1986 Cleveland Browns season
| 1986 Cleveland Browns season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Marty Schottenheimer |
| General manager | Ernie Accorsi |
| Owner | Art Modell |
| Home field | Cleveland Municipal Stadium |
| Local radio | WWWE |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1st AFC Central |
| Playoff finish |
Won Divisional Playoffs (Jets 23–20) (2 OT) Lost Conference Championship (Broncos 23-20) (OT) |
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| Scoring summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PIT | Gary Anderson 49 yard field goal | Steelers 3–0 | |
| 1 | PIT | Gary Anderson 35 yard field goal | Steelers 6–0 | |
| 2 | CLE | Tim Manoa 1 yard run (Matt Bahr kick) | Browns 7–6 | |
| 2 | PIT | Gary Anderson 45 yard field goal | Steelers 9–7 | |
| 3 | CLE | Matt Bahr 22 yard field goal | Browns 10–9 | |
| 3 | CLE | Matt Bahr 21 yard field goal | Browns 13–9 | |
| 4 | CLE | Brian Washington 75 yard interception return (Matt Bahr kick) | Browns 20–9 | |
| 4 | CLE | Matt Bahr 40 yard field goal | Browns 23–9 | |
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| Scoring summary | ||||
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| 1 | CLE | Kevin Mack 1 yard run (Mark Moseley kick) | Browns 7–0 | |
| 1 | CIN | Jim Breech 23 yard field goal | Browns 7–3 | |
| 1 | CLE | Webster Slaughter 47 yard pass from Bernie Kosar (Mark Moseley kick) | Browns 14–3 | |
| 2 | CLE | Mark Moseley 39 yard field goal | Browns 17–3 | |
| 3 | CLE | Kevin Mack 1 yard run (Mark Moseley kick) | Browns 24–3 | |
| 3 | CLE | Webster Slaughter recovered fumble in end zone (Mark Moseley kick) | Browns 31–3 | |
| 4 | CLE | Mark Moseley 19 yard field goal | Browns 34–3 | |
The 1986 Cleveland Browns season was the team’s 37th season with the National Football League. The death of Don Rogers, a promising young defensive back who was preparing to enter his third season in the NFL, cast a black cloud over the team as it prepared for the 1986 season.
Cleveland won their first postseason game since 1969, and for the first time in franchise history, the Browns reached the AFC Championship Game, where they would eventually fall to the Denver Broncos, in the game famous for “The Drive.” It would be the first of three AFC Championship games that the Browns would reach in four seasons, all losses to Denver. It remains the best post-merger Browns season as of 2016.
The 1986 Browns finished 12–4 to not only win the division again, but also set a franchise record for regular-season victories in the NFL in addition to securing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
In one of the most pulsating games in club history, the Browns edged the New York Jets 23–20 in double-overtime in the divisional playoffs. Then, in maybe the most disappointing contest in team annals, the Browns lost to the Denver Broncos by that same score in OT in the AFC Championship Game as quarterback John Elway orchestrated what has become known as The Drive. The Browns were involved in six contests decided by three points or less, and eight decided by six points or less. There were two OT games – in consecutive weeks, no less – when the Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 37–31 and the Houston Oilers 13–10, both in Cleveland. That win started the Browns on a five-game winning streak to end the season, and it was also part of a stretch in which they won eight of nine contests.
There were several other big games in addition to the two OT affairs. The Browns beat the Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium for the first time in 16 tries, 27–24. They defeated Miami 26–16 on Monday Night Football, extracting some revenge for their loss to the Dolphins in the divisional playoffs the year before. They wound up clinching the AFC Central crown by going to Cincinnati in the next-to-last game and winning soundly, 34–3. The Bengals finished in second place at 10–6 but did not make the playoffs.
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