1988 Cleveland Browns season

1988 Cleveland Browns season
Head coach	Marty Schottenheimer
General manager	Ernie Accorsi
Owner	Art Modell
Home field	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Results
Record	10–6
Division place	T-2nd AFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Oilers 23–24)
← 1987 Browns seasons 1989 →

1 2 3 4 Total • Browns 0 3 0 3 6 Chiefs 0 3 0 0 3 Date: September 4 Location: Arrowhead Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 55,654 Game weather: 65°F; wind 13

Scoring summary Q2 KC Lowery 33 yard field goal KC 3–0 Q2 CLE Bahr 19 yard field goal Tie 3–3 Q4 CLE Bahr 38 yard field goal CLE 6–3

Scoring summary
Q2		KC	Lowery 33 yard field goal	KC 3–0
Q2		CLE	Bahr 19 yard field goal	Tie 3–3
Q4		CLE	Bahr 38 yard field goal	CLE 6–3

1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 10 3 3 16 • Browns 3 7 10 3 23 Date: October 30 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 38°F; wind 9

Scoring summary Q1 CLE Bahr 34 yard field goal CLE 3–0 Q2 CIN Fulcher 16 yard interception return (Breech kick) CIN 7–3 Q2 CLE Manoa 2 yard run (Bahr kick) CLE 10–7 Q2 CIN Breech 19 yard field goal Tie 10–10 Q3 CLE Bahr 39 yard field goal CLE 13–10 Q3 CLE Fontenot 1 yard blocked punt return (Bahr kick) CLE 20–10 Q3 CIN Breech 32 yard field goal CLE 20–13 Q4 CLE Bahr 29 yard field goal CLE 23–13 Q4 CIN Breech 22 yard field goal CLE 23–16

Scoring summary
Q1		CLE	Bahr 34 yard field goal	CLE 3–0
Q2		CIN	Fulcher 16 yard interception return (Breech kick)	CIN 7–3
Q2		CLE	Manoa 2 yard run (Bahr kick)	CLE 10–7
Q2		CIN	Breech 19 yard field goal	Tie 10–10
Q3		CLE	Bahr 39 yard field goal	CLE 13–10
Q3		CLE	Fontenot 1 yard blocked punt return (Bahr kick)	CLE 20–10
Q3		CIN	Breech 32 yard field goal	CLE 20–13
Q4		CLE	Bahr 29 yard field goal	CLE 23–13
Q4		CIN	Breech 22 yard field goal	CLE 23–16

1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 0 14 0 7 21 • Browns 7 3 0 14 24 Date: December 4 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 77,683 Game weather: 35°F; wind 16

Scoring summary Q1 CLE Langhorne 73 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) CLE 7–0 Q2 DAL Clack 7 yard pass from Pelluer (Ruzek kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 CLE Bahr 25 yard field goal CLE 10–7 Q2 DAL Folsom 5 yard pass from Peuller (Ruzek kick) DAL 14–10 Q4 CLE Fontenot 14 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) CLE 17–14 Q4 CLE Weathers 36 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) CLE 24–14 Q4 DAL Walker 4 yard run (Ruzek kick) CLE 24–21

Scoring summary
Q1		CLE	Langhorne 73 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick)	CLE 7–0
Q2		DAL	Clack 7 yard pass from Pelluer (Ruzek kick)	Tie 7–7
Q2		CLE	Bahr 25 yard field goal	CLE 10–7
Q2		DAL	Folsom 5 yard pass from Peuller (Ruzek kick)	DAL 14–10
Q4		CLE	Fontenot 14 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick)	CLE 17–14
Q4		CLE	Weathers 36 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick)	CLE 24–14
Q4		DAL	Walker 4 yard run (Ruzek kick)	CLE 24–21

1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 10 6 7 0 23 • Browns 0 7 7 14 28 Date: December 18 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 74,610 Game weather: Snow; 20°F; wind 13 TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy

Scoring summary Q1 HOU Tony Zendejas 39 yard field goal HOU 3–0 Q1 HOU Domingo Bryant 36 yard interception return (Tony Zendejas kick) HOU 10–0 Q2 CLE Michael Dean Perry 10 yard fumble return (Matt Bahr kick) HOU 10–7 Q2 HOU Tony Zendejas 42 yard field goal HOU 13–7 Q2 HOU Tony Zendejas 35 yard field goal HOU 16–7 Q3 HOU Haywood Jeffries 7 yard pass from Warren Moon (Tony Zendejas kick) HOU 23–7 Q3 CLE Earnest Byner 2 yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick) HOU 23–14 Q4 CLE Earnest Byner 2 yard run (Matt Bahr kick) HOU 23–21 Q4 CLE Webster Slaughter 22 yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick) CLE 28–23

Scoring summary
Q1		HOU	Tony Zendejas 39 yard field goal	HOU 3–0
Q1		HOU	Domingo Bryant 36 yard interception return (Tony Zendejas kick)	HOU 10–0
Q2		CLE	Michael Dean Perry 10 yard fumble return (Matt Bahr kick)	HOU 10–7
Q2		HOU	Tony Zendejas 42 yard field goal	HOU 13–7
Q2		HOU	Tony Zendejas 35 yard field goal	HOU 16–7
Q3		HOU	Haywood Jeffries 7 yard pass from Warren Moon (Tony Zendejas kick)	HOU 23–7
Q3		CLE	Earnest Byner 2 yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick)	HOU 23–14
Q4		CLE	Earnest Byner 2 yard run (Matt Bahr kick)	HOU 23–21
Q4		CLE	Webster Slaughter 22 yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick)	CLE 28–23

The 1988 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 39th season with the National Football League.

Despite taking the Browns to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, head coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired at the end of the 1988 season. He left the Browns having compiled a record of 44–27 (a 62% winning percentage) with the team. Schottenheimer would once again go through the same scenario with the Chargers, as in 2006, he was fired by them after the Chargers posted the best record in the NFL. The Browns finished the season with a 10-6 record, tied for second place in the AFC Central with the Houston Oilers. The Browns would be awarded second place by posting a better division record than the Oilers. The Browns would clinch a playoff berth for the 4th straight season. In the playoffs, they lost to the Oilers in the Wild Card game, 24-23.

Oilers cornerback Richard Johnson's interception set up kicker Tony Zendejas' game-clinching 49-yard field goal with 1:54 left in the game. After the Browns scored first on a 33-yard field goal by Matt Bahr, Houston marched 91 yards to score on quarterback Warren Moon's 14-yard touchdown pass to running back Allen Pinkett. Then on Cleveland's next drive, Oilers defensive lineman Richard Byrd recovered quarterback Don Strock's fumble to set up Pinkett's 16-yard touchdown run. Bahr later made two field goals to cut Houston's lead, 14–9, before halftime. In the third quarter, backup quarterback Mike Pagel, who replaced an injured Strock, threw a 14-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Webster Slaughter to put the Browns ahead, 16–14. However, the Oilers marched on a 76-yard drive that was capped with running back Lorenzo White's 1-yard rushing touchdown. After Johnson's interception and Zendejas' subsequent game-clinching 49-yard field goal, Slaughter caught a 2-yard touchdown reception to close out the scoring.

...
Wikipedia