THOSE TWO TEAMS BY A COMBINED TOTAL OF 81-20. >> LOOK AT HIM LOOKING AROUND THERE, IDENTIFYING THE DEFENSE -- ONE OF THE TWO PLAYS HE CALLED IN THE HUDDLE. >> FIRST-DOWN PLAY. KOSAR LOOKING DEEP AT SLAUGHTER. DOWNFIELD, FONTENOT'S OPEN. HERMAN FONTENOT TAKES IT IN, AND IT'S A 7-6 GAME. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> DON, AGAIN, THE BEAUTY OF BERNIE KOSAR -- HE HITS THE OUTLET RECEIVER. THEY FAKE THE REVERSE. NOW WATCH WHERE HE'S LOOKING INITIALLY -- DOWN THE MIDDLE. NOBODY THERE. THEN HE GOES TO THE OUTSIDE, FINDS FONTENOT LOST IN THE COVERAGE. >> 98-YARD DRIVE. THE EXTRA POINT BY MOSELEY IS GOOD, AND NOW IT IS A 7-7 GAME WITH 1:44 TO PLAY IN THE FIRST QUARTER. LAST TIME THEY WON A PLAYOFF GAME, BERNIE WAS AN APPLE-CHEEKED YOUNG MAN IN NEARBY BOARDMAN, OHIO. >> 1969. GREW UP A BROWNS FAN. VERY SELDOM DO YOU SEE THIS KID THROW TO A COVERED RECEIVER. HE HAS SUCH GREAT FIELD VISION, KNOWS THE OFFENSE SO WELL, AND HAS PICKED IT SO QUICKLY, HE ALMOST PLAYS ERROR-FREE FOOTBALL. >> EVERYBODY THAT'S COACHED HIM ON THE COLLEGE LEVEL AND IN PROS SAY THEY CAN'T BELIEVE HOW HE PICKS EVERYTHING UP. WHEN YOU SHOW IT TO HIM ONCE, HE'S GOT IT FOREVER. SHORT, SPINNING KICK -- TOWNSELL AT THE 21-YARD LINE. JO-JO TOWNSELL, A SPRINTER FROM UCLA, WORKS HIS WAY OUT TO THE 39-YARD LINE, AND THE JETS GO ON OFFENSE AGAIN IN THIS 7-7 GAME WITH GOOD FIELD POSITION TO START THE DRIVE. DOWN TO MAKE THE PLAY FOR CLEVELAND WAS SCOTT NICOLAS AND FELIX WRIGHT. THAT WAS CLEVELAND'S LONGEST DRIVE OF THE YEAR, THAT 98-YARD DRIVE. TIE GAME AS THE JETS GO TO FREEMAN McNEIL, AND THE BROWNS GIVE HIM VIRTUALLY NOTHING. REGGIE CAMP, A DEFENSIVE END, GOT HIM ALONG WITH EDDIE JOHNSON. AND LET'S WATCH A DOWN-IN-THE-DIRT PRO BOWLER, NOSE TACKLE BOB GOLIC. >> PREFERS TO BE CALLED A NOSE BACKER BECAUSE HE PLAYS OFF THE BALL SO MUCH. THE REASON HE MOVED OFF THE BALL, AND HE KIND OF TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO PLAY THE SPOT. ORIGINALLY DRAFTED AS A LINEBACKER BUT GREAT STRENGTH, AND HE STANDS UP FIELDS AND ALEXANDER, AND THAT MESSES EVERYTHING UP. AND EDDIE JOHNSON THERE TO MAKE THE TACKLE FOR ABOUT A 2-YARD GAIN. >> HE WAS AN ALL-AMERICAN LINEBACKER AT NOTRE DAME. DRAFTED HIGH BY NEW ENGLAND AND CUT. AND HE'S BECOME AN ALL-PRO PLAYER HERE. LONG BALL DOWNFIELD. AND LOOK AT TOON GO UP AND THEN TAKE THE PENALTY AND PAY THE PRICE. THERE IS NO FLAG AT THE 35-YARD LINE. A BLOW TO THE HEAD, BUT IT'S RULED CLEAN. LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE A LONG-BALL AFTERNOON. 51 SECONDS TO GO IN THE FIRST QUARTER. JETS 7, CLEVELAND BROWNS 7. AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAME. THIRD AND 7 FOR PAT RYAN. THROW AND A CATCH BY WESLEY WALKER. THEN, HE LOSES IT AT THE 50 ON A GOOD HIT BY HANFORD DIXON. WALKER HAD IT, AND DIXON DENIED HIM THE BALL. >> DON, THAT WAS A BIG PLAY. CLEVELAND'S DEFENSE WAS CONFUSED. THAT FORMATION BY THE JETS HAD CLEVELAND OUT OF POSITION. THEY HAD PEOPLE MOVING EVERYWHERE. AND DIXON REALLY ACCELERATES. COVERS A LOT OF GROUND TO GET TO WESLEY WALKER JUST TO KNOCK IT AWAY. THAT RIGHT HAND COMES UP. FOURTH DOWN, JENNINGS IN TO PUNT. >> FOURTH AND 7, AND McNEIL IS BACK AT HIS 19-YARD LINE FOR THE BROWNS. 7-7 GAME. FINAL MINUTE OF THE FIRST QUARTER. THIS ONE LONGER, BUT IT'S LOW. IT'LL COME BACK AT THE JETS. THIS GUY'S SOMETHING. JETS GET HIM AT THE 28-YARD LINE. RICH MIANO CAME DOWN TO MAKE THE PLAY. A 38-YARD PUNT BY JENNINGS AND AN 8-YARD RETURN. FIRST AND 10, CLEVELAND. THEY WENT 98 YARDS TO TIE THE BALL THEIR LAST POSSESSION. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER, A SPRINTER FROM SAN DIEGO STATE, BREAKS TO THE OUTSIDE. GETS AHEAD FOR 14 YARDS AND A CLEVELAND FIRST DOWN. >> SEE, HE'S GOT PLENTY OF TIME, COMING RIGHT AT YOU. LOOKS LIKE McARTHUR WAS THE MAN IN COVERAGE. >> GASTINEAU IN AS A FOURTH DOWN LINEMAN NOW ON FIRST DOWN, TRYING TO PRESSURE KOSAR, WHO'S LICKING HIS CHOPS, GOING AGAINST THIS 28th-RANKED PASS DEFENSE. BERNIE CAN COUNT THE HOUSE AGAIN, AND AGAIN HE THROWS A STRIKE FOR A FIRST DOWN OVER THE MIDDLE, TO THE 43-YARD LINE OF THE JETS. OZZIE NEWSOME, HAVING A BIG DAY, GETS A 14-YARD CATCH. >> NEWSOME MAKES HIS FOURTH CATCH ALREADY, AS THE FIRST QUARTER ENDS. >> SO, NOW THE BROWNS, IN THIS TIE GAME, 7-7, OPEN THE SECOND QUARTER OF PLAY, FIRST DOWN AND 10 AT THE JET 44-YARD LINE. TEMPERATURE IN THE LOW 30s. WINDS ARE A FACTOR. THE CHILL FACTOR WAY DOWN, BUT THE SUN IS OUT -- CLEAR DAY. KEVIN MACK GETS AHEAD. HE'S TO THE 40-YARD LINE -- GAIN OF ABOUT 4. AGE 23, BERNIE KOSAR HAS COME OF AGE QUICKLY IN THE NFL, ONE OF ITS BEST PLAYERS AT QUARTERBACK ALREADY IN JUST HIS SECOND YEAR. REALLY GETTING CRANKED UP NOW AFTER THE BROWNS FELL BEHIND. THIS TIME, THE RUN TO KEVIN MACK GETS VERY LITTLE, MAYBE NOTHING AT ALL, TO THE 40. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND A LONG 7. THIRD DOWN AND 6, WHERE THE BALL WAS POSITIONED NOW FOR CLEVELAND, JUST INSIDE THE JET 40. >> FIVE WIDE RECEIVERS IN FOR CLEVELAND, DON. >> LOTS OF PEOPLE UP TIGHT. THEY'RE GONNA BUMP AT THE LINE, ARE THE JETS, ON DEFENSE. GOT TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THEIR ROUTES. LONG BALL. RUNNING OUT AT IT IS McNEIL. HE CAN'T HOLD IT AT THE 13-YARD LINE. 5'7", 142-POUND GERALD McNEIL, A DIVING ATTEMPT BUT COMES UP EMPTY. >> I THINK HE WEIGHS 147 LIKE THAT -- HELMET, SHOULDER PADS, SHOES, A LITTLE MUD ON THE BOTTOM OF EACH ONE, SOCKS WET, AND MAYBE SOME NICKELS IN HIS POCKET. >> FEARLESS. LIKE EVERY KICK RETURNER, HE THINKS HE'S BULLETPROOF, AND SO FAR HE HAS BEEN. HAS RUN BACK A KICKOFF FOR 100 YARDS AND A SCORE AND A PUNT RETURN FOR 84 YARDS AND A SCORE. BUT NOW THE BROWNS HAVE TO PUNT THE BALL. GOSSETT WILL BE TRYING TO PLACE IT INSIDE THE JET 10. MIGHT BURY INSIDE THE 5-YARD LINE. IT TAKES A HOP IN. SO, THE JETS COME OUT WITH THE BALL ON THE TOUCHBACK AT THEIR 20-YARD LINE, FIRST DOWN AND 10. AS YOU SEE, IT'S TIED, 7-7. JETS NOW WITH THE BALL AT THEIR 20, FIRST AND 10. DROPPED BALL AT THE 24-YARD LINE WILL MAKE IT SECOND DOWN AND 10. THE JETS HAVE SCORED MORE POINTS IN THE SECOND QUARTER THAN IN THE FIRST, THIRD, AND FOURTH QUARTERS COMBINED DURING THE REGULAR SEASON. SO, THIS IS THEIR QUARTER IF THE FORM CHART HOLDS UP. PAT RYAN WITH A POWER SET IN THE BACKFIELD. SOHN GOES IN MOTION. WIDE RECEIVER OUT OF THE BACKFIELD. THROW AND A CATCH BY KURT SOHN BUT NOT FOR VERY MUCH YARDAGE, OUT TO THE 26-YARD LINE. ON A SECOND-DOWN-AND-10 PLAY, HIS DIVE FORWARD GOT HIM TO THE 26, WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE NOW THIRD DOWN AND 4. MINNIFIELD ON THE TACKLE. TRUMP? >> SOHN'S STILL DOWN ON THE GROUND. WE THOUGHT, COMING INTO THIS BALLGAME, THAT -- >> MINNIFIELD'S DOWN, TOO. >> A REAL COLLISION. WE THOUGHT FREEMAN McNEIL WOULD BE THE BIG BACK THERE. HE HAS BUT 4 CARRIES FOR 12 YARDS TO THIS POINT IN THE GAME. THE ANATOMY OF AN INJURY HERE. EDDIE JOHNSON, INSIDE LINEBACKER -- WHEN SOHN IS TACKLED, WATCH HIS LEFT LEG COLLAPSE. THAT'S CLAY MATTHEWS, ALONG WITH KURT SOHN AND FRANK MINNIFIELD ON THE TACKLE. IT'S EITHER THE ANKLE OR THE KNEE. HE WAS HELPED TO THE SIDELINE. AND IT'S THAT LEFT LEG. WELL, YOU CAN GET INJURED ON GRASS, AS WELL AS ASTROTURF. >> EDDIE JOHNSON, WHO'S LED THE BROWNS IN TACKLING IN PAST SEASONS, A VERY INSPIRATIONAL PLAYER. SIDELINED AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT, AS NOW THIRD DOWN AND A LONG 3 ARISES FOR THE JETS. BLITZ. THEY DON'T PICK IT UP, AND DOWN GOES PAT RYAN AT THE 17-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] COMING TO GET HIM WAS CHIP BANKS, THE ALL-AMERICAN AT USC, THE ALL-PRO WITH CLEVELAND. >> DON, JO-JO TOWNSELL CAME IN MOTION. WHEN JO-JO TOWNSELL CAME IN MOTION, THAT FREED CHIP BANKS TO BLITZ. THERE'S NO ONE OUT THERE TO HELP FROM THAT CORNER. BANKS IS FREE. THAT'S SOMETHING I HAD NOT SEEN THE JETS DO -- PUT TOWNSELL IN THE BACKFIELD, MOVE HIM IN MOTION. BUT THE DOWNSIDE IS, BANKS HAD NOBODY TO COVER, SO HE MAKES THE SACK. >> THAT WAS PROBABLY THEY DIDN'T HAVE A TIGHT END IN BANKS' FACE. >> PROBABLY THE LAST TIME THEY WON'T HAVE A TIGHT END IN BANKS' FACE. >> RIGHT NOW, JENNINGS IS GONNA PUNT AGAIN. GETS OFF ANOTHER SHORT PUNT. DOES TAKE A GOOD JET HOP DOWNFIELD AND GOES OUT OF BOUNDS AT ABOUT THE 37-YARD LINE. >> EDDIE JOHNSON BEING ATTENDED TO. THAT'S A BIG INJURY. HE IS A VERY ACTIVE LINEBACKER. WE GOT A PENALTY HERE. IT'S GONNA BE AGAINST THE JETS. >> NUMBER 31 ON THE KICKING TEAM, INELIGIBLE DOWNFIELD. >> THAT'S MARION BARBER, JETS BEST SPECIAL-TEAMS PLAYER. DOWNFIELD TOO QUICKLY. >> SO NOW McNEIL MOVES UPFIELD TO AWAIT THE PUNT FROM JENNINGS, WHOSE EARLIER PUNTS WERE NOT LONG AT ALL. HE HAD A 29-YARDER, A 30-YARDER. JUST GOT OFF A 44-YARDER THAT COMES BACK. 12:09 TO PLAY IN THE FIRST HALF. JETS 7, CLEVELAND 7. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE COMING AFTER THIS ONE, DON. TEN GUYS AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. >> MATTHEWS CAME HARD. SHORT PUNT. AGAIN A JET ROLL, THOUGH, AND McNEIL STARTS BACK AT HIS 42. >> WATCH OUT! >> HE'S A KILLER IN THE OPEN FIELD. GERALD McNEIL IS FINALLY CUT DOWN AT THE JET 37-YARD LINE. BY MATT MONGER. >> DON, THAT ADDED ABOUT 35 YARDS TO THE CLEVELAND FIELD POSITION, THAT PENALTY. THIS BALL BOUNCES AGAIN, BUT THE SECOND TIME YOUR PUNT TEAM HAS TO RUN A 40-YARD SPRINT TO COVER THE PUNT, THE PUNT-RETURN TEAM, THEIR PERCENTAGE OF COMING UP WITH A BIG RETURN CERTAINLY INCREASES. NOW CLEVELAND'S BEST FIELD POSITION TO START A DRIVE, AT THE JET 36. >> AT HALFTIME WE'LL BE GOING TO "NFL '86," WHERE MIAMI COACH DON SHULA'S THE SPECIAL GUEST TODAY. RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, IT'S FIRST AND 10 FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS IN A TIE GAME, 7-7. KOSAR LOOKING AT EVERYBODY AS HE DROPS BACK. NOW IT'S A ROLLOUT. THROWS THE BALL AWAY. IT'LL BRING UP SECOND DOWN AND 10. THE LOWEST INTERCEPTION PERCENTAGE OF ANY QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL. >> THAT WAS A SCREEN INTENDED TO GO TO KEVIN MACK, AND RUSTY GUILBEAU HAD IT ALL THE WAY. HE ROLLS RIGHT, LOOKS BACK LEFT. CAN SEE 94 FOR THE JETS STANDING THERE. TOM BALDWIN PUTS THE PRESSURE ON. HIS CHOICE? THROW IT OUT OF BOUNDS. KOSAR THROWS AN INTERCEPTION ABOUT 1 EVERY 53 PASS ATTEMPTS. FOR A GUY WHO'S PLAYING IN HIS SECOND YEAR IN THE NFL, REMARKABLE. >> AS A TECHNICIAN, HE'S NOT AS STYLIZED AS MARINO OR MONTANA, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE ON BERNIE KOSAR -- HE WINS. '84, THE BROWNS WERE 5-11 WITHOUT HIM. HERE'S A STICK ON HERMAN FONTENOT, AND A PENALTY MARKER COMES IN FROM THE BACK JUDGE, AS THE GAIN ON THE PLAY WAS GOOD FOR ABOUT 8 YARDS TO THE JET 29. >> OFFENSE, PASS INTERFERENCE, NUMBER 84. 10 YARDS -- SECOND DOWN. >> IT IS WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. HE WAS THE OUTSIDE RECEIVER. YOU SEE HIM IN THE MIDDLE THERE. WATCH HIM BREAK OUT. AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS RUN A PICK, AND HE GETS CAUGHT. THAT'S WHERE THE FLAG GETS THROWN, RIGHT THERE. THAT'S ILLEGAL BUT PROBABLY THE MOST USED PLAY IN THE NFL. >> JETS DEFENDERS NOT USED TO GETTING THE OPTION ON A PENALTY CALL. >> THEY MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE, THOUGH. TAKE THE PENALTY. >> TAKE IT. SECOND DOWN AND 20 FOR KOSAR AND THE BROWNS. 7-7 GAME, SECOND QUARTER. AGAIN, THE UNDERNEATH PATTERN IS RUN, AND THE GAIN IS DOWN TO THE 43-YARD LINE. CLARENCE WEATHERS, WITH HIS FIRST CATCH OF THE DAY, IS AHEAD FOR ABOUT 5 YARDS ON THE PLAY. THIRD AND LONG NOW FOR KOSAR AND THE BROWNS. KOSAR IS 6'5", 210 POUNDS, NOT FLEET OF FOOT. HE DOESN'T LIKE TO RUN. RUNS ON THE AVERAGE FOR LESS THAN A YARD A CARRY. BUT HE CAN FLING IT. A STAR IN HIS SECOND SEASON IN THE NFL. SIDEARM THROW, AND HE MAKES THE PLAY TO BRIAN BRENNAN. THEY RULE HE GOT IT ON THE ONE HOP, THOUGH. SLOWEST OF THE BROWN RECEIVERS BUT THE MOST SURE-HANDED, BRIAN BRENNAN FROM BOSTON COLLEGE. >> YOU SEE THE POINT OF THE BALL HIT THE GROUND -- NO CATCH. THE BROWNS KEEP COMING WITH THESE FIVE WIDE RECEIVERS. SO FAR, THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED VERY LITTLE, AND NEITHER TEAM HAS CONVERTED A THIRD DOWN. >> SO, AS THE SECOND QUARTER WEARS ON IN THIS TIE GAME, THE BROWNS HAVING TO PUNT THE BALL AGAIN. GOSSETT STANDING BACK AT HIS 42. KURT SOHN, BACK AND READY TO GO AFTER HE WAS SHAKEN UP ON THE LAST RETURN. FOURTH DOWN AND 16. >> THEY'RE GONNA LET THE CLOCK EXPIRE, GIVE GOSSETT 5 MORE YARDS. THERE IT IS -- TOO MUCH TIME. >> MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER, THE BROWNS COACH. THAT'S BILL COWHER, THE SPECIAL-TEAMS COACH, TALKING TO HIM. THERE'S SCHOTTENHEIMER, HATLESS WITH THE HEADSET ON. SAID, "OUR GUYS WERE READY TO PLAY A GAME. IT'S NICE TO HAVE THAT WEEK OFF," BUT HE SAID, "DURING THE WEEK, THESE GUYS WERE SO ANXIOUS, THEY WERE PELTING EACH OTHER WITH SNOWBALLS WHEN PRACTICE WAS OVER." HE SENT THEM HOME EARLY YESTERDAY. >> WELL, THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE. THE CLEVELAND BROWNS HAD THE SAME WEEK OFF LAST YEAR, IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR GAME AGAINST MIAMI. SO, THEY ALREADY HAD THEIR SCHEDULE SET UP. SPENT THEIR TIME DOWN AT VERO BEACH, WORKING UP A GOOD SWEAT. I LIKE MARTY. HIS BEST LINE? "I LIKE DEEDS, NOT DIALOGUE." >> ACTUALLY, THAT DELAY WAS FOR THE REPLAY OFFICIALS TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK. AND NOW THE KICK DOWNFIELD BY GOSSETT ISN'T VERY GOOD, BUT IT DOES TAKE A BROWNS' ROLL. AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE A VERY GOOD KICK INDEED. [ CROWD CHEERS ] LOOKED LIKE HE SHANKED IT, WAS GONNA GO OUT OF BOUNDS, BUT IT TAKES A ROLL DOWN TO THE 4-YARD LINE, A 39-YARD PUNT. AND THE JETS HAVE TO START OUT AGAIN DEEP IN THEIR OWN END WITH THE GAME STILL TIED AT 7. AFTER GIVING UP A 98-YARD DRIVE FOR THE TYING TOUCHDOWN, THE JET DEFENSE, TRUMP, HAS TIGHTENED UP SOME NOW. THEY'RE LOOKING A LOT STRONGER THAN THEY HAVE IN RECENT WEEKS. >> DON, I THINK IT'S BOTH DEFENSES HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB. EACH OFFENSE HAS GIVEN THE DEFENSE A LITTLE DIFFERENT LOOK, JUST SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST COUPLE OR THREE WEEKS. AND EACH DEFENSE HAS HANDLED IT VERY, VERY WELL. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> RIGHT DOWN IN FRONT OF THE DAWG POUND. THAT'S WHERE THE BARKING DOGS, THEY CALL THEMSELVES, THE FANS IN THE END ZONE, BARK AND THROW BONES. AND HERE'S PAT RYAN LOOPING OUT OF THE END ZONE AND NOT NEAR TO A RECEIVER. WESLEY WALKER RUNNING A HITCH-AND-GO DOWN THE MIDDLE. AND RYAN TOOK A BIG HIT AFTER HE RELEASED THE BALL. CLAY MATTHEWS, A TOUGH BACKER FROM THE OUTSIDE, POPPED HIM. WATCH. >> GOOD PLAY-ACTION FAKE, BUT THERE YOU SEE MATTHEWS ON THE OUTSIDE. HE'S BEATING THE TIGHT END, WHO'S TRYING TO BLOCK HIM A LITTLE BIT, ROCKY KLEVER. A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE NFL HAVE SAID THAT CLAY MATTHEWS HAS NOT HAD A VERY GOOD YEAR. BUT, ACTUALLY, I THINK HE'S PLAYED SUPERIOR FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. HE'S JUST BEEN ASKED TO BLITZ A LITTLE MORE, AS YOU SEE THE DOG BONES ON THE FIELD. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> BROWNS WILL BE SHOOTING AGAIN, INSIDE THE 5-YARD LINE, AS THE JETS GO TO THE RUN, AND FREEMAN McNEIL TAKES A HARD HIT, HOLDS, ON, AND GETS TO THE 7-YARD LINE. IT'LL BRING UP THIRD DOWN AND 7 FOR THE JETS. 7-7 GAME. 9:58 TO PLAY IN THE FIRST HALF. >> SO FAR, BROWNS HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF SHUTTING DOWN FREEMAN McNEIL, WHO, WHEN HE GETS HOT, ONE OF THE MOST ELECTRIFYING RUNNERS THERE IS IN THE NFL. CLAY MATTHEWS MAKES THE INITIAL HIT. HE'S AVERAGED 92 YARDS RUSHING PER GAME OVER THE LAST 9 BUT HAS ONLY 16 YARDS RUSHING IN THE FIRST HALF TODAY. >> NO INTERCEPTIONS YET AND NO FUMBLES. THERE'S BEEN ONE, BUT IT WAS RECOVERED BY CLEVELAND. RYAN ON THE RUN, AND NOW HE'S IN TROUBLE, AND PAT RYAN IS CHOPPED AT THE 7-YARD LINE. RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND THEN RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE. REGGIE CAMP SWEEPS HIM UNDER, AND JOE WALTON CAN ONLY SEND OUT HIS PUNT TEAM NOW. >> THIRD SACK OF THE DAY FOR CLEVELAND. STRAIGHT DROPBACK BY RYAN. EXCELLENT COVERAGE DOWNFIELD. YOU CAN SEE HIM LOOKING ALL OVER THE PLACE. REGGIE CAMP FINALLY GETS THERE FIRST. YOU ALSO SEE PAT RYAN WEARING THE GLOVES. HE WORE THEM LAST WEEK, AGAINST KANSAS CITY. FEELS HE CAN THROW THE BALL JUST AS WELL WITH THOSE GLOVES AS WITHOUT. THE ONLY TIME HE TAKES THE GLOVES OFF IS WHEN HE HOLDS FOR AN EXTRA POINT OR A FIELD GOAL. >> JENNINGS READY TO PUNT AGAIN. HE'S HAD TROUBLE GETTING ARC AND DISTANCE ON THE BALL. AND THOSE CLEVELAND FANS RIGHT BEHIND HIM AREN'T GONNA GIVE HIM ANY HELP CATCHING THIS ONE. McNEIL IS WAITING AT MIDFIELD. KICKS IT AWAY FROM McNEIL. AND IT TAKES A JET ROLL RIGHT OUT TO MIDFIELD, AND THERE THE BROWNS START AGAIN WITH THE GAME TIED, 7-7. >> FIELD POSITION IN THESE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES SO VITALLY IMPORTANT. THE BROWNS HAVE REALLY WON THAT BATTLE SO FAR. >> "I" SET IN THE BACKFIELD. LOOK AT THAT THROW AND CATCH, AS AGAIN KOSAR PRESSURED, SEARCHES OUT THE OPEN MAN, AND FIRES IT OVER THE MIDDLE TO A DIVING OZZIE NEWSOME. AND HE'S AHEAD FOR A FIRST DOWN TO THE JET 37-YARD LINE. >> NEWSOME PLAYING THIS SEASON AT ABOUT 70% 'CAUSE OF A BAD ANKLE. THAT'S HIS FIFTH CATCH NOW. HE'S GOT 80 YARDS. BEEN THE BIG MAN FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS AND THEIR OFFENSE. >> NOW KOSAR AND THE BROWNS SET TO GO FROM THE JET 37. FONTENOT, THE MAN THAT SCORED THE TOUCHDOWN. DIDN'T GET A WHOLE LOT HERE, AS HE'S INSIDE TO THE 34-YARD LINE. >> THIS IS WHAT THE REPLAY OFFICIAL WAS LOOKING AT FROM BEHIND OZZIE NEWSOME, DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THIS BALL WAS A CATCH, OR WAS IT TRAPPED? HE'S GOT IT, MAINTAINS CONTROL. THAT WAS THE FIRST DOWN. AND THEN FONTENOT PICKS UP 3. CERTAINLY NO QUESTION THAT THIS IS A RECEPTION. >> BOTH TEAMS SCORED ON LONG PASS PLAYS IN THE FIRST QUARTER. THAT'S HOW IT STANDS NOW, 7-7. DON CRIQUI WITH BOB TRUMPY AT SOLD-OUT CLEVELAND STADIUM, AS KOSAR TAKES A LOOK AND THROWS SIDEARM ON THE RUN TO KEVIN MACK. HE HAS A FIRST DOWN AND A WHOLE LOT MORE, AS HE HEADS TO THE END ZONE. KNOCKED OUT OF BOUNDS INSIDE THE 10-YARD LINE. A 25-YARD PLAY. WHATEVER IT TAKES FROM BERNIE KOSAR, INCLUDING THAT QUISENBERRY SIDEARM. >> SOMETIMES YOU WONDER HOW HE DOES THIS. NOW, HE'S FLUSHED. HE GETS AN ABSOLUTE MICROSECOND TO FIND A RECEIVER OPEN. HE'S RUNNING. HE SEES MACK OUT THERE. LOOKS LIKE A MISSED TACKLE BY RUSSELL CARTER. NICE, LITTLE JOB BY OZZIE NEWSOME, JUST GETTING IN HARRY HAMILTON'S WAY. ANOTHER BIG PLAY OFF A SCRAMBLE, AVOIDING DISASTER, AND KOSAR DOES IT AGAIN. >> NOW KOSAR AND THE BROWNS GO FIRST DOWN AND GOAL FROM THE 9-YARD LINE. KOSAR 12-OF-18 FOR 175 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN. CURTIS DICKEY RUNS. COULD BE A HOLD ON CLEVELAND. THE UMPIRE FIRES THE FLAG IN. MAJOR EVERETT WAS THE LEAD BLOCKER AND CURTIS DICKEY THE RUNNER. DICKEY, WHO YOU'RE LOOKING AT, IS A FORMER NUMBER-ONE DRAFT CHOICE OF THE COLTS OUT OF TEXAS A&M. >> OFFENSIVE HOLDING, NUMBER 74. 10 YARDS -- FIRST DOWN. >> PAUL FARREN, THE LEFT GUARD, CALLED FOR HOLDING. >> ACTUALLY, DON, THIS PENALTY MAY HELP THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. THEY'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RUN THE BALL VERY WELL. AND PAT RYAN, WHO STRETCHED A GROIN MUSCLE IN WARM-UP, WHEN HE GOT TACKLED, STRETCHED IT AGAIN, AGGRAVATED THE PULL A LITTLE MORE. AS YOU SEE, CHIP BANKS HAS A HOLD OF HIS LEG, TRYING TO MAKE A WISHBONE OUT OF HIM. SO, IF THE JETS GET IT BACK, O'BRIEN'S GONNA BE AT QUARTERBACK. >> KEN O'BRIEN, WHO STARTED DURING THAT 9-GAME WIN STREAK, WILL BE BACK IN AT QUARTERBACK FOR THE JETS THEIR NEXT POSSESSION. BUT RIGHT NOW THE BROWNS ARE LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAD. TIMING PATTERN. DOWNFIELD TO LANGHORNE, AND A GREAT TIP AWAY BY RUSSELL CARTER, OR BY JERRY HOLMES, WHO GOT UP AND GOT A HAND ON IT. >> GREAT COVERAGE. OUTSTANDING COVERAGE. STEP FOR STEP WITH REGGIE LANGHORNE, BOTH LOOKING BACK AT THE FOOTBALL. THE OFFICIALS ARE NOT GONNA CALL INCIDENTAL CONTACT. THIS IS A GREAT JOB BY JERRY HOLMES. INCOMPLETE PASS. SECOND AND 19. ACTUALLY, IT'S SECOND AND GOAL FROM THE 19. >> YOU'LL REMEMBER AFTER THE 25-YARD CATCH AND RUN BY KEVIN MACK, BROWNS HAD THE BALL FIRST AND GOAL AT THE 9. THEN, THE PENALTY CALLED AGAINST PAUL FARREN. AND NOW IT'S SECOND AND GOAL FROM THE 20. >> ONCE AGAIN, FIVE WIDE RECEIVERS. THIS HASN'T WORKED YET FOR CLEVELAND. >> KOSAR IN TROUBLE, AND HE GOES DOWN HARD. GASTINEAU GETS HIM. THAT'S A SACK. BALDWIN WAS ALSO ON THE PLAY, THE NOSE TACKLE, AS WAS BARRY BENNETT. FIRST SACK OF THE DAY FOR THE JET DEFENSE OF KOSAR, WHO WAS ONLY SACKED 10 TIMES IN THE REGULAR SEASON. THEY DON'T GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SACK HIM. 5-STEP DROP AND BING, HE'S GETTING RID OF IT. >> BUT WHEN YOU'RE SECOND AND GOAL FROM THE 19, YOU GOT TO GET ABOUT A 15- OR 16-YARD PATTERN AT LEAST, DON. THAT MEANS YOU NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME, AND THAT'S THE OFFENSE THAT THE BROWNS ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO RUNNING. HERE'S A PERFECT PLACE FOR A TRICK PLAY. >> WE'VE SEEN THEM FROM BOTH SIDES SO FAR IN THIS GAME. JET DEFENSE NOW EXTENDED, AS THREE WIDE RECEIVERS COME TO THE RIGHT FOR CLEVELAND, TWO TO THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN. HERE COMES THE RUSH. KOSAR DOWN THE MIDDLE, AND WEATHERS CAN'T GET TO THE BALL. AND SO, ON THIRD AND GOAL FROM THE 21, THE BROWNS COME UP SHORT, AND THEY DO HAVE A FOURTH-DOWN FIELD-GOAL TRY COMING UP NOW. MOSELEY WAS SHORT ON A 46-YARDER EARLIER IN THE GAME. THERE IS MORE AFC PLAYOFF FOOTBALL. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS GOING AGAINST THE BRONCOS AT DENVER. FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT IS DRILLED UP FROM 38 YARDS OUT, AND MOSELEY IS RIGHT THERE. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY, THE FAVORED CLEVELAND BROWNS TAKE THE LEAD. THEY TO OUT IN FRONT, 10-7. >> WELL, THE SUPER BOWL IN THE AFC GOES THROUGH CLEVELAND. LAST YEAR, OF COURSE, CLEVELAND HAD TO TRAVEL TO MIAMI. THEY WERE A COUPLE OF DOWNS FROM MAKING IT. MARK GASTINEAU REALLY SUFFERING ON THE SIDELINE. HE'S GOT THAT ABDOMINAL PULL, ALONG WITH ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY ON HIS KNEE FIVE WEEKS AGO. YOU CAN TELL IT'S AFFECTING HIM. >> A DEEP PULL ON A STOMACH MUSCLE HAS TROUBLED GASTINEAU ALL SEASON LONG. HE CAME BACK AFTER ARTHROSCOPIC KNEE SURGERY, AND IT FELT PRETTY GOOD. PLAYED VERY WELL AGAINST KANSAS CITY IN THE WILD-CARD GAME BUT NOW OBVIOUSLY IN PAIN AGAIN. RYAN WAS SHAKEN UP, AND WHEN THE JETS GET THE BALL THIS TIME, IT'LL BE KEN O'BRIEN AT QUARTERBACK. 10-7 GAME, THE CLEVELAND BROWNS WITH THE LEAD. >> YOU JUST SAW THOSE NUMBERS FOR KEN O'BRIEN DURING THE 5-GAME LOSING STREAK FOR THE JETS. HE HAD 2 TOUCHDOWNS AND 12 INTERCEPTIONS. RYAN LOOKS -- HE'S REALLY DRAGGING HIS RIGHT LEG. I THINK WE SEE O'BRIEN FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, DON. >> INTENDED SQUIB KICK DOWNFIELD. UP BACK PICKING THE BALL UP. GUARD COMES DOWN WITH IT, GUY BINGHAM, AND HE TAKES IT TO THE 35-YARD LINE. SO HERE COMES O'BRIEN, WHO, DURING THE REGULAR SEASON, HIT 62% OF HIS PASSES, 25 FOR TOUCHDOWNS, AS YOU SAW. HE HAD 20 INTERCEPTED. HE WAS SACKED A LOT -- 40 TIMES. >> YOU WONDER PSYCHOLOGICALLY WHAT THIS DOES TO THE FOOTBALL TEAM. RYAN IS THE INSPIRATIONAL LEADER OF THIS OFFENSE. THEY CALL HIM "MR. GUTS." >> AND O'BRIEN ISN'T WAITING TO SHOW WHAT HE'S GOT. HE'S RIGHT ON THE MONEY FOR A FIRST-DOWN THROW. FLANK THROW TO AL TOON, WHO'S OUT TO THE 46-YARD LINE. >> I LIKE THAT CALL BY JOE WALTON. THIS KID HAS NOT PLAYED IN 2 1/2 WEEKS. HE PROBABLY HAD HIS EGO SEVERELY BRUISED. AND WALTON -- "LET'S GET THAT FIRST PASS OUT OF THE WAY, KENNY." AND HE GOES TO THE BIG MAN FOR THE JETS, AHMAD RASHAD'S CHOICE AS THE BEST RECEIVER IN THE NFL, AL TOON. >> AL TOON CAME IN THIS SEASON WITH 85 REGULAR-SEASON CATCHES, FIRST-TEAM ALL-PRO. HE'S TO THE LEFT FLANK. SO IS KURT SOHN. O'BRIEN GOES TO FREEMAN McNEIL, WHO BREAKS INTO THE CLEVELAND SECONDARY. AND ON A FIRST-DOWN CARRY, HE'S AHEAD FOR 8 YARDS BEFORE CARL HAIRSTON GOT HIM. O'BRIEN SOFTENED THEM UP WITH THAT FIRST-DOWN HIT FOR A FIRST DOWN. >> THAT'S AN 8-YARD PICKUP. I THINK THAT'S THE LONGEST RUN OF THE DAY BY EITHER TEAM. >> McNEIL'S NOW RUN THE BALL 6 TIMES FOR 24 YARDS. A YEAR AGO, DECEMBER 22nd OF '85, IN THE FINAL REGULAR-SEASON GAME, JETS ROUTED THE BROWNS IN THE MEADOWLANDS OF NEW JERSEY, 37-10. McNEIL, PEOPLE IN FRONT. GOOD TACKLING BY CLEVELAND, AS FREEMAN McNEIL IS CUT DOWN FOR NO GAIN. CHIP BANKS, WHO HAD THE SACK EARLIER, MAKES THE PLAY. MIKE JOHNSON ALSO ON THE PLAY FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. HE'S IN THERE FOR INJURED EDDIE JOHNSON. >> THERE'S KOSAR, SITTING ON THE BENCH, LOOKING AT THE GAME PLAN. ALWAYS IN THE GAME, WHETHER HE'S ON THE BENCH, ON THE FIELD, IN THE LOCKER ROOM, GETTING A HOT DOG. >> BROWNS LEAD, 10-7. JETS LED THE GAME, 7-0. 4:24 TO PLAY IN THE FIRST HALF. ANOTHER BIG PLAY. SAM CLANCY COMES IN ON THIRD AND SHORT. MAKES THE KNOCKDOWN OF FREEMAN McNEIL FOR A LOSS BACK AT THE 49-YARD LINE. AND FREEMAN McNEIL IS SLOW TO GET UP, BUT HE APPEARS TO BE ALL RIGHT. >> JETS ARE NOW 0-FOR-6 ON THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS, BUT THE BROWNS ARE NO BETTER. THAT TIME IT LOOKED LIKE CLEVELAND GUESSED RIGHT. THEY HAD A SLANT. YEAH, YOU CAN SEE EVERYBODY MOVING TO ONE SIDE. IT LOOKS LIKE CLANCY BEAT GORDON KING, 72, THE OFFENSIVE TACKLE. JUMPED INSIDE HIM. ALMOST THERE AT THE EXCHANGE POINT TO TAKE THE HAND-OFF. >> DAVE JENNINGS BACK AT HIS 36-YARD LINE. GERALD McNEIL SET TO RUN IT BACK. GOOD HIT BY JENNINGS. JET COVERAGE CAN'T KEEP IT OUT. IT GOES IN FOR A TOUCHBACK, A 48-YARD PUNT. AND THE CLEVELAND BROWNS, WITH A 3-POINT LEAD, GET THE BALL AT THEIR 20. >> YOU SEE McNEIL PUTTING HIS HAND UP THERE FOR A FAIR CATCH. NOW, THE RULE IN THE NFL IS, IF YOU PUT YOUR HAND UP FOR A FAIR CATCH, YOU CAN'T BLOCK ANYBODY. SO, McNEIL GETS OUT OF THE WAY. BALL JUST BOUNCES IN THE END ZONE. CLEVELAND STARTS AT THEIR OWN 20. 3:24 TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF, LEADING BY 3. >> KEVIN MACK LOOKS FOR A PLACE TO GO. THERE IS NONE. HE'S KNOCKED DOWN AT THE 19-YARD LINE. LOSS OF A HALF A YARD. MARTY LYONS MADE THE STOP -- ANOTHER STANDOUT FOR THE JETS PLAYING INJURED. >> DON, THE JETS DEFENSE UNDER BUD CARSON DOING JUST A SUPERB JOB. WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS WALKING AWAY BOTH OUTSIDE RECEIVERS. WALK AWAY MEANS YOU PUT THEM UNDERNEATH YOUR DEFENSIVE BACKS IN COVERAGE. THE JETS ARE PLAYING A 3-MAN FRONT WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE 5 LINEBACKERS. THEY'RE CUTTING OFF THE INTERMEDIATE-RANGE PASSES FOR BERNIE KOSAR, AND IN THIS FIRST HALF, IT HAS REALLY WORKED. BERNIE'S LOOKING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE TO FIND SOMEBODY OPEN. >> HE'S ONLY BEEN SACKED ONCE, BERNIE KOSAR. THEY FAKE IT, AND HERE COMES GASTINEAU. KOSAR, THAT SIDEARM THROW. DELIVERS ANOTHER STRIKE. IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD FOR A FIRST DOWN, AS WEBSTER SLAUGHTER CAME OFF THE FLANK, CUT OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD, AND KOSAR THREADED DEFENDERS TO THROW FOR A FIRST DOWN, A 12-YARD PASS PLAY ON SECOND AND 10. >> ON A ZONE HERE BY THE NEW YORK JETS. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RECEIVERS? FIND THAT DEAD SPOT. YOU SEE THERE'S NOBODY UP ON WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. HE CAN RUN THE PATTERN HE WANTS. NOW HE'S GOT TO GET INSIDE THE LINEBACKER. AND AFTER THE SCRAMBLE, HARRY HAMILTON MAKES THE TACKLE. BUT SLAUGHTER DOES A GOOD JOB OF ADJUSTING, AS WE'RE GONNA HIT THE 2:00 WARNING BEFORE THEY GET THIS SNAP OFF, DON. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] >> 2:00 TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF, WITH THE CLEVELAND BROWNS LEADING THE JETS, 10-7. WE'LL BE BACK TO CLEVELAND STADIUM AFTER THIS. 2:00 TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF IN THE AFC DIVISIONAL-PLAYOFF GAME. THE JETS, WITH A 10-7 DEFICIT, TRYING TO GET THE BALL BACK, BUT CLEVELAND'S BERNIE KOSAR NOW WORKING WITH FIRST AND 10. GOING FOR IT ALL. INCOMPLETE AT THE 29-YARD LINE. AGAIN, KOSAR TRIES TO BOMB IT ON DOWN TO HERMAN FONTENOT OUT OF THE BACKFIELD. FONTENOT, A FREE AGENT FROM LSU. MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER'S BROTHER KURT, WHEN HE WAS COACHING AT LSU, RECOMMENDED THEY GIVE HIM A LOOK, AND HE CAUGHT 47 BALLS THIS SEASON. >> DON, YOU CAN MAKE PEOPLE TIRED OF THE COMPLIMENTS YOU PAY BERNIE KOSAR, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS HE DOES FOR HIS YOUTH IS THROW THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD ACCURATELY, MAYBE MORE ACCURATELY THAN ANYBODY PLAYING IN THE GAME TODAY. >> AND HE THROWS IT TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. HE'S HIT 6 DIFFERENT RECEIVERS TODAY COMPILING THOSE NUMBERS. 10-7, CLEVELAND, FINAL 2:00 OF THE FIRST HALF. THROWS. SLAUGHTER CAN'T GET TO IT. HAD A STRIDE ON THE DEFENDER, RUSSELL CARTER. >> NOW, DON, THE JETS HAVE TAKEN THE CLEVELAND BROWNS OUT OF WHAT THEY DO NORMALLY, AS MARK GASTINEAU IS ON THE FIELD. [ CROWD CHEERS ] LOOKS LIKE HE'S HURT HIS KNEE. HE'S GOT A BIG LENOX HILL KNEE BRACE ON THAT LEFT KNEE. YOU SEE HIM STANDING UP. CODY RISIEN, THE OFFENSIVE RIGHT TACKLE, 63, COMES OUT TO PICK HIM UP. OH, YOU SEE. HE CATCHES HIS TOE IN THE TURF. LOOKS LIKE HE MAY HAVE TWISTED IT A LITTLE BIT, AS HE'S BEING ATTENDED TO ON THE FIELD. >> RIGHT NOW, ON THIRD DOWN AND 10, KOSAR LOOKING AT PEOPLE RUNNING DEEP PATTERNS. DOWN THE MIDDLE HE GOES, AND BRIAN BRENNAN ALMOST HAS THE BALL BUT LOSES IT AT THE JET 43. JETS GAVE UP 27 TOUCHDOWNS THE LAST SIX REGULAR-SEASON GAMES BUT HAVE ONLY GIVEN UP ONE TO THE HIGH-POWERED BROWNS TODAY. KURT SOHN TURNS THE CORNER, NO FLAGS, AS THE BLOCK WAS CLEAN, AND HE'S TO THE 30-YARD LINE. >> DON, YOU CAN SEE THE PROBLEM THAT BERNIE KOSAR IS HAVING WITH THE JET DEFENSE. A LOT OF PEOPLE BACK THERE UNDERNEATH THE DEFENSIVE BACKS, DEEP DROPS BY THE LINEBACKERS. AND, OF COURSE, IF YOU PUT PRESSURE ON BERNIE KOSAR UP ON FRONT -- THAT LOOKS LIKE A SHOT TO THE HEAD BY BARRY BENNETT, 78. THE JETS ARE PLAYING VERY WELL. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHICH TEAM SHOWED UP? THE ONE THAT WON LAST WEEK IN KANSAS CITY. >> RIGHT NOW THEY'RE GOING WITH THE QUARTERBACK THAT BUILT UP THE EARLY SEASON LEAD AND GOT THEM TO THE PLAYOFFS, KEN O'BRIEN, AS HE RUNS AHEAD ON A FIRST-DOWN PLAY. AND O'BRIEN IS AHEAD FOR 9 YARDS. EVERYBODY LOOKS FOR REASONS THE JETS WENT INTO A SLIDE. ONE OF THEM IS THREE OF THE BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYERS IN THE NFL ALL WENT DOWN -- JOE KLECKO AT NOSE TACKLE, GASTINEAU, A DEFENSIVE END, AND LANCE MEHL, A LINEBACKER -- TREMENDOUS PLAYERS. O'BRIEN ON SECOND AND 1 IS SACKED, AND HE LOSES YARDAGE BACK TO THE 36-YARD LINE. IT'LL BRING UP THIRD DOWN AND 5, AND THAT'S THE FOURTH SACK OF THIS DAY FOR THE CLEVELAND DEFENSE. >> REGGIE CAMP. CLAY MATTHEWS WITH PRESSURE ON THE OTHER SIDE. O'BRIEN IS MAKING SURE OF ONE THING, AND THAT IS THAT HE DOES NOT THROW THE INTERCEPTION. >> 1:07 TO PLAY IN THE FIRST HALF. 10-7, CLEVELAND, AS O'BRIEN QUICKLY ALIGNS HIS TEAM WITHOUT A HUDDLE. THROW AND A CATCH TO FREEMAN McNEIL, AND HE MOVES WELL UPFIELD AND GETS OUT OF BOUNDS. WELL DONE BY THE JETS. THEY GET A FIRST DOWN AND STOP THE CLOCK WITH 53 SECONDS TO PLAY IN THE HALF. AND O'BRIEN'S GOING BACK TO HIM, AND THE BROWNS ARE RIGHT ON HIM. [ CROWD CHEERS ] CARL HAIRSTON AND MIKE JOHNSON BOTH MAKE THE STICK BACK AT THE 45-YARD LINE -- A LOSS OF 4 YARDS ON THE PLAY. BROWNS COME WITH A 3-MAN RUSH, 8 BACK TO COVER. THROW OVER THE MIDDLE TO TIGHT END MICKEY SHULER, AND HE'S DOWN TO THE 46-YARD LINE. TIME-OUT IS CALLED. 23 SECONDS TO PLAY IN THE HALF. CLEVELAND 10, NEW YORK JETS 7. NOT MUCH TIME LEFT. O'BRIEN READY TO THROW DOWNFIELD TO TRY TO GET IN FIELD-GOAL RANGE. THEY GIVE HIM TIME. HE SWINGS IT OUT, BUT HE'S TOO LOW FOR FREEMAN McNEIL. GAME CLOCK DOWN TO 20 SECONDS. 20 SECONDS TO GO NOW. FOURTH DOWN ARISES FOR THE JETS. SIDELINE MARKER ONLY HAS THIRD DOWN. NOW THEY CHANGE IT. >> SHULER. >> O'BRIEN ON THE RUN. HE'S GONNA HAVE TO GO A LONG WAY. GAME CLOCK IS DOWN TO 11 SECONDS, TO 10, AND IT IS STOPPED. NOW THEY'RE STILL LETTING IT RUN DOWN, AND NOW THEY CALL TIME-OUT WITH 7 SECONDS TO GO. NATURAL-GRASS FIELD HERE IN CLEVELAND. GIANT STADIUM, THE HOME FIELD OF THE JETS, IS ARTIFICIAL TURF. AND RYAN PICKS A LITTLE TEE, A GOOD SPOT TO SET IT DOWN. >> HE HAD REAL TROUBLE GETTING DOWN THERE, DON. >> IF THIS IS GOOD, IT'LL TIE THE GAME. IT'S GOT THE DISTANCE, AND IT'S GOT THE RANGE. PAT LEAHY DRILLS A 46-YARD FIELD GOAL. AND WITH 2 SECONDS TO PLAY IN THE FIRST HALF, THE UNDERDOG JETS HAVE TIED THE GAME 10-ALL. COACH SCHOTTENHEIMER LOOKING ON. NOW IN HIS SECOND FULL SEASON WITH THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. HE TOOK OVER IN THE VERY BAD YEAR FOR THE BROWNS OF '84, WHEN THEY FINISHED 5-11. LAST YEAR HE DIRECTED THEM TO AN 8-8 SEASON AND THE AFC CENTRAL DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP. THEY WENT TO MIAMI, PLAYED A GREAT GAME AGAINST THE DOLPHINS. BUT DON SHULA, WHO YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM AT HALFTIME ON "NFL '86," HIS TEAM CAME BACK LATE IN THAT GAME TO KNOCK THE CLEVELAND BROWNS OUT. THIS YEAR, THE BROWNS HAD THE BEST MARK IN THE CONFERENCE AT 12-4, INCLUDING 11 WINS IN THEIR LAST 13 GAMES, 5 IN A ROW. SQUIB KICK UPFIELD. DAVE PUZZUOLI PICKS IT UP, AND HE DOESN'T GET FAR. AND THAT'LL DO IT FOR THE FIRST HALF. NOW THE KICKOFF BY PAT LEAHY, WHO HIT THAT LONG FIELD GOAL. SECOND BACK PICKS IT UP. THIS IS GERALD McNEIL, WAITING FOR THE BLOCK, READY TO COMMIT. AND A HEAD-ON TACKLE DRIVES HIM BACK. MATT MONGER, A HITTING SON OF A GUN FROM OKLAHOMA STATE, DRILLED HIM. KEN O'BRIEN'S BALLGAME, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S BERNIE KOSAR'S OFFENSE ON THE FIELD, FIRST DOWN AND 10. KEVIN MACK. AND THE JETS, WHO WERE RIPPED IN THAT LOSING STREAK FOR YARDAGE, PARTICULARLY PASSING BUT ALSO GAVE A LOT OF RUN YARDAGE, HAVE REALLY CLOSED DOWN THE CLEVELAND RUN GAME, WHICH IS PRIMARILY ONE BACK. >> YOU SEE THE GAMES. MARTY LYON ALMOST LOOKING LIKE A HEART OF THE FLEX DEFENSE THAT THE DALLAS COWBOYS USE. THEY HAVE A MAN OFF THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, AND HE'S DOWN THE LINE IN PURSUIT. GASTINEAU ON THE SIDELINE. LET'S SEE. DOES HE HAVE HIS KNEE BRACE ON? YES, BACK ON HIS LEFT KNEE. >> KEVIN MACK, THE BROWNS' LEADING RUSHER IN THE REGULAR SEASON, HAS ONLY 9 YARDS ON 7 CARRIES. KOSAR TAKES A LOOK. SWINGS IT OUT NICELY, AND MACK LOSES THE BALL AT THE 20. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 9, CLEVELAND. >> DON, AHMAD RASHAD AT HALFTIME SAID, "YOU GOT TO MAKE CATCHES," AND THAT'S ONE THAT KEVIN MACK HAS GOT TO MAKE, IN A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, IN THE PLAYOFFS. HE'S NORMALLY A SURE-HANDED RECEIVER. BUT THAT'S ONE YOU GOT TO MAKE. SO, NOW CLEVELAND APPEARS TO GO BACK TO THE 5-WIDE RECEIVER SET THAT THEY UNVEILED IN THE FIRST HALF. >> ONE THING THE JETS HAVE DONE, TRUMP, IS TAKE THIS CROWD OUT OF THE GAME TO A DEGREE. AT THE OUTSET, IT WAS PANDEMONIUM HERE. CLEVELAND BROWN FANS, WHO HAVE NOT HAD A PLAYOFF-GAME WINNER SINCE 1969, WERE READY FOR THIS ONE. NOW BERNIE KOSAR IS NOT READY FOR THE JET PASS RUSH, AS BEFORE HE CAN UNLOAD, HE'S SACKED FOR A SECOND TIME. AND GASTINEAU, BAD KNEE, BAD STOMACH, AND ALL, BEAT THE BLOCK. AND HE LOOKS PRETTY WELL RIGHT NOW. >> COVERAGE AGAIN EXCELLENT DOWNFIELD BY THE JETS. >> DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT TO GET THESE GUYS READY. JUST RATTLE A CAGE. >> PRESSURE COMES FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. YOU SEE KOSAR PUMP ONCE. THAT'S GOOD COVERAGE. TOM BALDWIN, 95, DROPPED OFF IN COVERAGE, TREATING IT LIKE A LINEBACKER. >> PUNT DOWNFIELD BY GOSSETT. KURT SOHN AT MIDFIELD. JETS WILL GET GOOD FIELD POSITION, AS SOHN DRIVES THE BALL WITH HIS RETURN DOWN TO THE 41-YARD LINE OF THE BROWNS'. STARTING LINEBACKER EDDIE JOHNSON WILL NOT BE BACK FOR CLEVELAND, EITHER, IN THIS GAME. INJURED A KNEE IN THE FIRST HALF. McNEIL TAKES THE HAND-OFF, AND FREEMAN McNEIL BREAKS IT DOWN TO THE 30. THERE WERE WHISTLES BLOWING, BUT THEY MUST HAVE BEEN COMING FROM THE STANDS. THAT CAN REALLY THROW A GAME OFF. >> CHRIS ROCKINS MAKES THE TACKLE, AND THIS IS THE GUY THEY'VE GOT TO UNLEASH HERE NOW. THEY GOT TO GET HIM ABOUT 15 MORE CARRIES IN THE SECOND HALF FOR THE JETS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THIS FOOTBALL GAME. >> McNEIL NOW WITH 29 YARDS ON 10 CARRIES. THAT, THOUGH, A FIRST-DOWN RUN. JETS DOWN TO FIELD-GOAL RANGE ALREADY, AS SHULER TURNS OUT OF A WISHBONE SET. THEY DON'T RUN IT, BUT THEY ALIGN IN ONE, AND HERE IS FREEMAN McNEIL, THE MONEY BACK FOR THE JETS, TAKING IT DOWN TO THE 24-YARD LINE. AND THE EMOTION IS OUT OF THE CLEVELAND DEFENSE RIGHT NOW, AS THE JETS ARE RUNNING DIFFERENT THINGS AT THEM THAT ARE NOT BEING STOPPED. >> MIKE JOHNSON FINALLY MAKES THE TACKLE. AN EXCELLENT PULL BY GUY BINGHAM. HE GETS A BIG BLOCK. JOHNSON HAS TO COME FROM THE INSIDE TO SLOW McNEIL DOWN, BUT THAT'S A 6-YARD PICKUP. >> GOOD SECOND LOOK. OUR PRODUCER TODAY FOR NBC SPORTS IS GEORGE FINKEL, OUR DIRECTOR, JOHN GONZALEZ. MIKE WEISMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF NBC SPORTS, AS THIS GAME WILL DETERMINE WHO GOES TO THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP. AND RIGHT NOW FREEMAN McNEIL BRINGS THE JETS CLOSER TO AT LEAST FIELD-GOAL RANGE, AS HE'S DOWN TO THE 19-YARD LINE. AND NOW THEY'RE TOE-TO-TOE WITH THE BROWNS, TIED UP, 10-10, BUT THE JETS DRIVING. McNEIL. [ CROWD CHEERS ] NOTHING THERE BUT CHIP BANKS. O'BRIEN MIGHT WANT TO GO DEEP. HE'S LOOKING AT WESLEY WALKER. THE COVERAGE WAS THERE. HANFORD DIXON A GOOD ONE-ON-ONE COVER. THERE WAS NO OPEN MAN TO GO TO, AND O'BRIEN PUT THE BALL OUTSIDE THE LINE. THREW IT AWAY. >> AT THE OUTSET OF THE BALLGAME, WE WONDERED, FRANKLY STATED, THAT THE JETS, I DIDN'T THINK, WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE, GETTING IT TO WESLEY WALKER AND AL TOON. YOU SEE HANFORD DIXON, 29. GOOD MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE. AND BIG DADDY HAIRSTON INTRODUCES O'BRIEN TO THE CLEVELAND TURF. >> AL TOON HAS BEEN QUIET FOR A WHILE. HE'S TO THE LEFT. HANFORD DIXON NOSE-TO-NOSE WITH HIM. O'BRIEN'S LOOKING AT TOON, LOFTING THE BALL DOWN, BUT THERE'S TOO MUCH ON IT. IT'S INCOMPLETE. AND NOW TWO GUYS START UP AFTER THE PLAY. THE OFFICIALS WISELY MOVE IN, RESTORE ORDER, OR TRY TO, AND, BEST OF ALL, THROW NO FLAGS IN A SPIRITED GAME LIKE THIS. YOU'D HATE TO SEE IT TURN ON AN INADVERTENT PENALTY OVER SOMEBODY LOSING HIS HEAD FOR A MOMENT. >> O'BRIEN HAS TAKEN SOME PUNISHMENT HERE. JET QUARTERBACKS HAVE BEEN SACKED 4 TIMES. YOU CAN SEE THAT CHIP BANKS GETS HIM TO THE GROUND. EXCELLENT COVERAGE ONCE AGAIN. I THINK THAT PASS OVERTHROWN BECAUSE O'BRIEN'S NOT BEEN IN A GAME SITUATION IN 2 1/2 WEEKS, DON. >> RIGHT NOW, A 37-YARD FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT BY PAT LEAHY. HE'S 10-FOR-10 INSIDE THE 40 THIS YEAR. AND PAT LEAHY GIVES THE NEW YORK JETS A 13-10 LEAD WITH 10:57 TO PLAY IN THE THIRD QUARTER. AND THE SILENCE HERE AT CLEVELAND STADIUM, WITH 80,000 IN ATTENDANCE, IS DEAFENING. THEY WEREN'T LOOKING FOR THIS. >> EXCELLENT SNAP, GOOD HOLD ONCE AGAIN BY PAT RYAN, THAT BARE HAND. LEAHY CONCENTRATES ON THE FOOTBALL. A NO-DOUBTER, AND THE JETS GO UP BY 3. >> KOSAR AND THE BROWNS TRY WHEN WE COME BACK. ...ON THE GROUND, AS GERALD McNEIL BREAKS IT FOR THE MOMENT. GETS ACROSS THE 25 AND OUT TO THE 28-YARD LINE, WHERE TROY BENSON GOT HIM FOR THE JETS. NOW, TRUMP, WE'LL SEE IF KOSAR, WHO MOVED THE BALL VERY WELL -- YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT 98-YARD SCORING DRIVE FOR THE BROWNS' FIRST SCORE, TOUCHDOWN PLAY, CULMINATING WITH THE THROW TO FONTENOT. BUT SINCE THEN, THE JETS, IN POSITION ON DEFENSE, HAVE TAKEN AWAY THAT INTERMEDIATE-RANGE PASSING GAME THAT HAS BEEN THE HALLMARK OF CLEVELAND'S OFFENSE THIS SEASON. >> YOU CAN SEE THE SELF-CONFIDENCE OF THE JETS RISING, TOO. THE DEFENSE IS WORKING, AND THAT JUST ADDS TO IT. JETS PLAYING VERY WELL. >> KOSAR GETS TIME AND GETS HIS MAN. AHEAD, THOUGH, FOR A GAIN OF ABOUT 6. NOTHING OPEN DEEP. BRONCOS, CHAMPIONS OF THE AFC WEST, TO THE PATRIOTS, CHAMPIONS OF THE EAST AND DEFENDING AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS, AS ON SECOND AND 4, THE BROWNS GO TO THE RUN AND GET THE BALL OUT TO THE 37. THIRD AND SHORT COMING UP. >> AGAIN, THE FRONT 7 OF THE NEW YORK JETS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF JUST GAMING UP THERE, MOVING ENOUGH SO THAT THE CLEVELAND BROWN OFFENSIVE LINE NEVER REALLY HAS A CLEAR SHOT AT THEM. THEY NEVER GET SHOULDER PAD TO SHOULDER PAD. AND THE POINT TO MAKE HERE, DON, IS THAT SO OFTEN TODAY WE'VE SEEN CLEVELAND BROWNS RECEIVERS CATCH THE BALL BUT CATCH THE BALL STANDING STILL. JETS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF JUST MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NOBODY LOOSE RUNNING ACROSS THAT ZONE OR DEEP IN THAT ZONE. THEY LET THEM MAKE THE CATCH 7, 8 YARDS, THEN GET THEM ON THE GROUND. >> A LOT LIKE THE PENN STATE DEFENSE LAST NIGHT AGAINST MIAMI OF FLORIDA. >> YOU'RE RIGHT. >> DEEP ZONE. THIRD AND SHORT. PUZZUOLI, A 260-POUND NOSE TACKLE, IS THE UP BACK NOW. HE LEADS THE BLOCK. NO, THEY PLAY-FAKE. THEY THROW DOWNFIELD TO A TIGHT END. HARRY HOLT HAS THE BALL, AND HE'S TO THE 29-YARD LINE OF THE JETS'. HARRY HOLT TAKES THE BALL DOWN, A FORMER ALL-CANADA PLAYER, AND IT'S A FIRST DOWN FOR CLEVELAND. >> AGAIN, KOSAR ABSOLUTELY ON THE MONEY. A GOOD PLAY-ACTION FAKE. HE'S GONNA THROW IT OVER THE LINEBACKER. YOU CAN SEE 59, KYLE CLIFTON, TRYING TO GET THERE TO HARRY HOLT. AND A BIG CATCH AND A BIG CONVERSION FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. [ CROWD CHEERS ] GOOD PLAY-ACTION FAKE. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MARGIN OF ERROR HERE. THE TOUGHEST TASK FOR THE QUARTERBACK TO THROW STRAIGHT DOWN THE FIELD. KOSAR DOES IT EASILY. >> 8:50 TO GO, THIRD QUARTER. THE JETS LEAD THE FAVORED BROWNS, 13-10. CURTIS DICKEY TRIES THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE JET DEFENSE. MARTY LYONS LED THE TACKLE. CLEVELAND HAS FUMBLED THE BALL ONCE IN THIS GAME, BUT IT WAS RECOVERED BY THE BROWNS. NO TURNOVERS IN THIS GAME. >> JUST AS I MENTIONED IT, THE BROWNS RECEIVERS HAVE NOT REALLY CAUGHT THE BALL MOVING. BIG PLAY-ACTION FAKE BY BERNIE KOSAR, AND THEY FINALLY GET SOMEONE RUNNING AND CATCHING THE BALL. >> LIGHTS ARE ON AT SOLD-OUT CLEVELAND STADIUM. TEMPERATURE IN THE LOW 30s, AND THE WIND BRINGS THE CHILL FACTOR WAY DOWN. AND YET IT'S BEEN ERROR-FREE FOOTBALL FROM A TURNOVER STANDPOINT. >> THERE GOES THE UMPIRE AGAIN TALKING WITH THE REFEREE. THAT MEANS JACK READER, THE REPLAY OFFICIAL, LOOKING TO SEE IF THE BALL WAS LOOSE ON THAT LAST CARRY. >> RON BOTCHAN IS THE UMPIRE. >> LEAD PLAY BY THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. DICKEY HAS THE BALL. OOH, IT LOOKED LOOSE. IT LOOKED LOOSE BEFORE HE WAS DOWN. >> WOW. MIGHT LOOK AT THIS AGAIN. >> YEAH, THAT BALL IS LOOSE. THAT BALL IS LOOSE. >> BUT THEY'RE GOING TO A PLAY. SO, IT'S HISTORY NOW, ONCE THEY GET THE SNAP OF THE BALL OFF. AND HERE COMES KOSAR LOOKING DEEP. LOBBING IT UP. FONTENOT. LOSES THE BALL AT THE 10-YARD LINE. CHARLES JACKSON, AN OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, RECOVERED AND GOT TO HIM. RULING WAS THE RECOVERY WAS BY THE BROWNS. >> SO, IT WAS A FUMBLE, BUT ONCE AGAIN CLEVELAND RECOVERS IT. THIS BALL ONCE AGAIN ON THE MONEY. THAT'S GOT TO BE CAUGHT. JACKSON HAD NO EFFECT ON THAT PLAY WHATSOEVER. YOU GOT TO CATCH THAT PASS. >> 7:51 NOW TO GO IN THE THIRD QUARTER IN THE COLD OF CLEVELAND, AS THE BROWNS, HEAVILY FAVORED, TRAILING THE JETS, 13-10. >> FIVE WIDE RECEIVERS AGAIN FOR CLEVELAND. >> KOSAR, ON THIRD DOWN HE NEEDS 7. A TIPPED BALL. IT'S INCOMPLETE. >> I THINK GASTINEAU GOT IT, DON. [ CROWD BOOS ] >> GASTINEAU LIMPING OFF AGAIN, BUT WHEN IT'S TIME TO GET INTO 3-POINT AND GO, HE'S AS QUICK AS HE'S BEEN. >> LET'S SEE IF WE CAN SEE WHO GOT HIS HAND UP. IF YOU CAN READ WHEN THE QUARTERBACK'S GONNA THROW IT -- THERE'S GASTINEAU RIGHT AT THE TOP. 95, TOM BALDWIN, JUST INSIDE. KOSAR IS LOOKING OUT. NO, IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN GASTINEAU. IT'S TOM BALDWIN WHO TIPPED THE BALL. >> NOW THE FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT BY MOSELEY IS ON THE WAY. BUT HE IS WIDE, AND IT'S THE JETS TAKING OVER THE BALL WITH THEIR 3-POINT LEAD. SO, THE BROWNS MISFIRE, AND THE JETS GET IT BACK. AND THE JETS TAKE OVER, LEADING THE BROWNS 13-10 IN THE THIRD QUARTER. FREEMAN McNEIL STUFFED BY CLANCY. BROWNS HAVE THEIR PASS RUSHERS DIG IN NOW. THEY'VE SACKED JET QUARTERBACKS 4 TIMES. SECOND AND 13 FOR O'BRIEN. NOBODY CAME EARLY. LONG BALL DOWNFIELD TO AL TOON, WHO CAN'T HOLD ON AT THE 48. AGAIN, SUPERIOR COVERAGE BY HANFORD DIXON. O'BRIEN, SINCE HE CAME IN FOR PAT RYAN, HAS HIT 3-OF-7. HIT HIS FIRST THREE, THEN HAS MISSED HIS LAST FOUR. PITCH BACK TO McNEIL. DRIVING AHEAD ON THIRD AND LONG, HE DOESN'T GET MUCH, AND NOW THE BROWNS WILL BE IN POSITION TO TAKE OVER IN GOOD FIELD POSITION, AS THE JETS HAVE TO PUNT THE BALL. RIGHT NOW, DAVE JENNINGS STEPS INTO THE BALL. HITS A HIGH PUNT. McNEIL, LIVING DANGEROUSLY, RUNS IT AGAINST COVERAGE, AND GERALD McNEIL BREAKS IT! ONE MAN WITH A PLAY ON HIM. THE PUNTER, DAVE JENNINGS, SLOWED HIM UP. AND THEN THERE'S A FUMBLE WHEN HE WENT DOWN, BUT THEY'RE GONNA RULE THE BALL DOWN. IT'S CLEVELAND'S BALL. >> MICHAEL HARPER SAVED A TOUCHDOWN. JENNINGS GOT IN HIS WAY, AND HARPER MAKES THE TACKLE. >> 37-YARD PUNT, BUT THE "ICE CUBE," GERALD McNEIL, RAN IT BACK 35. AND NOW THERE'S A PENALTY MARKER DOWN WAY BACKFIELD. SO, IT'S COMING BACK. IT'S AGAINST CLEVELAND. >> ILLEGAL BLOCK. >> GAME CLOCK SHOWS 5:49 TO PLAY IN THE THIRD QUARTER, AND IT'S 13-10, THE JETS IN THE LEAD. >> ILLEGAL CONTACT, NUMBER 22. >> FELIX WRIGHT CALLED FOR THE BLOCK. [ CROWD BOOS ] OFFICIALS WORKING CAUTIOUSLY, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND THE PROPER YARDAGE IS MARKED OFF. ILLEGAL BLOCK MADE AT THE 41-YARD LINE. AND SO THE BALL IS SET BACK 10 YARDS, TO THE 31. >> WATCH FOR NUMBER 22. >> THAT LOOKED GOOD TO ME. >> I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A CLIP. BUT THAT'S WHO THEY CALLED IT ON. IF THAT WAS FELIX WRIGHT, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A CLIP AT ALL. >> BUT THE OFFICIAL SAYS IT WAS, AS NOW SOME JETS ARE BEING ATTENDED TO ON THE SIDELINES. TEMPERATURE IS DROPPING IN CLEVELAND. IT'S 13-10, JETS. BACK AT CLEVELAND. THIS IS DON CRIQUI WITH BOB TRUMPY. THE BROWNS ARE FAVORED, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE TRAILING THE JETS, 13-10. 5:49 TO GO, THIRD QUARTER, AS DERLAND MOORE LEFT EARLY, A LONGTIME NEW ORLEANS SAINT. HE WAS WITH THAT TEAM 13 YEARS. PICKED UP AS A FREE AGENT. AND AS WE POINTED OUT EARLIER, THE JETS LED THE NFL IN PENALTIES THIS SEASON. >> NUMBER 74... >> AND THEY'RE HOLDING TRUE TO FORM TODAY. THEY'VE HAD A NUMBER, BUT THEY'RE PLAYING A TOP FOOTBALL GAME AND LEADING THE BROWNS. >> DERLAND MOORE, WITH ALL THE YEARS HE PLAYED WITH NEW ORLEANS, PLEASED AS PUNCH TO BE IN THE PLAYOFFS. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> ENJOYING THAT OFFSIDES. HE'LL TAKE EVERY BIT OF IT. SOME OF THE JET PLAYERS GOT HAIRCUTS. IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WENT TO THE LOCAL LAWN-BOY DEALER, INCLUDING DERLAND MOORE AT 35 YEARS OLD. YOU THINK HE'D KNOW BETTER. BUT HE'S CAUGHT UP IN THE PLAYOFF SPIRIT. >> RIGHT DOWN TO THE NUB. KOSAR, FIRST AND 5. OZZIE NEWSOME FELL DOWN. NO MARKER. OZZIE'S LOOKING FOR ONE, BUT THE OFFICIALS RIGHT THERE SAID HE FELL ON HIS OWN. KYLE CLIFTON WAS COVERING. WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG GAINER FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS INSTEAD OF BEING SECOND DOWN AND 5 NOW. >> KOSAR'S THROWING TO THE RIGHT SPOT. IT'S THE DOUBLE-ROTATION ZONE AGAIN. YOU SEE RIGHT THERE? THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FLAG. THAT'S A PUSH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE INSTANT REPLAY -- BOB CRABLE ON THE PUSH -- THE INSTANT REPLAY NOT USED TO OVERRULE OR CALL PENALTIES. >> SO, NOW THE BROWNS ALIGN AGAIN. KEVIN MACK, RIGHT BEHIND HIS QUARTERBACK, KOSAR. FONTENOT READY TO SWING OUT OF THE BACKFIELD. LANGHORNE COMING IN MOTION. >> REVERSE. >> FAKE THE REVERSE. KOSAR LOOKING TO BUY TIME. HE DUMPS IT OFF TO KEVIN MACK, WHO BREAKS ONE TACKLE AND ANOTHER, AND FINALLY KEVIN MACK FIGHTS HIS WAY AHEAD FOR A FIRST DOWN. >> OH, WHAT A PLAY! >> ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR TACKLES KEVIN MACK BROKE. AND INSTEAD OF A HUGE LOSS, AND IT LOOKED LIKE KOSAR WOULD SUFFER THAT, THE BROWNS GET 9 YARDS AND A FIRST DOWN. >> MACK IS ABOUT THE FIFTH RECEIVER IN THE PROGRESSION. LET'S WATCH AND COUNT THE MISSED TACKLES. THERE'S ONE. THERE'S TWO. McARTHUR MISSES HIM. THREE, FOUR. FIVE, SIX. THAT'S THE TOUGHEST 12 YARDS THAT KID WILL EVER GAIN. >> GOING FOR BONUS. KOSAR ON FIRST AND 10. HAD A LOT OF ZIP ON THAT, AS IT SKIPS OFF THE HANDS OF WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. SECOND DOWN AND 10. >> ONCE AGAIN, BACK TO THE BIG PLAY. WATCH OZZIE NEWSOME, 82, RUNNING RIGHT AT YOU. AND BOB CRABLE, THE OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, GIVES HIM A SHOVE. THAT PUTS HIM ON THE GROUND. THAT'S AN ILLEGAL CHUCK DOWNFIELD. THERE'S ONE OF THOSE HAIRCUTS. >> THAT "BOZ" LOOK GOING OVER THERE. SECOND DOWN AND 10 NOW FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. 13-10, JETS. LANGHORNE PUTTING SOME MOVES ON. CROSSES MIDFIELD AND GETS TO THE 48-YARD LINE OF NEW YORK. BERNIE KOSAR HAS BEEN THE FOCAL POINT OF CLEVELAND'S SUCCESS ON OFFENSE, AND YOU SAW THOSE NUMBERS. IT'S BEEN ALMOST ALL HIS RIGHT ARM DOWNFIELD. THE BROWNS WITH VIRTUALLY NO RUNNING OFFENSE IN THE GAME. ANOTHER THROW. INCOMPLETE AT THE 45-YARD LINE. TWO TOUGH TO HANDLE FOR CLARENCE WEATHERS. >> OFF TARGET. >> SO, THE BROWNS COME UP SHORT ON A THIRD-DOWN ATTEMPT, AND NOW THEIR PUNTER, JEFF GOSSETT, IS BACK ON THE FIELD WITH THE GAME CLOCK DOWN TO 4:36 TO PLAY IN THE THIRD QUARTER. AND THE JETS CONTINUE TO LEAD THE GAME, 13-10. THEY'VE SCORED THE ONLY POINTS OF THE SECOND HALF, A FIELD GOAL BY PAT LEAHY. IT WAS 10-10 AT HALFTIME. GOSSETT HITS IT DOWN. SOHN FAIR-CATCHES THE BALL AT THE 12-YARD LINE. SO, AFTER A 36-YARD PUNT, THE JETS FAIR-CATCH AND SEND OUT THEIR OFFENSE. THE SUN BEGINNING TO SET A BIT HERE IN NORTHERN OHIO, ON THE SHORES OF LAKE ERIE. A FRIGID JANUARY DAY, AND THE NEW YORK JETS HOLDING TO A 3-POINT LEAD AS O'BRIEN LOOKS DEEP. LETS HER RIP. AL TOON HAS THE BALL, FIRST DOWN AND MORE, AS HE'S OUT ACROSS THE 35 AND THE 40-YARD LINE, OUT TO THE 42, A 31-YARD GAIN. SO, TOON, WHO'S BEEN HELD DOWN BY THE GOOD CLEVELAND CORNERS, BREAKS OPEN ON AN IN PATTERN, AND O'BRIEN PUTS IT RIGHT BETWEEN THE 8s. >> DON, AGAIN, IT LOOKED LIKE MISSED COVERAGE FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. THEY HAD PEOPLE RUNNING ALL OVER THE FIELD. COULDN'T REALLY DECIDE WHO WAS GONNA COVER HOME. AND TOON FINDS THE OPEN SPOT. CAUGHT AT LEAST 3 PASSES IN 24 CONSECUTIVE GAMES. LAST WEEK, HE HAD A TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION, HIS FIRST IN 7 WEEKS FOR THE JETS. JETS WITH A 3-POINT LEAD LATE IN THE THIRD QUARTER. FREEMAN McNEIL PROTECTING THE BALL WITH BOTH ARMS ON IT IN A GAME THAT HAS NOT SEEN A TURNOVER SO FAR WITH 4:10 TO GO IN THE THIRD QUARTER. O'BRIEN'S STRONG SUIT HAS BEEN THE LONG BALL. THOSE FIRST 11 GAMES, WHEN THE JETS BUILT UP THE 10-1 RECORD, HE HAD 20 TOUCHDOWN THROWS TO HIS WIDE RECEIVERS TOON AND WALKER. BUT IN HIS LAST 4 STARTS, PRIOR TO GIVING WAY TO PAT RYAN, HE HAD COMPLETED MORE PASSES TO FREEMAN McNEIL ON SHORT PASSES THAN HE HAD COMPLETED TO TOON AND WALKER COMBINED. THAT TIME, A 31-YARD GAINER TO TOON WAS A BIG ONE. NOW O'BRIEN LOOKS FOR MORE. STEPS IN. LONG BALL. >> TOON! >> TOON IS OUT THERE BUT TOO MUCH ON IT. HE HAD THE CORNER FLAT BEAT. HANFORD DIXON WAS LOOKING FROM BEHIND. >> ALL OF THE SUDDEN, THE COVERAGE OF THE BROWNS HERE A LITTLE BIT SUSPECT. TOON WAS OPEN THAT TIME IF O'BRIEN CAN GET HIM THE BALL. AND TOON WAS CERTAINLY OPEN THE LAST TIME ON THAT BIG CATCH. THE BUMP AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. NOW DIXON STAYS WITH HIM, BUT HE LETS HIM GET TOO MUCH OF A LEAD. A GOOD THROW BY O'BRIEN, THAT'S A BIG COMPLETION. >> GOOD POSSIBILITY, THE WAY THIS IS DEVELOPING, IT COULD BE AN OVERTIME GAME. JETS HOLDING TO A 3-POINT LEAD TO THIS POINT. STILL OVER A QUARTER TO PLAY. SINCE OVERTIME WENT INTO NFL GAMES IN '74, THE BROWNS HAVE WON MORE OVERTIME GAMES THAN ANY TEAM IN THE LEAGUE. O'BRIEN IN TROUBLE. DOES WELL TO HANG ON, AS BIG DADDY HAIRSTON GETS HIM. FIFTH SACK OF THE DAY FOR THE CLEVELAND DEFENSE, AND IT'S BACK AT THE JET 35. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> THE DEFENSE FOR THE BROWNS FOR THE MOST PART TODAY DONE THEIR JOB. AND WALKER, THE WIDE RECEIVER, ONCE AGAIN GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION. THERE'S MINNIFIELD. THAT'S A SUPER CHUCK. THAT'S NOT A CHUCK. >> DAVE JENNINGS BACK AT HIS 22-YARD LINE. HITS A HIGH SPIRAL, PERHAPS HIS BEST OF THE DAY. HE FORCES THE DARING McNEIL EVEN TO FAIR-CATCH THE BALL AT THE 22-YARD LINE. SO, THE BROWNS GET IT BACK, LOOKING FOR OFFENSE, AGAINST A JET DEFENSE THAT'S REALLY TIGHTENED UP TODAY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE BROWNS HAD TO COME FROM BEHIND. THEY ROLLED LATE IN THE SEASON. LAST CLOSE GAME WAS AT BUFFALO IN WEEK 14. AND NOW ANOTHER DROP, AS KEVIN MACK COMES OUT OF THE BACKFIELD AND CAN'T HOLD ON. >> DON, CLEVELAND'S RUNNING OUT OF CHANCES HERE. THEY PLAYED BUFFALO 17-14 IN A VERY CLOSE GAME IN WEEK 14. AND LOOK AT THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RECEPTIONS. THE JETS -- ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD TO BUD CARSON AND HIS DEFENSIVE STAFF. DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF REALLY KEEPING THIS CLEVELAND BROWN OFFENSE IN CHECK. NOW WE'LL WATCH THE DEFENSE AND HOW MUCH KOSAR HAS TO LOOK AROUND FOR AN OPEN RECEIVER. >> BERNIE KOSAR ON THE RUN, AND THEY SACK HIM AT THE 22-YARD LINE. THIRD TIME THAT KOSAR'S BEEN SACKED. AND DURING THE 16-GAME REGULAR SEASON, HE WAS SACKED A TOTAL OF 10 TIMES. >> YOU COULD SEE THE COVERAGE BY THE NEW YORK JETS IN THE INTERMEDIATE RANGE. WATCH THOSE LINEBACKERS DROP. THEY'RE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY THE 12- TO 15-YARD PATTERNS. THEY'RE SITTING BACK THERE. THERE'S A MAN UNDERNEATH ALL RECEIVERS. KOSAR'S GOT NOBODY TO GO TO. AND YOU SEE THE ARMS UPRAISED BY THE JET DEFENDERS. THEY'RE RUNNING JUST A SUPERLATIVE GAME PLAN TODAY BY BUD CARSON DEFENSIVELY. >> INVARIABLY, IN A BIG GAME ON A COLD DAY, THERE ARE TURNOVERS, BUT NONE YET TODAY IN THIS GAME. 2:30 TO PLAY, THIRD QUARTER. BRIAN BRENNAN. THEY FINALLY GO TO HIM, AND THE SURE-HANDED ONE COMES DOWN WITH THE BALL AT THE 43-YARD LINE. 21-YARD GAIN FOR THE BROWNS AND A FIRST DOWN. >> TWO WEEKS AGO, AGAINST THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS, BRENNAN HAD 7 CATCHES. HE WAITED A LONG TIME FOR HIS FIRST TODAY. KOSAR AGAIN -- GOOD PASS PROTECTION THIS TIME. YOU CAN SEE HE LEADS THE RECEIVER PERFECTLY. IT LOOKED LIKE THE LINEBACKER, MATT MONGER, WAS THE MAN IN COVERAGE. BUT BRIAN BRENNAN BEATS HIM. THE BROWNS HAVE MOVED THE BALL BETWEEN THE 30s HERE IN THE SECOND HALF, DON, AND MOVED IT WELL, BUT THEY'VE NOT GOTTEN DOWN TO BE CLOSE ENOUGH FOR MOSELEY OR TO GET IT IN THE END ZONE. >> PRESSURE ON THE FAVORED CLEVELAND BROWNS NOW, TRAILING LATE IN THE THIRD QUARTER 13-10. KOSAR LOOKING DEEP AGAIN. OUT PATTERN. BACK AT THE BALL IS LANGHORNE. THEY SAY ON THE ONE HOP -- NO GOOD. [ CROWD BOOS ] CLEVELAND COACHES RIGHT THERE. SCHOTTENHEIMER LIVID, BUT IT WON'T GO. >> THIS IS WHERE THE REPLAY COMES INTO BEING NOW. MOTION. RUSSELL CARTER WITH THE COVERAGE. HE BREAKS OUT. >> NO WAY. GOT IT ON THE ONE HOP. >> AGAIN WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. INCONCLUSIVE. I THINK YOU LEAVE IT AS IT STANDS -- INCOMPLETE PASS AND THE BROWNS GO BACK TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. >> WITH A SECOND AND 10 COMING UP. LANGHORNE FLANKED NEAR THE LOWER LEFT-HAND PORTION OF YOUR SCREEN. BRENNAN WILL BE RUNNING AN OVER-THE-MIDDLE PATTERN. HE'LL GO ANYWHERE FOR IT COMING OFF THE SLOT. KOSAR, ON THE RUN, DUMPS IT DOWN. IT'S INCOMPLETE AT THE 48-YARD LINE. HE TRIED TO GO TO KEVIN MACK AGAIN. SO, NOW IT'S THIRD DOWN, AND THE BROWNS NEED 10. >> AGAIN, EXCELLENT COVERAGE. BARRY BENNETT ALMOST MAKES THE SACK. THERE'S A GOOD BLOCK BY HERMAN FONTENOT AS THIS PLAY BEGINS. BUT LOOK AT THE COVERAGE. LOOK AT THE PEOPLE UNDERNEATH THE CLEVELAND BROWN RECEIVERS. SHOWING AN AWFUL LOT OF ZONE, PLAYING IT WELL. NOW WATCH 28. 78, BALDWIN, IS THERE TO MAKE THE SACK. FONTENOT DOES A GREAT JOB OF JUST BUYING BERNIE KOSAR TIME. >> HE SAVED THE DAY, OR AT LEAST THE PLAY FOR BERNIE KOSAR, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN SACKED AGAIN. >> HERE'S THIS DEFENSE NOW BY THE JETS -- NO MIDDLE LINEBACKER. >> GASTINEAU COMING, AND HE'S COMING HARD. KOSAR GETS IT AWAY. THE BALL IS CAUGHT DOWN AT THE 46-YARD LINE. IT'S A FIRST DOWN FOR CLEVELAND, AS KOSAR TOOK THE FULL HIT FROM MARK GASTINEAU JUST AFTER HE RELEASED THE BALL. >> WEBSTER SLAUGHTER, AN OUTSTANDING PATTERN. REALLY PUSHED THE CORNERBACK OFF. IT WAS RUSSELL CARTER IN COVERAGE FROM BEHIND KOSAR. YOU SEE A BLUR COME FROM THE LEFT, AND THAT'S GASTINEAU. HIT HIM AROUND THE HIPS, BUT HE'S STILL ABLE TO MAKE THE COMPLETION. BOY, THESE ARE BREATHLESS PLAYS NOW FOR CLEVELAND. SEE FARREN, 74, ALMOST GETS GASTINEAU ON THE GROUND. MARK UP TO HIT HIM BUT A LITTLE TOO LATE. FIRST DOWN, CLEVELAND. >> IT'S BEEN 22 YEARS SINCE THE BROWNS HAVE HAD AN NFL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. '64 WAS THE LAST YEAR. HAVE NOT WON A PLAYOFF GAME SINCE '69 HERE. INCOMPLETE ON FIRST AND 10. KOSAR TRYING TO GO OUT TO HERMAN FONTENOT, WHO YOU'LL REMEMBER IN THE FIRST QUARTER CAUGHT THE 27-YARDER. HE WAS WIDE OPEN COMING OUT OF THE BACKFIELD, AND THAT WAS THE BROWNS' ONLY TOUCHDOWN OF THIS GAME AT THE MOMENT. THEY TRAIL 13-10, 33 SECONDS TO GO IN THE THIRD QUARTER. >> JETS AGAIN WITH THAT DOUBLE-ROTATION ZONE. CORNERS UP. SAFETIES OUT. AND KOSAR THREW IT INTO THE DOUBLE COVERAGE. THE SPOT YOU GO THERE IS DOWN THE MIDDLE. BRENNAN ON THE INSIDE OR NEWSOME ON THE INSIDE, I BELIEVE, IS THE RECEIVER YOU GOT TO BE LOOKING FOR. >> SECOND AND 10. LYLES DOING A GOOD JOB, TRYING TO MAKE A PLAY ON THE BALL. STILL NO TURNOVERS ON THIS COLD DAY IN CLEVELAND. GAME CLOCK NOW DOWN TO 26 SECONDS TO PLAY IN THE THIRD QUARTER. >> HE'S JUST THROWING IT AWAY. HE'S LOOKING DOWN THE MIDDLE, BUT NEWSOME IS VERY, VERY WELL-COVERED. HE PULLS IT BACK AND JUST THROWS IT TO THE BROWNS BENCH. LYLES ALMOST MAKES THE INTERCEPTION. I'LL TELL YOU. THE JET DEFENSE -- THIS IS THEIR BEST PERFORMANCE IN SIX OR EIGHT WEEKS. >> AGAIN, THIRD DOWN AND KOSAR NEEDS 10. FONTENOT CAN'T HOLD ON AT THE 33-YARD LINE, AND SO GOSSETT, THE BROWNS PUNTER, COMES BACK UP. >> THAT'S ON BERNIE. THREW IT BEHIND FONTENOT. FONTENOT WAS OPEN. THE ONE FACTOR ABOUT BERNIE KOSAR THAT I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE IS REALLY SURE IS THAT NO ONE KNOWS HOW THIS KID PLAYS IN COLD WEATHER. NOW, HE'S FROM THIS AREA OF THE COUNTRY, BUT HE'S NOT PLAYED MANY PROFESSIONAL OR COLLEGE-FOOTBALL GAMES IN THE COLD. NORMALLY, HE'S A LOT MORE ACCURATE THAN HE HAS BEEN TODAY. >> HIGH HIT DOWNFIELD. SOHN FAIR-CAUGHT AND RAN THE BALL. >> NO FLAG. >> SPOT AT THE 11-YARD LINE. >> NO FLAG WHATSOEVER. >> COLLEGE FOOTBALL, IT'S A 5-YARD PENALTY. >> WELL, FOR A FAIR CATCH, THOUGH, YOU GOT TO WAVE YOUR HAND FOR IT TO BE A FAIR CATCH. WHAT IS THAT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. [ CROWD BOOS ] >> OFFICIAL SAYS IT'S A FAIR CATCH. >> WELL, THEN, YOU CAN'T RUN THE BALL. >> BUT HE DID. RIGHT NOW, THE JETS COME OUT. TOON COULD BE GETTING THE BALL AGAIN BEFORE LONG. HE'S ON THE NEAR FLANK, THE LEFT FLANK. FREEMAN McNEIL NOT GETTING MUCH AGAINST THE BROWN DEFENSE KEYING ON HIM. AND THAT'S GONNA DO IT FOR THE THIRD QUARTER, AS IT TICKS DOWN 3, 2, 1, AND OUT. MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER, THE BROWNS COACH, PROTESTING THAT KURT SOHN SIGNALED FAIR CATCH, CAUGHT THE BALL AND RAN WITH IT. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PENALTY AGAINST THE JETS. RIGHT NOW KEN O'BRIEN IN TROUBLE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] WORKING HARD TO HOLD ON. HE DOES, BUT HE'S SACKED AGAIN ON SECOND AND 8. DOWN INSIDE HIS 10-YARD LINE, AND THAT'S THE SIXTH SACK OF THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE CLEVELAND DEFENSE. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE BELONGS TO THE JETS AT THE MOMENT. THEY LEAD THE FAVORED BROWNS 13-10. >> AGAIN, KURT SOHN ON THE PUNT RETURN. RIGHT ARM GOES UP. AND THEN HE RUNS WITH THE FOOTBALL. AND MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER'S COMPLAINING. WHY ISN'T THAT A PENALTY? >> RAN WITH THE FOOTBALL BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME. AND NOW THE THROW OVER THE MIDDLE GOES STRAIGHT AHEAD TO TIGHT END MICKEY SHULER, WHO'S OUT TO THE 19-YARD LINE. THIRD-DOWN PLAY COMES UP SHORT, THOUGH, AND THE BROWNS AGAIN WILL GET GOOD FIELD POSITION, AS THE JETS HAVE TO PUNT. [ CROWD CHEERS ] CLEVELAND FANS STARTING UP. THIS HAS BEEN THE SCENE OF SOME GREAT GAMES AND GREAT VICTORIES. BROWNS CAME INTO THE NFL IN 1950 OUT OF THE ALL-AMERICA CONFERENCE. NFL COMMISSIONER AT THE TIME -- I THINK IT WAS ELMER LAYDEN -- SAID, "LET THEM GET A FOOTBALL." THEY HAD A FOOTBALL, AND THEY HAD OTTO GRAHAM AND DANTE LAVELLI, MARION MOTLEY. THEY WON THE NFL CHAMPIONSHIP THEIR FIRST YEAR IN THE LEAGUE. THEY'VE NOT WON A PLAYOFF GAME, THE CLEVELAND BROWNS, SINCE 1969. THEIR LAST PLAYOFF GAME HERE IN CLEVELAND WAS THE LOSS TO THE THEN-OAKLAND RAIDERS, AS McNEIL RUNS BACK THE PUNT AND GETS TO THE MIDFIELD STRIPE. TONY PAIGE GOT HIM. BROWNS TRY AGAIN, TRAILING BY 3. 80,000 ARE HERE, LOOKING TO CELEBRATE A BROWN PLAYOFF VICTORY, AS THE WORD WAS THE ROAD TO PASADENA GOES THROUGH CLEVELAND THIS YEAR. BUT THE ROAD FOR THE BROWNS ENDS TODAY UNLESS THEY GET BY THE JETS. THE JETS CANNOT BE AT HOME FOR FURTHER PLAYOFF GAMES BECAUSE THEY'RE A WILD-CARD TEAM. THE WINNER TODAY MEETS THE WINNER OF TOMORROW'S GAME BETWEEN THE PATRIOTS AND THE BRONCOS AT DENVER FOR THE AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP. RIGHT NOW THE BROWNS FIGHTING FOR A WIN AND THE HOME FIELD IN THE CONFERENCE FINAL, DOWN BY 3. SET TO GO, FIRST AND 10 FROM MIDFIELD. NOTHING THERE FOR KEVIN MACK. KOSAR, TRUMP, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN PLAY-FAKING TO MACK A LOT ON HIS DROPBACKS, BUT THAT TIME HE GAVE IT TO HIM, AND THE JETS WERE ON HIM. TOM BALDWIN, THE NOSE TACKLE, AND BARRY BENNETT, THE DEFENSIVE END. >> BROWNS HAD JUST 5 YARDS RUSHING IN THE THIRD QUARTER. TIME OF POSSESSION STILL IN FAVOR OF CLEVELAND. THEY'VE HAD THEIR CHANCES, NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY OF THEM IN THE SECOND HALF. >> 9 CARRIES, 9 YARDS, ACCORDING TO NBC STATISTICIAN ROSS SCHNEIDERMAN, FOR KEVIN MACK, THE BROWNS LEADING RUSHER. NOW CLEVELAND GOES WITH TWO MEN RIGHT, AND HERE COMES BRENNAN IN MOTION. HE RUNS THOSE OVER-THE-MIDDLE PATTERNS. KOSAR TAKES A LOOK. LOFTS THE BALL. NEWSOME IS OPEN. "THE WIZARD OF OZ" MAKES THE CATCH, AND HE'S DOWN TO THE 19-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> 33-YARD RECEPTION. KEVIN McARTHUR, MAN-ON-MAN COVERAGE. MISMATCH. NEWSOME, EVEN AT 70%, HAS TOO MUCH FOOTSPEED. THEY RAN BRENNAN IN MOTION NEAR SIDE OF THE FIELD, DOWN TO ISOLATE OZZIE NEWSOME. IT WORKS. >> ART MODELL, THE OWNER OF THE BROWNS. HIS WIFE, PAT, LOOKING ON. IMPORTANT SEASON. COACH SCHOTTENHEIMER TOLD MODELL THAT HE WOULD WIN THE DIVISION, AND HE DID. >> HE'S GONNA THROW! >> HE CAN THROW IT, INDEED, BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH OPEN. NOW THERE IS, AS WEBSTER SLAUGHTER GETS THE BALL AND RUNS IT DOWN TO THE 13-YARD LINE. SO, THE BROWNS, AT WORST, ARE IN GOOD FIELD-GOAL RANGE AND STILL HAVE 3 DOWNS ON THIS SET TO TRY TO GET MORE AND GET IT IN. >> KYLE CLIFTON ON THE TACKLE. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER IS THE OUTLET RECEIVER. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE BALL IN THE END ZONE ON THIS PLAY. BRENNAN, A VERY SMALL BUT VERY VERSATILE ATHLETE. THROWS IT RIGHT ON THE MONEY TO WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. THAT'S A PICKUP OF 5 YARDS. NOW'S THE TIME TO BE CONSERVATIVE, THOUGH, IF YOU'RE CLEVELAND. >> AND A POWER FORMATION -- TWO TIGHT ENDS. CURTIS DICKEY, AS ALL THESE BROWN BACKS HAVE BEEN COUNSELED TO PUT BOTH ARMS ON THE BALL. BALDWIN AND BENNETT ON THE TACKLE FOR NEW YORK. >> BALDWIN ALL DAY LONG HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF BEATING MIKE BAAB, THE CENTER. OF COURSE, BAAB WITH THAT INJURED KNEE. THERE'S MARK MOSELEY ON THE SIDELINE. HE'S MISSED TWO TODAY, MADE ONE. WOULD PREFER TO GO OUT FOR AN EXTRA POINT, AS OPPOSED TO A FIELD GOAL. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> KOSAR WITH THIRD DOWN. HE NEEDS 5. QUICK THROW. VERY NEARLY PICKED OFF. THEY'RE GONNA CALL A PENALTY ON RUSSELL CARTER. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> THAT'S A TOUGH CALL, DON. >> REAL TOUGH ONE, BUT WE'RE GONNA WATCH IT AGAIN. >> CARTER IS LOOKING RIGHT BACK AT THE FOOTBALL. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER IS THE RECEIVER. IT'S A HITCH PATTERN. WATCH CARTER. CONTACT BEFORE THE BALL GETS THERE? BOY, THAT'S AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN MAKE IT. >> YOU ALMOST HAVE TO SEE IT FULL SPEED TO TELL. [ CROWD CHEERS ] AND HERE IT IS, NO SOONER SAID. >> WHOO-HOO! THAT LOOKED LIKE SIMULTANEOUS CONTACT. >> DID TO ME. BUT NOT TO A GUY WHO WAS A LOT CLOSER THAN WE WERE. AND SO NOW THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL, FIRST AND GOAL AT THE JET 10-YARD LINE. A TOUCHDOWN WOULD BE HUGE. IT WOULD GIVE CLEVELAND, WITH THE EXTRA POINT, A 4-POINT LEAD, AND THE JETS WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO THE END ZONE. KEVIN MACK DOWN TO THE 5-YARD LINE. GAME CLOCK DOWN TO 10:20 AND RUNNING IN THE FIRST QUARTER. THE JETS 13, THE BROWNS 10. >> McARTHUR AND CRABLE ON THE TACKLE. I THINK THIS CROWD IS BREATHLESS. >> CLEVELAND'S LONGEST RUN OF THIS DAY, TRUMP -- 5 YARDS. [ CROWD CHEERS ] SECOND AND GOAL FROM THE 5 FOR THE BROWNS. MACK TO THE 3. >> DON, I THINK YOU ALMOST GOT TO GIVE IT ONE SHOT IN THE END ZONE HERE. YOU GOT TO THROW THE BALL IN THE END ZONE. LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS. THE YARDS -- VERY TYPICAL OF THE CLEVELAND BROWN OFFENSE, BUT THE COMPLETION PERCENTAGE FOR BERNIE KOSAR? HE COMES IN COMPLETING 58%, AND HE'S HAD HIS SHARE OF DROPS. NOT ALL HIS, BUT HE'S ALSO MISSED SOME WIDE-OPEN RECEIVERS. >> HOW ABOUT 43 BALLS IN THE AIR, NO INTERCEPTIONS, THOUGH? >> WATCH HARRY HOLT HERE. WATCH HARRY HOLT HERE, 81. >> THIRD AND GOAL FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS, WHO TRAIL 13-10 IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, 9:10 TO PLAY IN IT. LOOKING FOR THE TIMING THROW. INTERCEPTED BY RUSSELL CARTER! THE DRIVE IS STOPPED. THE BROWNS DO NOT EVEN GET THE FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT TO TIE IT, AND THE JETS TAKE OVER THE BALL AT THEIR 20. >> FIRST TURNOVER OF THE DAY BY EITHER TEAM. BALL THROWN INTO DOUBLE COVERAGE. SOMEONE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. >> RUSSELL CARTER. >> YOU SEE THERE'S THREE DEFENSIVE BACKS THERE. KOSAR STILL THROWS IT IN. INTERCEPTION, JETS. >> TODAY, THIS SIGN READS AT CLEVELAND STADIUM, "NO RED RIGHT 88." RIGHT NOW, IT IS FLANKER RIGHT, AND AL TOON TAKES THE BALL OUT TO THE 31-YARD LINE. BUT IN FAIRNESS TO BRIAN SIPE, WHO THREW THAT INTERCEPTION THAT ENDED THE CLEVELAND SEASON, HE WAS CALLED BY HIS TEAMMATES "SUPERMAN." HE PERSONALLY CARRIED THEM TO THE PLAYOFFS THAT YEAR. THAT ONE ERRANT THROW, AND THE RAIDERS HUNG ON, AND THEY BECAME THE ONLY WILD-CARD TEAM SUBSEQUENTLY TO GO ON WIN A SUPER BOWL. THEY BEAT PHILADELPHIA, REMEMBER. NO WILD-CARD TEAM HAS EVER WON A SUPER BOWL OTHER THAN THAT RAIDER TEAM. DALLAS GOT TO THE SUPER BOWL ONCE AS A WILD-CARD TEAM. NOW, HAND-OFF GOES. FREEMAN McNEIL IS STUFFED. FIRST-DOWN PLAY -- HE LOST A COUPLE OF YARDS. BUT TIME IS BEGINNING TO BECOME A FACTOR -- 8:46 TO PLAY AND RUNNING. >> REGGIE CAMP ON THAT TACKLE. BOTH DEFENSES HAVE PLAYED CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBER. SEE, CAMP TAKES ON GORDON KING, 72, PUSHES HIM BACK IN THE OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD. THERE TO MAKE THE TACKLE. SECOND AND 10. WOULD YOU LOOK FOR TOON AGAIN? >> SECOND AND 12. HERE'S THE RUSH. O'BRIEN DUMPS IT OVER THE MIDDLE TO TONY PAIGE, A BIG FULLBACK. HEAD DOWN. TONY PAIGE WORKING HARD. GETS VERY CLOSE TO A FIRST DOWN. MIGHT BE LESS THAN A FOOT SHORT OF IT, BUT IT APPEARS HE IS SHORT. THE JETS, DURING THEIR 5-GAME LOSING STREAK AT THE END OF THE SEASON, WERE BEATEN BY AN AVERAGE MARGIN OF 35-7. BUT TODAY, AGAINST A CLEVELAND TEAM THAT ROLLED UP 81 POINTS IN WINNING ITS FINAL TWO REGULAR-SEASON GAMES, THE JETS HAVE HELD THE BROWNS SCORELESS IN THE SECOND HALF. THEY'VE HELD CLEVELAND TO 10 POINTS FOR THE DAY SO FAR. SOMETIMES, TRUMP, THAT WEEK OFF DOES NOT SERVE A TEAM WELL WHEN THEY WIN A DIVISION BECAUSE IT'S THEIR FIRST GAME IN QUITE A WHILE. >> DON, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S A FACTOR TODAY. YOU HAVE TO GIVE A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT TO THE NEW YORK JET DEFENSE. >> WELL, THAT'S THE BIGGEST FACTOR. >> THEY HAVE DONE THEIR JOB. BUD CARSON AGAIN HAS COME UP WITH A GREAT GAME PLAN. >> JETS ARE GONNA BLAST-BLOCK THE BALL STRAIGHT HEAD. MICKEY SHULER, ROCKY KLEVER, AND BILLY GRIGGS, THREE TIGHT ENDS, ARE IN. 13-10, JETS. 8:00 TO PLAY IN THE GAME. IF HE GOT THERE, IT'S GONNA BE VERY CLOSE. THEY GAVE IT TO TONY PAIGE, A 5'10", 230-POUND BLASTER. AS COACH SCHOTTENHEIMER TOLD HIS TEAM, IT'S A WHOLE, NEW SEASON WHEN THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN. THE SLATE'S CLEAN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SCOREBOARD-WATCH. BUT MARTY RIGHT NOW IS GONNA START CLOCK-WATCHING, AS THE GAME CLOCK'S DOWN TO 7:54 TO PLAY, AND THE JETS MOVE THE CHAIN MARKERS. THEY DO GET FOUR NEW DOWNS. >> ON THAT INTERCEPTION THROWN BY BERNIE KOSAR, HIS FIRST IN FOUR GAMES, INCLUDING THIS ONE. VERY UNLIKE HIM. BY RUSSELL CARTER. >> FREEMAN McNEIL TURNS THE CORNER. AND McNEIL DIVES AHEAD FOR CLOSE TO 10 YARDS AND STAYS IN BOUNDS AS THE CLOCK CONTINUES TO TICK DOWN. FREE SAFETY CHRIS ROCKINS, THE BROWNS' LEADING TACKLER, MADE THE STOP. 7:15 TO PLAY AND RUNNING. >> YOU CAN SEE THE PULL BY THE GUARD AND TACKLE. THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB UP THE MIDDLE -- DAN ALEXANDER AND GORDON KING. McNEIL, A TOUGH KID. WITH THIS FIRM FOOTING ON THE FLOOR OF THE STADIUM, HE CAN TURN UPFIELD. SECOND DOWN AND ABOUT 3 INCHES FOR A FIRST DOWN. JETS GOT IT GOING THEIR WAY. >> JOE FIELDS, A ROCK-SOLID PLAYER AT CENTER, SNAPS THE BALL, AND RIGHT BACK TO FREEMAN McNEIL. THE JETS HAVE NOT TURNED THE BALL OVER TODAY. THE BROWNS, YOU'LL RECALL, THEIR LAST POSSESSION WERE DOWN CLOSE, WITHIN SHORT FIELD-GOAL RANGE. A THIRD-DOWN THROW INTO THE END ZONE WAS PICKED OFF BY RUSSELL CARTER, THE ONLY CLEVELAND TURNOVER OF THIS DAY. AND THE JETS HAVE GONE DOWNFIELD FROM THEIR 20 FROM THERE. 6:25 AND RUNNING. THERE'S RUSSELL CARTER, AN ALL-AMERICAN AT SMU AND A NUMBER-ONE DRAFT CHOICE OF THE JETS. ON THE FIELD, HE IS ONE TOUGH CUSTOMER. BIG HITTER. McNEIL, NOT MUCH THERE. REGGIE CAMP GOT HIM. NOW THE CLOCK TICKS DOWN INSIDE OF 6:00 TO PLAY. >> ONCE AGAIN, CAMP INSIDE OF GORDON KING, THE OFFENSIVE RIGHT TACKLE OF THE JETS. YOU'LL SEE THE WHOLE THING HAPPEN. HE JUST TURNS GORDON KING. PUSHES HIM BACK IN THE OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD AND THERE TO MAKE THE TACKLE. >> THE BROWNS HAVE WON NFL CHAMPIONSHIPS, NEVER A SUPER BOWL. THE JETS, OF COURSE, HAVE KNOWN THAT SHINING MOMENT, JANUARY 1969 AT THE ORANGE BOWL. COLTS FAVORED BY 17. FINAL -- JETS 16, COLTS 7. NAMATH GUARANTEED IT, AS ONE OF HIS SUCCESSORS YEARS LATER, KEN O'BRIEN, RUNS THE BALL ON SECOND DOWN AND 9 FOR NOT VERY MUCH YARDAGE. BUT STILL, TRUMP, THAT CLOCK KEEPS DINGING ON DOWN. IT'S DOWN TO 5:15 TO PLAY. >> MIKE JOHNSON THAT TIME ON THE TACKLE. O'BRIEN DOES NOT WANT TO TURN THE BALL OVER. THE CLOCK IS THE JETS' ALLY RIGHT NOW. JUST MOVE THE CHAINS AS BEST YOU POSSIBLY CAN. I'M SURE JOE WALTON HAS GREAT CONFIDENCE IN HIS DEFENSE. IF THEY CAN MAKE IT FIRST DOWN AND 85 OR 90 FOR THE BROWNS TO GET INTO FIELD-GOAL POSITION OR WIN A FOOTBALL GAME, HIS THINKING'S GOT TO BE HIS DEFENSE WILL RESPOND. >> THE THING HE DOESN'T WANT TO DO IS TURN IT OVER. IT'LL BE A CONSERVATIVE THROW PROBABLY. >> TOON. >> OVER THE MIDDLE. TOON CAN'T HOLD ON AT THE 35-YARD LINE. THAT'S MICKEY SHULER THE TIGHT END GOING FOR IT. >> AND TOON WAS OPEN. >> SO, NOW FOURTH DOWN COMES UP. >> DON, I'M TELLING YOU. AL TOON WAS OPEN. SHULER GETS A FREE RELEASE OFF THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. ALL HE'S TRYING TO DO IS GET DEEP ENOUGH TO GET THE FIRST DOWN. THE BALL THROWN JUST OUT OF HIS REACH. AND AL TOON WAS OPEN. NOBODY WAS ON HIM. >> NOW DAVE JENNINGS COMES BACK OUT, THE NFL's ALL-TIME-LEADING PUNTER WHEN YOU CONSIDER NUMBERS OF PUNTS. A LONGTIME NEW YORK GIANT. JUST MOVED A LOCKER ROOM DOWN WHEN THEY TRADED HIM TO THE JETS. OR, ACTUALLY, HE WAS PICKED UP AS A FREE AGENT AFTER THE GIANTS HAD WAVED HIM. IN HIS 13th YEAR FROM ST. LAWRENCE. PLACES IT NICELY DOWNFIELD. NO CHANCE FOR GERALD McNEIL TO RUN IT BACK. NOW THE BROWNS HAVE TO GO THE LONG FIELD WITH 4:31 TO PLAY. A FIELD GOAL WOULD TIE IT, BUT THE BROWNS ARE A LONG WAY FROM RANGE. MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER AND THE BROWNS UNDER THE GUN NOW. THEY TAKE OVER THE BALL AT THEIR 17-YARD LINE. HEAVILY FAVORED COMING IN. THE JETS, THE UNDERDOG, HOLD TO A 13-10 LEAD. BROWNS HAVE NOT SCORED IN THE SECOND HALF. IT WAS 10-10 AT HALFTIME. LAST DRIVE ENDED IN THE JETS' END ZONE WITH AN INTERCEPTION OF BERNIE KOSAR BY RUSSELL CARTER. OH! PICKED OFF BY THE JETS! JERRY HOLMES HAS IT, AND THEY RULE HIM DOWN AT THE 20-YARD LINE. SO, NOW THE HOPES OF CLEVELAND ALL OF A SUDDEN ON FIRE AS PEOPLE START SWINGING AFTER THE PLAY. BUT JERRY HOLMES, A CORNERBACK WHO INTERCEPTED 6 IN THE REGULAR SEASON, OUT OF WEST VIRGINIA, MAKES A HUGE PLAY. AND IF IT DOESN'T PUT THE LID ON FOR THE BROWNS, IT WILL BE CLOSE, AS WITH 4:22 TO PLAY, THE JETS ARE IN IMMEDIATE FIELD-GOAL RANGE. >> THE 2 INTERCEPTIONS THAT BERNIE KOSAR HAS THROWN TODAY? THIS ONE, HOLMES, YOU SEE, DROPS RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF HERMAN FONTENOT, AND HE'S THERE TO MAKE THE INTERCEPTION. STOPS THE DRIVE. AND THE ONE IN THE END ZONE BY RUSSELL CARTER. YOU CAN SEE THREE DEFENSIVE BACKS FROM THE JETS THERE. KOSAR STILL THROWS IT IN THERE. THAT WAS THEIR LAST CHANCE TO SCORE, AND NOW THE JETS, THEY OWN IT. >> FIRST AND 10 FOR THE JETS AT THE CLEVELAND 20. THE JETS STILL WITHOUT A TURNOVER. FREEMAN McNEIL BREAKS IT, AND HE'S GOING IN! FREEMAN McNEIL CROSSES THE GOAL LINE, BREAKS THE PLANE, AND THE JETS, THE UNDERDOG, TAKE A 19-10 LEAD. A 25-YARD RUN FOLLOWING THE INTERCEPTION. >> THIS IS JUST SHEER ATHLETIC ABILITY OF FREEMAN McNEIL. YOU SEE HE'S GOT GUY BINGHAM OUT IN FRONT OF HIM, AND BINGHAM DOES THE JOB. AND WITH THAT GOOD FOOTING, McNEIL MAKES ONE MOVE INTO THE END ZONE. >> 80,000 HERE AT CLEVELAND STADIUM STUNNED, AS THE JETS LOOK TO PUT UP A 20th POINT. AND THE BROWNS NEED TWO SCORES JUST TO TIE THE GAME. THEY NEED A TOUCHDOWN AND A FIELD GOAL TO TIE THE GAME WITH JUST 4:14 TO PLAY. >> YOU CAN SEE THE CLEVELAND BROWNS ON THE BENCH DESPONDENT. FELT THAT THEY HAD THEIR BEST TEAM. THEY WERE IN THE PERFECT POSITION, PLAYING AT HOME. AND THE JETS HAVE TAKEN IT AWAY FROM THEM. >> IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE GAME, ON "NFL '86," BOB COSTAS WILL BE TALKING WITH JIM McMAHON, THE INJURED CHICAGO BEAR QUARTERBACK. HE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE PLAYOFF GAMES COMING UP, AFC, NFC, AS SCOTT NICOLAS ON THE SQUIB KICK COMES DOWN AND MAKES THE PLAY. PENALTY MARKER DOWN. THAT BALL IS CAUGHT BY LANGHORNE OUT AT THE 39-YARD LINE. >> IT'S AGAINST CLEVELAND. HOLDING AGAINST CLEVELAND. SO, IT'S GONNA BE FIRST AND 20. >> OFFENSIVE HOLDING, NUMBER 61. >> COACH WALTON NOT COUNTING HIS WINNINGS YET. UNBELIEVABLE FORM REVERSAL BY THE JETS THIS YEAR. NINE STRAIGHT WINS, A 10-1 RECORD. THEY'RE JUST BLOWING EVERYBODY AWAY. THEY MIGHT HAVE PLAYED THE PERFECT FOOTBALL GAME AT ATLANTA. AND THEN, WHAM, THEY WENT INTO MIAMI AND RAN INTO MARINO AND COMPANY ON A MONDAY NIGHT. 45-3 AND THEY NEVER CAME OUT OF THE SLIDE THAT STARTED -- 5 STRAIGHT LOSSES TO END THE SEASON. FIRST TEAM TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS LOSING ITS LAST 5 GAMES. KOSAR STANDS IN, AND BERNIE KOSAR GOES DOWN. JUST THE THIRD SACK OF KOSAR, BUT IT'S BACK AT THE 16-YARD LINE, AND THE CLOCK RUNS. >> I'M NOT SURE THERE ARE ANY WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT THE JETS HAVE DONE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, CONSIDERING THE WAY THEY PLAYED THE PREVIOUS FIVE WEEKS. IT'S LIKE "THE TWILIGHT ZONE." WHO<i> WERE</i> THOSE GUYS, AND WHO<i> ARE</i> THESE GUYS? >> PENALTY MARKER DOWN INSIDE THE 5-YARD LINE. GASTINEAU CLAIMS HE WAS HELD. THERE COULD ALSO BE A FOUL ON THE JET DEFENDER ON THE PASS. >> I THINK THESE ARE OFFSETTING. I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE OFFSETTING PENALTIES. >> ...NUMBER 84. GRABBING THE FACE MASK ON THE OFFENSE BY 74. WE PLAY IT OVER. >> THANK YOU, BEN. >> OFFSETTING PENALTIES. >> BEN DREITH, THE REFEREE. KOSAR GETS TIME, BUT IT'S SLAPPED RIGHT BACK AT HIM. AND HERE'S ANOTHER PENALTY MARKER DOWN. THEY MIGHT HAVE GASTINEAU ON A LATE HIT. [ CROWD CHEERS ] TELL YOU. THE BIG GUY HAS BEEN PLAYING WITH A VENGEANCE TODAY, THOUGH. THEY CAN'T HOLD HIM OUT. >> BALL IS TIPPED AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, BUT GASTINEAU GETS BY FARREN. ALL THE WAY. AND GASTINEAU CONTINUES. HE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE, EITHER. >> ...ROUGHING THE QUARTERBACK, NUMBER 99. THAT'S 15. THAT'S A FIRST DOWN. [ CROWD CHEERS ] CARL HOWARD ALSO WITH A LATE HIT. >> THE GAME CLOCK IS DOWN TO 3:27 TO PLAY. A GAME PLAYED IN FRIGID COLD HERE IN CLEVELAND, FREE OF TURNOVERS TILL LATE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, WHEN BERNIE KOSAR WAS INTERCEPTED IN THE JET END ZONE, WHEN THE BROWNS WERE IN POSITION TO AT LEAST TIE IT ON A FIELD GOAL. AND NOW THE BROWNS, HEAVILY FAVORED COMING IN, MUST DIG OUT OF A DEEP HOLE WITH NOT MUCH TIME TO GO. 3:27 TO PLAY. IT'S 20-10, JETS. FIRST-AND-10 THROW AND WEATHERS CAN'T GET TO THE BALL, WRONG SIDE OF HIM, AS THE JETS CONTINUE TO PRESSURE KOSAR. ON SECOND AND 10, KOSAR STANDS IN. AND AGAIN HE'S OFF THE MARK. WEATHERS. EITHER IT WAS A MISCONNECTION SOMEWHERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE WHEN HE TURNS IN, KOSAR THROWS OUT. >> VERY UNUSUAL FOR THE CLEVELAND OFFENSE, TOO. NORMALLY VERY MUCH IN SYNC. >> AND A VERY BIG DOWN NOW COMES UP FOR CLEVELAND. THIRD DOWN AND THE BROWNS NEED 10. LANGHORNE TURNS UPFIELD, AND HE MIGHT HAVE FOUGHT HIS WAY AHEAD. LET'S SEE WHERE THEY SPOT THE BALL. THEY'RE GONNA SPOT IT JUST SHORT, AT THE 43-YARD LINE. HE STAYS IN BOUNDS. SO, THE CLOCK KEEPS RUNNING. >> YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S DOWN INSIDE OF 3:00 TO PLAY. >> THE ONE THING THE JETS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO ALL DAY LONG IS KEEP KOSAR FROM GETTING THE BALL DEEP AND ALSO GETTING THE BALL IN THE INTERMEDIATE AREAS. THE JETS ARE GOING WITH 6 DBs, AND THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN THROW IT IS OUT THERE IN THE FLAT. AND THE JETS ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE UP THAT COMPLETION. NOW, DON, I DON'T THINK THE BROWNS HAVE TAKEN A TIME-OUT HERE. THEY WILL MEASURE, AND ONCE THE CHAINS COME BACK TO THIS SIDE, BEN DREITH WILL WIND THE CLOCK, AND THE CLOCK WILL CONTINUE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] IT IS A FIRST DOWN. >> THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN THIS GAME -- WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE AN OVERMATCH IN CLEVELAND'S FAVOR COMING IN, THEIR PASSING GAME AGAINST THE 28th-RANKED PASS DEFENSE IN THE NFL, THAT OF THE JETS -- THE BROWNS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO HIT THE DEEP BALL. JETS PLAYING WAY BACK IN A ZONE NOW, AS KOSAR STANDS IN. FIRES DOWNFIELD. LANGHORNE MAKES THE CATCH. GETS OUT OF BOUNDS AT THE JETS' SIDE OF THE FIELD. HE'S DOWN TO THE 45-YARD LINE. JERRY HOLMES KNOCKED HIM OUT OF BOUNDS WITH 2:52 LEFT TO PLAY. >> THAT PREVENT DEFENSE NOW THAT THE JETS ARE USING -- THE ONLY YARDAGE THEY'RE PROTECTING IS THE YARDAGE BEHIND THE DEFENSIVE BACKS. YOU'LL GIVE UP THE COMPLETIONS IN FRONT, LEADING BY 10. THE CLOCK IS YOUR ALLY. THE BROWNS STILL HAVE 3 TIME-OUTS LEFT. JUST KEEP THROWING IT OUT THERE AND KEEP TAKING IT DOWN THE FIELD. >> EVERY DOWN HE HAS TO THROW. GASTINEAU COMING FROM AN UPRIGHT STANCE ON THE RUSH. KOSAR LOOPS DOWNFIELD TO BRIAN BRENNAN, WHO'S DOWN TO THE 22-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] AND THE BROWNS QUICKLY SPRINT DOWNFIELD AND GO INTO ALIGNMENT WITHOUT A HUDDLE. 23-YARD GAIN TO BRENNAN. >> NO REASON TO CALL A TIME-OUT HERE. 2:36, 2:33, AND TICKING. YOU GOT ONE BUILT-IN TIME-OUT WITH THAT 2:00 WARNING. >> BROWNS NEED A TOUCHDOWN, AN EXTRA POINT, AND A FIELD GOAL JUST TO TIE. THROW AND A CATCH BY BRIAN BRENNAN! AND HE'S DOWNED AT THE 3-YARD LINE, AS WE'RE DOWN TO 2:15 TO PLAY. AND THE BROWNS CALL A TIME-OUT WITH FIRST AND GOAL COMING UP. 2:14 TO GO. 20-10, JETS. CURTIS DICKEY. DIDN'T GET IN. BUT HE'S CLOSE, AND THE CLOCK RUNS. IT'LL GO DOWN TO THE 2:00 WARNING. >> HE WANTS TO GET -- HE CAN'T GET ANOTHER PLAY OFF BEFORE THE 2:00 WARNING. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] >> SO, THE CLOCK IS STOPPED WITH 2:00 TO PLAY, WITH THE BROWNS 1 YARD AWAY FROM A TOUCHDOWN. THEY NEED 10 POINTS TO TIE. >> ONCE AGAIN, RICKEY BOLDEN IS NUMBER 77. NEAR SIDE. HE'S AN INELIGIBLE NUMBER PLAYING AN ELIGIBLE SPOT. >> KEVIN MACK MIGHT BE SLANTING TO THE RIGHT SIDE, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE JET DEFENSE. KEVIN MACK IS IN STANDING UP. LEAD BLOCKER WAS EVERETT, AND NOW IT IS A 20-16 GAME, 1:57 TO PLAY. THE EXTRA POINT COMING UP. >> AND NOW THOSE 2 MISSED FIELD GOALS BY MARK MOSELEY REALLY LARGE. GOOD JOB HERE BY THE OFFENSIVE LINE. EXCELLENT LEAD BLOCK BY EVERETT ON KYLE CLIFTON, AND KEVIN MACK GOES IN FOR THE SCORE. ONE THING ABOUT THE BROWNS -- THEY WERE KNOWN A FEW YEARS AGO AS THE "KARDIAC KIDS." NOBODY'S LEFT TODAY. >> MOSELEY HITS THE EXTRA POINT, AND THAT WAS A VERY BIG ONE. BROWNS, IF THEY CAN GET THE BALL BACK AND GET IN FIELD-GOAL RANGE, COULD SEND IT TO OVERTIME. BUT THAT'S A LONG WAY OFF. SO FAR, IT'S BEEN A MAJOR UPSET. JETS LEADING 20-17. >> DON, LET ME MAKE THIS COMMENT ABOUT MARK MOSELEY. WITH ALL HIS EXPERIENCE, IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR A STRAIGHT-AHEAD KICKER TO EXECUTE A GOOD ONSIDE KICK THAN IT IS A SIDEWINDER. HE'S GOT TO GET THE BALL ON THE GROUND, OR THEY CAN FAIR-CATCH IT. >> LOOK AT THIS, HOW THEY DO IT. ISN'T THAT SOMETHING? IT'S DOWNFIELD, BUT A SURE-HANDED JET TAKES THE BALL AT THE 45-YARD LINE OF CLEVELAND. >> MARION BARBER, THEIR BEST SPECIAL-TEAMS PLAYER. >> JUST LIKE A SHORTSTOP -- SCOOPED IT UP ON THREE HOPS. SO, THE GAMBLE DID NOT COME CLOSE TO A VICTORY FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. EVERYBODY LOVES A GAMBLER TILL HE LOSES, AND THE JETS JUST WON BIG THERE. >> FANS IN CLEVELAND STADIUM STAYING, HOPING AGAINST HOPE THAT SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENS. IF THE JETS HANG ONTO THE FOOTBALL, BROWNS HAVE 2 TIME-OUTS LEFT. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> 1:57 TO GO. RIGHT TO THE RUN TO FREEMAN McNEIL. THROWN DOWN FOR A LOSS AT THE 48. THE BROWNS CALL A TIME-OUT. SECOND DOWN AND 13 COMES UP. BROWNS TEED OFF AND READY TO COME NOW. THEY'VE GOT TO GET THE BALL BACK. STRAIGHT-AHEAD CARRY, AND THE BROWNS RUN IN AND CALL THEIR FINAL TIME-OUT. THEY'RE OUT OF TIME-OUTS WITH 1:48 TO PLAY. THIRD DOWN COMES UP NOW FOR THE JETS, AND THEY NEED 10. BROWNS ARE POWERLESS TO STOP THE CLOCK. THEY'RE OUT OF TIME-OUTS. JETS HAVE ALL 3 REMAINING. THAT'S THE LAST THING THEY WANT TO DO, THOUGH, STOP IT. QUARTERBACK DRAW. DIDN'T GET THERE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] O'BRIEN IS DOWN AT THE 48-YARD LINE. AND THAT STOPPED THE CLOCK AT LEAST MOMENTARILY. >> THE JETS MADE A MISTAKE THERE. ANY SACK IN THE LAST 2 MINUTES OF A HALF OR THE GAME, AND THE CLOCK STOPS UNTIL THEY RESET THE BALL. IF THEY'D HAVE RUN THE BALL, THEY'D HAVE RUN MORE TIME OFF THE CLOCK. NOW IT'S RESET. 1:40 AND TICKING. THEY'LL TAKE 30 SECONDS. THE BROWNS ARE GONNA GET ABOUT A MINUTE TO TRY TO GET IT IN THE END ZONE, BUT THE FIRST THING THEY GOT TO DO IS TRY TO BLOCK THIS PUNT. >> SO, FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS. WE'RE GOING DOWN TO THE FINAL GUN AT CLEVELAND. McNEIL IS BACK TO RETURN THE PUNT. JENNINGS STEPS ONTO THE FIELD. HE'LL HIT IT FROM ABOUT HIS 40-YARD LINE. GAME CLOCK DOWN TO 1:16 AS YOU SEE. BROWNS COMING HARD. THEY DON'T GET TO IT. END-OVER-END PUNT. IT TAKES A HOP DOWN INSIDE THE 10, AND SO BERNIE KOSAR AND THE BROWNS WITH A HUGE HOLE TO GET OUT. THERE IS A PENALTY MARKER DOWN, THOUGH. >> I THINK IT'S HOLDING AGAINST THE JETS. >> 1:03 TO PLAY. >> IT'S HOLDING AGAINST THE JETS. THAT'LL COST THEM 10 YARDS. MAKE THEM KICK IT AGAIN. [ CROWD CHEERS ] HOLDING AGAINST THE JETS. >> WELL, EVERYTHING THE BROWNS HAVE IN THEIR BAG OF TRICKS IS GONNA COME OUT NOW. THEY'VE GOT TO GET DOWNFIELD INTO FIELD-GOAL RANGE. REMEMBER, MARK MOSELEY'S THEIR KICKER. IT IS AN UNUSUAL WIND FOR CLEVELAND. THEY'LL BE GOING TOWARDS THE CLOSED END OF CLEVELAND STADIUM. >> THAT'S 10 YARDS, AND IT'S FOURTH DOWN. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> THEY'RE SETTING UP A RETURN, DON. >> AND THIS IS A GUY THAT'S ALREADY BROUGHT ONE BACK THE DISTANCE THIS YEAR. McNEIL FROM HIS 22. HE'S OUT TO THE 32-YARD LINE. AND SO, WITH 53 SECONDS TO PLAY, THE BROWNS SEND OUT THEIR OFFENSE. KOSAR HAS BEEN INTERCEPTED TWICE. THE JETS HAVE NOT TURNED OVER THE BALL IN THIS GAME. LONG BALL, BRIAN BRENNAN! TIPPED AWAY. PENALTY MARKER AT THE 42-YARD LINE! [ CROWD CHEERS ] AND THE CLOCK IS STOPPED ON THE FLAG WITH 47 SECONDS TO PLAY. THE BROWNS DOWN BY 3, ABOUT 15 YARDS FROM FIELD-GOAL RANGE. >> CARL HOWARD. HE'D HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF IF HE GRABBED BRENNAN. THE PUSH -- THEY GET THE ENTIRE YARDAGE AT THE POINT WHERE THE FLAG IS THROWN. IF HE PULLS HIM TO THE GROUND, IT'S A 10-YARD PENALTY. THAT ENDS UP BEING A 26-YARD PLAY. >> 26-YARD PENALTY. SO, NOW THE PRESSURE'S ON THE JETS, AS THE BROWNS COME OUT OF THE HUDDLE, THE HEAVY FAVORITE IN THIS GAME. IF THEY COULD COME BACK AND SOMEHOW WIN IT, THEY'D HAVE THE HOME FIELD FOR THE AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. RIGHT NOW LOOKING TO GET IN FIELD-GOAL RANGE. KOSAR BACKPEDALING, LONG BALL. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. HE'S GOT THE BALL! HE'S DOWN TO THE 5-YARD LINE! AND THE BROWNS HAVE INDEED A CHANCE TO WIN IT! >> CLOCK GOES. 35, 34. THEY GOT TO GET SET UP. THROW THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS AND STOP THE CLOCK. QUIT CELEBRATING! >> THEY'RE GONNA CONGRATULATE THEMSELVES RIGHT OUT OF A FOOTBALL GAME. >> 24 SECONDS, 23. THROW THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS. THROW THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA GO TO OVERTIME UNLESS THIS GOES IN. TIPPED AWAY AT THE LAST MOMENT. SLAUGHTER WAS OPEN. AND WE'RE DOWN TO 11 SECONDS. SO, THE BROWNS HAVE A CHANCE TO THROW IT AGAIN. BUT THEY REALLY CELEBRATED THEIR WAY OUT OF AT LEAST ONE PLAY, MAYBE TWO. >> ABSOLUTELY. GUYS FROM THE BENCH WERE FILING OUT ON THE FIELD. THIS IS THE GUTTY BERNIE KOSAR. HE THROWS IT TO WEBSTER SLAUGHTER, AND ACTUALLY RUSSELL CARTER HAS PRETTY GOOD COVERAGE ON IT. BUT SLAUGHTER, WHO HAS DROPPED SEVERAL PASSES TODAY, MAKES THE BIG CATCH. THEY'RE GOING FOR THE FIELD GOAL ON THIS DOWN. 11 SECONDS LEFT. >> SNAP AND SET DOWN. KICK ON THE WAY. >> REMARKABLE. >> IT'S UP AND GOOD, AND THE BROWNS, WITH 7 SECONDS TO PLAY, RALLY BACK AND TIE GAME, AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO OVERTIME, BARRING A KICK RETURN FOR A SCORE BY THE JETS. >> AND I'LL TELL YOU. IF CLEVELAND WINS THIS FOOTBALL GAME, THESE FANS WILL SPEND THE NIGHT IN THIS STADIUM. >> LINE-DRIVE KICK. JO-JO TOWNSELL, IF HE DOESN'T BRING IT BACK THE DISTANCE, WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME. HE'S NOT DONE TILL HE GETS TO 39, BUT THAT'LL DO IT. THE BROWNS RALLY BACK FROM 10 POINTS BEHIND IN THE FOURTH QUARTER TO TIE THE GAME, AND WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME AT CLEVELAND. HERE'S THE COIN TOSS NOW. >> CALL IT IN THE AIR. >> TAILS! >> TAILS. >> YEAH! >> JETS GET IT. >> FREEMAN McNEIL HAS BEEN THE PRIME MOVER FOR THE JETS ON OFFENSE TODAY. HIS 25-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN SEEMINGLY WON THE GAME, BUT THEN THE BROWNS RALLIED FROM 10 POINTS BEHIND. THEY HAVE NOW TIED THE GAME. WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME. DON CRIQUI WITH BOB TRUMPY AT CLEVELAND STADIUM, WHERE THEY'RE UP AND SHOUTING. AGAIN, THE JUBILATION IS BACK INTO THIS CLEVELAND CROWD THAT WAS REALLY DEFLATED AFTER THE JETS, THE BIG UNDERDOG, TOOK THE 10-POINT FOURTH-QUARTER LEAD. >> DON, IT ALWAYS SEEMS, TOO, THAT THE TEAM THAT SCORES LAST IN REGULATION TO TIE THE SCORE GOES INTO THE OVERTIME WITH MOMENTUM. THAT CERTAINLY FAVORS CLEVELAND. >> PERCENTAGES ARE WITH THE COIN-TOSS WINNER, AND THAT WAS THE JETS. THEY'LL GET THE BALL TO START OVERTIME. TOWNSELL FROM THE 15. AND HE'S OUT TO THE 34-YARD LINE. TRAVIS TUCKER MADE THE STOP FOR CLEVELAND. UNBELIEVABLE EMOTIONAL LEVEL HERE AT CLEVELAND, AS THE FANS ARE UP AND CHANTING, EXHORTING THE DEFENSE TO GET IT BACK. KEN O'BRIEN, NEW QUARTERBACK SINCE PAT RYAN WAS INJURED EARLIER. OUT PATTERN. AND WALKER LOOKED THE WRONG WAY. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 10 FOR THE JETS. >> IN CASE YOU TUNED IN LATE -- PAT RYAN ON THE BENCH BECAUSE OF A PULLED GROIN. YARDS PASSING -- KOSAR OVER 400 YARDS, ALMOST DOUBLE THE YARDAGE FOR THE BROWNS OVER THE JETS. >> KEN O'BRIEN, ONE OF THE RISING SUPERSTARS OF THE NFL BEFORE HE AND THE JETS WENT INTO THAT 5-GAME SLUMP. NOW HAS TO RISE TO HIS PEAK FORM AGAIN. SECOND DOWN AND 10. McNEIL. NOTHING. DOWNED AT THE 31. [ CROWD CHEERS ] REGGIE CAMP AND BOB GOLIC GET HIM. >> CAMP HAS MANHANDLED GORDON KING TODAY. BEEN THERE FOR AN AWFUL LOT OF TACKLES. >> BROWN DEFENSE HAS STUFFED THE JETS THE LAST TWO POSSESSIONS PRIOR TO THIS, YOU'LL REMEMBER, TO SET UP THE SCORE -- THE TOUCHDOWN TO BRING THEM WITHIN 3. AND THEN THEY STOPPED THE JETS AFTER A FAILED ONSIDE KICK AND GOT THE BALL BACK AGAIN FOR THE TYING FIELD GOAL. AND NOW THIRD DOWN AND 14. >> McNEIL. >> SWING PASS TO McNEIL. PUTS A MOVE ON, BUT AN OPEN-FIELD STOP IS MADE AT THE 41-YARD LINE. MARK HARPER CAME UP TO MAKE THE PLAY. >> OH, WAS THAT A TACKLE. McNEIL WAS ALMOST BY MARK HARPER. THIS IS THE OUTLET RECEIVER. NOW WATCH THIS TACKLE. McNEIL MAKES ONE, TWO MOVES. WHOA, THAT'S A TACKLE. >> SO, THE BROWNS WILL GET THE BALL IN OVERTIME. WE'RE A MINUTE AND A HALF INTO OVERTIME. 20-20, JETS AND THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. THE WINNER TO GO TO THE AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. RETURN MAN, McNEIL, HAS TO LET IT ROLL, AND IT DIES AT THE 26-YARD LINE. 33-YARD PUNT BY JENNINGS, AND HERE COMES BERNIE KOSAR AND THE BROWNS. THEIR OFFENSE STYMIED MUCH OF THE DAY BY AN EXCELLENT DEFENSIVE EFFORT BY THE JETS. THEN, IN THOSE LAST TWO DRIVES, WHEN THE BROWNS HAD TO HAVE IT, KOSAR GAVE IT TO THEM. >> KOSAR HAS THROWN 2 INTERCEPTIONS. HIS 54 ATTEMPTS TODAY -- THE MOST IN HIS CAREER. AND HE'S PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON IN THE STADIUM WHO WILL ASK FOR QUIET AND GET IT. >> FIRST DOWN. THROW AND A CATCH TO FONTENOT. HE'S AHEAD FOR A GAIN OF 7, OUT TO THE 32-YARD LINE. INSIDE LINEBACKER KEVIN McARTHUR A COMEBACK STORY, A FREE AGENT WHO'S KNOWN A LOT OF FREEDOM. HE WAS CUT 3 TIMES BY THE JETS AND ONCE BY THE RAIDERS. NOW A STARTING PLAYER. MADE THE STOP, AND NOW KOSAR AND THE BROWNS COME OUT WHERE THE BALL IS SPOTTED. IT'S A SECOND-AND-4 PLAY. GASTINEAU IN. HE'LL RUSH THE PASSER FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN, LOWER LEFT. HAND-OFF TO MACK, AND HE BREAKS AHEAD. VERY CLOSE TO A FIRST DOWN. KEVIN MACK GAINS ABOUT 4 YARDS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE MAYBE CLOSE ENOUGH TO MEASURE. >> MARTY LYONS ON THE TACKLE. EACH TEAM GETS 2 TIME-OUTS. THIS IS ACTUALLY A PERFECT SITUATION FOR CLEVELAND. THEY'RE A MOVE-THE-CHAINS TYPE OF OFFENSE -- A LITTLE HERE, A LITTLE THERE. IT'S IN THE HANDS OF LINDY INFANTE, THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR OF THE BROWNS, AND BUD CARSON, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR OF THE JETS. >> KOSAR ON FIRST DOWN. HE LOADS. IT'S INCOMPLETE AT THE 42-YARD LINE OF NEW YORK. RECEIVER MIGHT HAVE LOST HIS FOOTING. REGGIE LANGHORNE. AS MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER -- MAYBE HE DIDN'T THINK THE BROWNS WERE GONE, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE HERE DID, AS THE 25-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN BY FREEMAN McNEIL GAVE THE JETS A 10-POINT FOURTH-QUARTER LEAD. BUT THE BROWNS CAME BACK, AND NOW WE'RE IN OVERTIME. >> LANGHORNE, WIDE OPEN IN THAT ZONE COVERAGE. LOOKS LIKE THE JETS ARE GOING WITH THAT EXCLUSIVELY. THEY GOT ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX DBs IN THE BALLGAME. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A FOOTBALL WAS THE LAST TIME THE BROWNS WON A PLAYOFF GAME. THAT WAS IN 1969. NOT WON A CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE '64. OVER-THE-MIDDLE THROW. A CATCH IS MADE BY FONTENOT, WHO WON'T SAY NO. AND FONTENOT GOES OUT TO THE 46-YARD LINE. AND THE BROWNS INCH CLOSER, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE STILL WAY, WAY OUT OF FIELD-GOAL RANGE. >> BROKE THE TACKLE OF LESTER LYLES. BROWNS GOING WITH A LOT OF UNDERNEATH STUFF NOW. IT DIDN'T WORK FOR FOUR QUARTERS, OR ALMOST FOUR QUARTERS. NOW, SUDDENLY, IT IS. THIRD DOWN AND SHORT. DICKEY, 33, BOLDEN, 77, AND HARRY HOLT IN THE BALLGAME. KOSAR NOW 28-OF-57, CAREER-HIGH 428 YARDS. >> 80,000 FILL THIS CAVERNOUS STADIUM. THEY'RE STANDING NOW AS THE BROWNS LOOK TO PUT UP AN OVERTIME DRIVE THAT WOULD GIVE THEM VICTORY. THROW AND A CATCH, AND KEVIN MACK, WHO HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE DROPPING THE BALL IN THE SECOND HALF, GOES BELOW HIS KNEES TO MAKE A FIRST-DOWN RECEPTION. AND THE BROWNS CROSS MIDFIELD. WE'RE NOW 4:15 INTO OVERTIME. AND WE'LL PLAY UNTIL SOMEBODY WINS IT. IT'S 20-20. KOSAR TO MACK. LINEBACKERS BACK DEEP IN ZONE COVERAGE. IT'S WIDE OPEN UNDERNEATH, AND THE BROWNS HIT FOR 10 MORE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> THE BROWNS, DON, HAVE PLAYED TWO OVERTIME GAMES IN 1986. THEY WERE IN BACK-TO-BACK WEEKS. THEY BEAT PITTSBURGH HERE IN CLEVELAND, 37-31. BEAT HOUSTON IN HOUSTON, 13-10. TAKING THE OUTLET RECEIVER AND VERY, VERY CONSERVATIVE AND VERY PROTECTIVE OF THAT FOOTBALL, HOPING TO GIVE MOSELEY A CHANCE. >> SECOND DOWN AND LESS THAN A YARD FOR CLEVELAND. KEVIN MACK THE LONE SET BACK. JETS COME WITH A BLITZ. BROWNS PICK IT UP NICELY. LONG BALL. MAN IS OPEN, FONTENOT! HE'S GOT THE BALL AT THE 5-YARD LINE! IT'S LANGHORNE. REGGIE LANGHORNE BEATS THE CORNER DEEP, A 35-YARD GAINER. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> JERRY HOLMES, MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE. WE DOCUMENTED EARLY HOW ACCURATE BERNIE KOSAR IS WHEN HE THROWS THE BALL DEEP. HE'S NOT PRETTY, BUT HE PUTS ENOUGH AIR UNDER THAT LANGHORNE CAN ADJUST TO IT. AND THEY BRING MOSELEY IN, TAKING NO CHANCES. >> I THINK EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THE FAILURE OF ONE OF THE NFL's BEST TEAMS, THE RAIDERS. AGAINST THE EAGLES, THEY HAD A CHANCE TO KICK A FIELD GOAL LATE. ELECTED TO TRY ONE MORE PLAY. IT WAS TURNED INTO A HUGE FUMBLE RECOVERY/RETURN FOR A TOUCHDOWN AND A DEFEAT. >> NO RED RIGHT 88 HERE IN CLEVELAND STADIUM. >> THEY'RE GONNA PUT IT RIGHT UP. THIS WILL END IT. >> NO! >> AND IT'S NO GOOD! THE JETS WILL GET THE BALL BACK AT THEIR 20! MOSELEY MISSED A SURE SHOT. SNAP AND HOLD WERE GOOD. AND THE KICK WAS JUST OFFLINE. SO, THE BROWNS, WHO HAD A CHANCE TO WIN IT, NOW WILL HAVE TO GO ON DEFENSE, AS THE JETS GET IT BACK. >> HE'S MISSED 3 TODAY, THAT ONE FROM 23 YARDS. AND MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER SAYS, "OH." >> WE MIGHT BE HAVING ANOTHER SAN DIEGO/MIAMI GAME OF A FEW YEARS AGO. >> HE KNOWS IMMEDIATELY HE MISSES IT. >> SO, NOW THE JETS GET ANOTHER CHANCE. PLAY FAKE. O'BRIEN GOING DEEP. NOW HE SWINGS IT OUT. THE BALL IS CAUGHT BY SHULER OUT TO THE 27-YARD LINE. THE JETS SEEMINGLY WERE GONE. A SURE-SHOT FIELD GOAL, ALMOST POINT BLANK FOR MARK MOSELEY, AND HE JUST PUSHED IT OFF TO THE RIGHT. LOOK AT THE MISSES TODAY. THEY'VE BEEN EXPENSIVE. THIS 15-YEAR VETERAN, THE REDSKINS' ALL-TIME-SCORING LEADER, WHO WAS WAIVED BY THEM THIS SUMMER. PICKED UP WHEN MATT BAHR, THE NORMAL CLEVELAND KICKER, WENT DOWN WITH A SERIOUS KNEE INJURY IN AN OVERTIME VICTORY OVER THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS IN THE REGULAR SEASON. O'BRIEN LOOKS. THROWS AND AL TOON MAKES THE CATCH, AND HE'S OUT TO THE 38-YARD LINE. EVERY THROW IS A DARE NOW, BECAUSE A TURNOVER IN THEIR END WOULD BE CRITICAL FOR THE JETS. 7:55 TO PLAY IN THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD. THE EMOTIONS OF THIS CROWD BACK AND FORTH. THEY'RE ALL UP AND STANDING. THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD IT WON. NOW THE JETS ARE DRIVING. FIRST DOWN FOR THE JETS AT THEIR 38. FREE BALL. IT'S INCOMPLETE. INCOMPLETE PASS. >> SAM CLANCY TIPPED IT. REGGIE CAMP ALMOST CAUGHT THAT BALL BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND. PRESSURE WILL COME. THERE YOU SEE HAIRSTON, 78, IN THERE, AND 91, SAM CLANCY, AT 6'7", GETS HIS HAND UP, AND CAMP ALMOST CATCHES THE BALL THERE. THAT BALL STAYS UP IN THE AIR FOR QUITE A WHILE. WATCH CAMP. IT'S RIGHT IN HIS CHEST, AND HE LETS IT GET AWAY. >> NOW SECOND DOWN AND 10 FOR THE JETS. 20-20. WE'RE IN OVERTIME. SACKED AT THE 32-YARD LINE, THE EIGHTH SACK FOR THE CLEVELAND DEFENSE. AND UNLESS O'BRIEN HITS A BIG PASS HERE, THE BROWNS WILL GET IT BACK AGAIN IN RELATIVELY GOOD FIELD POSITION, ASSUMING THE PUNT IS OFF. >> CARL HAIRSTON WITH THAT SACK. BUD CARSON, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, STILL ORCHESTRATING WHAT HE WANTS HIS DEFENSE TO DO. NO TIME HERE FOR O'BRIEN. HE'S FLUSHED BY GOLIC, 79, AND HAIRSTON MAKES THE SACK. CLOCK STOPS. THEY RESET. CLOCK NOW RUNNING. 7:20. THIRD DOWN AND 17. >> WE'RE IN OVERTIME, BUT IN THE PLAYOFFS, THEY KEEP GOING TILL WE GET A WINNER. FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD IS NOW 8 MINUTES OLD. THIRD DOWN AND 16 FOR THE JETS. AS THE BROWNS WERE IN A DEEP ZONE, NOT WANTING TO RISK A TURNOVER WITH A DEEP THROW, THEY GO ON A DRAW TO TONY PAIGE, WHO ONLY AVERAGES 2.3 YARDS A RUSH. SO, THE JETS PLAYING PERCENTAGE FOOTBALL. THEY WANT TO PUNT THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD, MAKE THE BROWNS GO THE LONG FIELD, WHICH THEY DID TWICE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER TO COME FROM BEHIND FROM 10 POINTS DOWN TO TIE THE GAME AT 20-ALL. >> DON, I'M NOT SURE, THOUGH, THE JETS IN THIS OVERTIME PERIOD HAVE MADE ANY ATTEMPT WHATSOEVER TO WIN THE GAME. THEY'VE BEEN VERY, VERY CONSERVATIVE, CHOOSING NOT TO TURN THE BALL OVER. THE BROWNS HAVE THROWN THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD A LITTLE BIT. >> OFF-THE-SIDE-OF-THE-FOOT KICK, AND HERE COMES McNEIL FROM HIS 32. DOWNED AT THE 37, AND KOSAR AND THE BROWNS COME BACK OUT. 30-YARD PUNT, A 17-YARD RETURN. >> THERE'S AN ILLEGAL MAN DOWNFIELD FOR THE JETS. I THINK THE BROWNS OUGHT TO TAKE THE BALL. THEY'LL GET IT AT THEIR OWN 38-YARD LINE. >> THEY BUY THAT. THEY'RE LISTENING TO YOU. SEND THEIR OFFENSE OUT. >> HAVE WE MISSED ANYTHING IN THIS FOOTBALL GAME? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S NOT HAPPENED TODAY? >> SO, THE BROWNS TRY AGAIN TO WIN IT WHEN WE COME BACK. IN 1981, IN THAT GAME WITH THE RAIDERS, IT WAS ONE PASS TOO MANY. TODAY, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE PASS TOO FEW, AS THE BROWNS ELECTED TO GO FOR THE FIELD GOAL AT THE 5-YARD LINE OF THE JETS' ON SECOND DOWN, AND MOSELEY PUSHED IT TO THE RIGHT. AND THE BROWNS MISS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO END THE GAME, ONE THAT THEY TRAILED IN BY 10 POINTS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. SO, NOW WITH THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD SHOWING 6:16 TO PLAY, WE'RE ALMOST 9 MINUTES INTO OVERTIME, AND THE BROWNS HAVE IT BACK AFTER A JET PUNT. AND CLEVELAND WILL START FIRST AND 10 AT THEIR 38-YARD LINE. KEN O'BRIEN WAITS FOR ANOTHER SHOT AT IT. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GO BACK DOWNFIELD DEEP, AND I THINK KOSAR'S ABOUT READY TO. HE'S REALLY MOVED THEM WITH DOWNFIELD THROWS LAST THREE POSSESSIONS. HE LOVES THE LONG BALL. HAS EVER SINCE HE LED MIAMI TO THAT UPSET OF NEBRASKA FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE '84 ORANGE BOWL. HANDS OFF. >> FUMBLE. >> FREE BALL! BROWNS SEEM TO HAVE IT. LOOKED LIKE THE BROWNS GOT IT BACK, AND WITH IT, A 4-YARD GAIN. BALL ON THE FIELD. BEEN NO FUMBLES YET TODAY THAT HAVE BEEN RECOVERED BY THE OPPOSITION. THIRD FUMBLE FOR THE BROWNS, BUT NONE LOST. >> THE JETS ARE GOING WITH SIX DEFENSIVE BACKS. THERE'S ONE GUY ASSIGNED TO KEVIN MACK, AND IT'S BOB CRABLE. AND CRABLE, NUMBER 50, THERE TO MAKE THE TACKLE. 99, GASTINEAU, KNOCKS THE BALL LOOSE, BUT PAUL FARREN COMES UP TO RECOVERY, AND THEY GAIN 4 YARDS. >> MIKE BAAB DOWN OVER THE BALL AT CENTER. WAS NOT THOUGHT HE'D PLAY. STALWART IN THE OFFENSIVE LINE OF CLEVELAND, BUT ON THIS BIG GAME DAY, HE'S GONE THE DISTANCE ON INTO OVERTIME. LEADS THE BLOCK NOW AS MACK TAKES IT STRAIGHT AHEAD. ON SECOND DOWN AND 6, HE DRIVES OUT TO THE CLEVELAND 47-YARD LINE. THEY'RE GOING FOR BONUS IN THIS GAME. IT COULD BE THE LONGEST IN NFL HISTORY BEFORE IT'S OVER. THE LONGEST ON RECORD IS THE 1971 GAME, PLAYOFF GAME BETWEEN THE CHIEFS AND THE MIAMI DOLPHINS AT KANSAS CITY, WHICH GARO YEPREMIAN ENDED WITH A SECOND-PERIOD-OF-OVERTIME FIELD GOAL. WE'RE OVER 10 MINUTES INTO OVERTIME. THIRD DOWN. THE BROWNS NEED 2. FONTENOT DIDN'T GET THERE, AND CLEVELAND WILL PUNT IT. CANNOT RISK GOING ON FOURTH DOWN AND TURNING THE BALL OVER TO THE JETS ON THE CLEVELAND SIDE OF THE FIELD. >> MARTY LYONS THERE MAKES THE TACKLE. THE BROWNS WERE TRYING TO FOOL THE JETS THERE A LITTLE BIT. THEY HAD THEIR SPREAD OFFENSE IN THERE BUT GO WITH THE SWEEP TO COMBINATION RUNNING BACK/ WIDE RECEIVER HERMAN FONTENOT. SCOTT NICOLAS NOW THE SNAPPER. YOU CONSIDER EVERY FACTOR OF EVERY PLAY. GOOD SNAP NEEDED HERE TO GOSSETT. IT IS. >> WELL-HIT DOWNFIELD. KURT SOHN SIGNALS FOR A FAIR CATCH, AND THE JETS START OUT AGAIN, AT THEIR 19-YARD LINE, AS WE NOW HAVE 4:06 REMAINING IN THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD, AND WE REMAIN TIED AT 20. >> DON, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE NOW IF THE JETS MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD, AS PAT RYAN WATCHES FROM THE BENCH. KEN O'BRIEN IS STARTING. I DON'T THINK THE BROWNS WILL COME WITH THE BLITZ. I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH INDIVIDUAL, MAN-ON-MAN PERFORMANCE, AND THE JETS HAVE GOT TO TRY TO GET THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD HERE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] >> FIRST DOWN. McNEIL. AND THE BROWNS ARE GIVING HIM NOTHING BUT A LOT OF PAIN AS FREEMAN McNEIL IS SWEPT UNDER BACK AT THE 12-YARD LINE. >> DON, I THINK REGGIE CAMP GRABBED A HOLD OF THE FACE MASK OF FREEMAN McNEIL. HE GOT UP EXPECTING TO SEE A FLAG, AND THERE WAS NONE. WATCH WHAT HAPPENS HERE. CAMP COMES STRAIGHT DOWN THE LINE. SEE IF HE GETS HIS HAND ON THE FACE MASK. HE DOES. AND McNEIL KIND OF STOPS. YOU CAN HIM MOTIONING TO THE OFFICIAL BUT THERE'S NO FLAG. A LOSS OF 5 YARDS ON THE PLAY, SECOND AND 15. >> McNEIL HAS LOST 12 YARDS IN HIS LAST 3 CARRIES, AS RIGHT NOW, ON SECOND AND 15, O'BRIEN STANDS IN. READY TO UNLOAD. HE DUMPS IT OFF. FREEMAN McNEIL GETS OUT OF BOUNDS AT ABOUT THE 24-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERS ] EACH TEAM DOES HAVE A COUPLE OF TIME-OUTS IF THEY WANT TO STOP IT. TWO TIME-OUTS IN OVERTIME. O'BRIEN, IN TROUBLE, IS SWEPT UNDER. SAM CLANCY. >> NINE SACKS FOR THE BROWNS. >> A FORMER BASKETBALL STAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, WHO HAS REALLY COME ON AS A DEFENSIVE END. AND HE PUTS THE HEAT ON KEN O'BRIEN. AND NOW THE BROWNS ARE GONNA GET A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, AS THE JETS HAVE TO PUNT FROM THEIR OWN END. >> JETS ARE NOW 2-OF-18 ON THIRD DOWNS FOR THE GAME. NINE SACKS ALLOWED. GERALD McNEIL STANDING AT HIS OWN 48. IF HE CATCHES THE PUNT, THE BROWNS WILL HAVE GREAT FIELD POSITION. >> BIG HIT DOWNFIELD BY JENNINGS. THE BALL TAKES A BIG JET BOUNCE, AND SO JENNINGS, WHEN THE JETS NEEDED IT MOST, GETS OFF HIS BEST OF THE DAY, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE 31-YARD LINE OF CLEVELAND, A 55-YARD PUNT WITH NO RETURN. >> AND McNEIL HAS GOT TO CATCH THAT PUNT. >> THE FAIR-CATCH SIGNAL BUT LET IT ROLL. SO, INSTEAD OF THE GOOD FIELD POSITION THE BROWNS THOUGHT THEY'D GET, THEY HAVE TO GO THE LONG FIELD AGAIN FROM THEIR 31, FIRST DOWN AND 10, AS WE'RE NOW 12 1/2 MINUTES INTO OVERTIME. >> WHAT'S THE LIMIT HERE? THE JETS ARE PLAYING LIKE WORLD BEATERS. BUT THE CLEVELAND BROWNS HAVE DONE THE BEST JOB OFFENSIVELY. IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WALTON'S IDEA IS TRY TO GET THE TURNOVER BY THE DEFENSE. DON'T TURN IT OVER ON YOUR OFFENSE. KOSAR, THE QUARTERBACK WHO CAME OF AGE IN HIS FIRST YEAR IN THE NFL, DIRECTING HIS TEAM TO A DIVISIONAL TITLE. NOW THE PRESSURE ON HIM. HE'S GONNA GO TO THE RUN ON FIRST DOWN, THOUGH, AS A PENALTY MARKER -- EXPENSIVE FOUL AGAINST THE JETS. LYLES IS CAUGHT WITH HIS HAND ON THE MASK OF KEVIN MACK. >> LESTER LYLES GRABBED A HOLD OF THE FACE MASK. IT LOOKED LIKE KEVIN MACK WAS GIVING HIM A STIFF-ARM. THREE FLAGS CAME IN. ALMOST OFFSETTING FACE-MASK PENALTIES. BUT THEY CALL IT ON THE JETS. WE'LL SEE IF IT'S INADVERTENT. IF IT IS, IT'S 5 YARDS. >> THAT'S A 5-YARD PENALTY. [ CROWD BOOS ] >> INADVERTENT ON LESTER LYLES. >> AT SOLDIER FIELD IN CHICAGO, THE REDSKINS AND THE BEARS ARE UNDER WAY. THEY HAVE NO SCORE IN THE FIRST QUARTER AS YET. WE RIGHT NOW AT CLEVELAND ARE 12 1/2 MINUTES INTO OVERTIME. 2:31 TO GO IN THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD, AND THE BROWNS, WHO MISSED A SHORT FIELD GOAL IN OVERTIME, NOW WITH THE BALL AGAIN. FIRST DOWN COMING UP. WHERE THE BALL IS POSITIONED, IT'S FIRST DOWN AND ABOUT 6, ABOUT 6. THAT WAS A BAD SPOT, AS KOSAR THROWS OVER THE MIDDLE, AND BRIAN BRENNAN CAN'T HOLD ON, TURNING BACK AT THE BALL. >> DON, YOU MAKE AN EXCELLENT POINT HERE. THEY'VE GOT FIRST DOWN AND 6, AND IT REALLY SHOULD BE SECOND DOWN AND 10 NOW WITH THAT INCOMPLETE PASS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS ON THE SIDELINE. >> KOSAR'S ARM'S GONNA FALL OFF BEFORE THIS ONE'S OVER. 477 YARDS PASSING. THE INTERCEPTIONS WERE VERY BIG. ONE BY RUSSELL CARTER IN THE END ZONE IN REGULATION STOPPED THE DRIVE AS THE BROWNS WERE RIGHT DOWN CLOSE. DOWN WAS REPEATED BECAUSE OF THE FACE MASK, AND NOW SECOND DOWN COMES UP. SECOND DOWN AND 6 FOR CLEVELAND. TIMING THROW. BRENNAN CATCHES THE BALL AND GETS TO THE 39-YARD LINE. THIRD DOWN AND ABOUT 2 COMES UP FOR CLEVELAND. >> RICH MIANO ON THE TACKLE. THE JETS STAYING WITH THEIR SIX DEFENSIVE BACKS. 2:01, 2:00 LEFT IN THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD. THERE IS NO 2:00 WARNING IN THE OVERTIME PERIOD. BIG GUYS NOW COME IN FOR CLEVELAND. >> THESE PLAYERS DRAINED PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY BY THE SWING IN THIS GAME AND THE LENGTH OF IT, AS WE'RE NOW INTO THE FINAL 2 MINUTES OF THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD. KOSAR, WITH 62 THROWS TODAY, GOES TO THE RUN, AND KEVIN MACK ALMOST BREAKS IT. HE DID BREAK THE FIRST WAVE OF TACKLERS AND GOT OUT TO THE 44-YARD LINE. HE GOT A FIRST DOWN FOR CLEVELAND. >> 62 ATTEMPTS -- A NEW PLAYOFF NFL RECORD. THE DRIVE CONTINUES. 1:30. [ CROWD CHEERS ] WE'RE IN AN AREA WHERE I'VE NEVER BEEN. I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU. DO THEY CHANGE ENDS AT THE END OF THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD, OR DO THEY FLIP THE COIN AGAIN? >> I THINK THEY CHANGE ENDS. OUT PATTERN TO WEBSTER SLAUGHTER, AND HE'S OUT TO THE 50-YARD LINE. >> SO, IT'S JUST LIKE THE END OF A QUARTER. THERE'S NO COIN FLIP AGAIN. YOU KEEP PLAYING, JUST LIKE IT'S ANOTHER FOOTBALL GAME. >> THEY ONLY FLIP ONCE. IT'S A NEVER ENDING GAME UNTIL THAT SCORE GOES UP. THEY JUST PLAYING QUARTER AFTER QUARTER, IF NEED BE. NO GAME HAS GONE LONGER THAN -- THE CHIEFS AND THE DOLPHINS WENT ALMOST TWO OVERTIME QUARTERS IN '71. BERNIE KOSAR KEEPS EXTENDING HIS OWN PLAYOFF RECORDS WITH EVERY PASS IN THIS GAME. NOW IT'S AN NFL RECORD HE HAS, AND HERE IS KEVIN MACK BREAKING DOWN TO THE 42-YARD LINE. BE INTERESTING, WITH THE MISSES BY MOSELEY TODAY, TRUMP, THEY GET DOWN CLOSE AGAIN, THEY MIGHT KEEP PUNCHING IT IN, TRY TO SCORE, A LA THE COLTS AND THE GIANTS IN '58. >> WELL, MARK MOSELEY IS STRETCHING ON THE SIDELINE AS BEST HE CAN. RICH MIANO MAKES THE TACKLE ON THIS PLAY. THE JETS STAYING WITH THE 6-DEFENSIVE BACK SET. AND THEY POP KEVIN MACK THROUGH THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. HE APPEARS TO BE ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED. HE HAS THAT BAD SHOULDER. HAS PLAYED THROUGH THE INJURY. AND NOW IT'S HERMAN FONTENOT IN THE BACKFIELD. 24 SECONDS, 23 SECONDS LEFT IN THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD. >> WE'RE ALMOST 15 MINUTES THROUGH OVERTIME. INTERCEPTED BY THE JETS! THAT'S AN INTERCEPTION, A FREE -- NOW THEY'RE RULING IT AN INCOMPLETE BALL. HE HAD HIS HANDS ON IT. THEN, IT WAS KNOCKED AWAY. LESTER LYLES HAD IT AT THE 28-YARD LINE. LOST IT ON THE WAY DOWN. THEY RULE HE DID NOT HAVE POSSESSION. AND IF HE DID HAVE POSSESSION, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLEVELAND'S BALL INSIDE THE 30 BECAUSE THEY RECOVERED WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A FUMBLE. >> THAT SECOND FOOT HAS TO BE DOWN. BOY, THAT'S A TOUGH CALL. THAT IS REALLY A TOUGH CALL. DO YOU GIVE IT TO CLEVELAND THERE, OR DOES IT GO BACK? >> IT GOES BACK TO THE 43-YARD LINE OF THE JETS'. >> THEY THINK IT'S AN INCOMPLETION. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] >> UPSTAIRS, THEY ALSO RULED INCOMPLETE. NOW IT'S SECOND DOWN AND 10 FOR CLEVELAND. 20-20. 11 SECONDS TO PLAY IN THE FIRST 15-MINUTE OVERTIME PERIOD. DARING NOT TO FUMBLE, HERMAN FONTENOT WRESTLES WITH BOTH ARMS ON THE BALL DOWN TO THE 35-YARD LINE, AND THE FIRST OVERTIME PERIOD IS OVER AND OUT. WE'LL BE BACK TO CLEVELAND FOR ANOTHER OVERTIME PERIOD AFTER THESE MESSAGES FROM YOUR LOCAL STATIONS. AS WE ARE NOW READY TO START A SECOND OVERTIME PERIOD, IT IS 20-20. THE BROWNS RALLYING LATE IN THE GAME, SCORING ON A 1-YARD RUN BY KEVIN MACK TO CULMINATE A 9-PLAY DRIVE AND THEN BY A FIELD GOAL BY MOSELEY TO TIE THE GAME WITH 7 SECONDS LEFT. KEVIN MACK BREAKS INTO OPEN FIELD, AND HE'S DOWN TO THE 20-YARD LINE. AND, AGAIN, THE BROWNS ARE IN FIELD-GOAL RANGE, BUT THAT HAS NOT MEANT POINTS ON THREE OCCASIONS EARLIER, WHEN MOSELEY'S MISSED FIELD GOALS. >> 15-YARD PICKUP BY KEVIN MACK ON A THIRD DOWN AND 3. THIS IS A NICE DRAW TRAP UP THE MIDDLE BY CLEVELAND. YOU GOT TO THINK THAT AT THIS POINT IN A FOOTBALL GAME, THE JETS ARE MORE TIRED THAN THE BROWNS BECAUSE THE JETS PLAYED LAST WEEK. THE BROWNS HAD THE WEEK OFF. >> WE'RE AT THE OUTFIELD END OF CLEVELAND STADIUM, DRIVING TOWARDS THE OPEN END OF THE STADIUM. TURF IS TIGHT HERE. HAND-OFF TO MACK, RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME PLAY. POWER BLOCKING UP FRONT FROM FIKE AND FARREN, THE GUARDS, AND BAAB, THE CENTER. AND, AGAIN, STRAIGHT AHEAD, FIELD-GOAL RANGE, AS THEY'RE KEEPING THE BALL RIGHT AT THE UPRIGHTS. BUT THE BROWNS ARE NOT GONNA RISK ANOTHER FIELD-GOAL TRY FROM THIS FAR OUT AT LEAST, AS THEY'RE GONNA KEEP DRIVING THE BALL. A LOT OF TEAMS WOULD GO RIGHT TO THE FIELD GOAL HERE, NOT RISK A TURNOVER. >> IT WOULD BE A 33-YARD ATTEMPT HERE. MOSELEY'S ALREADY MISSED FROM 23. CLEVELAND'S GAINED THE MAJORITY OF THE YARDS IN THIS OVERTIME PERIOD. >> TENTH PLAY OF THE DRIVE COMING UP. KOSAR, THE SECOND-YEAR QUARTERBACK, WITH TWO WIDEOUTS LEFT AND ONE TO THE RIGHT. MACK THE SET BACK. MACK GETS THE BALL. AGAIN HE BREAKS THE WAVE OF TACKLERS. BREAKS IT DOWN TO THE 9-YARD LINE. AND STILL NO FIELD-GOAL UNIT OUT FOR CLEVELAND. APPARENTLY, SCHOTTENHEIMER'S NOT GONNA RISK IT. HE THINKS IT'S SAFER TO POUND -- >> HERE HE COMES. HERE HE COMES. THOSE UPRIGHTS ARE 12 YARDS WIDE. THEY GOT TO RIGHT NOW LOOK LIKE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO FINGERS TO MARK MOSELEY. >> SNAP AND SET DOWN, AND THE GAME IS HISTORY. CLEVELAND WINS IT! [ CROWD CHEERS ] 11 PLAYS, 59 YARDS, AND A CELEBRATION BEGINS IN CLEVELAND OVER ONE OF THE GREAT VICTORIES IN THE STORIED HISTORY OF THE BROWNS. 23-20 IN A SECOND OVERTIME PERIOD, THE SECOND-LONGEST GAME IN NFL HISTORY.
Brothers and sisters of the Land. In this, the longest off-season in history, we must help each other cope until our Browns once more take to the gridiron. With that in mind enjoy this film of perhaps the Browns greatest playoff victory. A game I was thrilled to attend. Watch this, and may it serve you well.
Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!
Best game I’ve ever seen.