Way Back Wednesday: Remembering 'The Fumble'

[Miles]

When the Denver Broncos face the Cleveland Browns in Sunday's game, Denver is actually facing the second incarnation of the Browns.


This version of the Browns began play as a new Cleveland team in 1999, after the original Browns relocated to Baltimore.


The Browns of course are led by second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma.


But back in the day against the original Browns and their quarterback at the time, Bernie Kosar, the Broncos had one of the most legendary AFC Championship Games of all time, a game special enough to have its own name, that being "The Fumble."


It was Jan. 17, 1988 at Mile High Stadium, the AFC title game for the 1987 season, and it came just one year after future Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway had stepped into legend status by leading "The Drive" in Cleveland.


This was perhaps the only instance of two teams playing for the conference title in consecutive years with each game becoming the stuff of legend, as was the case with "The Drive" followed by "The Fumble."


While it happened over 30 years ago, the memories still rankle Cleveland fans who had to watch their beloved Browns lose to Denver for the right to play in the Super Bowl three years out of four, including the 1989 season.


It was mostly sunny in Denver that day in 1988, with a relatively pleasant January high temperature of 44 degrees.


The game saw three first-half scoring drives by Denver that put the Broncos ahead by a 21-3 halftime margin, and it looked like clear sailing for Denver.


But the Browns marched back in the third quarter, scoring 21 points to Denver's 10, and going into the fourth quarter, Denver clung to a 31-24 lead.


Browns running back Earnest Byner had scored twice in the third quarter, the first touchdown on a 32-yard pass from Kosar and the second on a 4-yard run.


Elway connected with wide receiver Mark Jackson on an 80-yard scoring play in that exciting third quarter as well.