1988 Cleveland Browns season
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.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Personnel
Staff
1988 Cleveland Browns staff |
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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[1]
Regular season
Schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Attendance |
1 |
September 4, 1988 |
at Kansas City Chiefs |
W 6–3 |
55,654 |
2 |
September 11, 1988 |
New York Jets |
L 23–3 |
74,434 |
3 |
September 19, 1988 |
Indianapolis Colts |
W 23–17 |
75,148 |
4 |
September 25, 1988 |
at Cincinnati Bengals |
L 24–17 |
54,943 |
5 |
October 2, 1988 |
at Pittsburgh Steelers |
W 23–9 |
56,410 |
6 |
October 9, 1988 |
Seattle Seahawks |
L 16–10 |
78,605 |
7 |
October 16, 1988 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
W 19–3 |
78,787 |
8 |
October 23, 1988 |
at Phoenix Cardinals |
W 29–21 |
61,261 |
9 |
October 30, 1988 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
W 23–16 |
79,147 |
10 |
November 7, 1988 |
at Houston Oilers |
L 24–17 |
51,467 |
11 |
November 13, 1988 |
at Denver Broncos |
L 30–7 |
75,806 |
12 |
November 20, 1988 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
W 27–7 |
77,131 |
13 |
November 27, 1988 |
at Washington Redskins |
W 17–13 |
51,604 |
14 |
December 4, 1988 |
Dallas Cowboys |
W 24–21 |
77,683 |
15 |
December 12, 1988 |
at Miami Dolphins |
L 38–31 |
61,884 |
16 |
December 18, 1988 |
Houston Oilers |
W 28–23 |
74,610 |
Playoffs
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Wild Card |
December 24, 1988 |
Houston Oilers |
L 24–23 |
Game summaries
Week 1
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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• 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
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Scoring summary |
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Q2 |
| KC | Lowery 33 yard field goal | KC 3–0 |
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Q2 |
| CLE | Bahr 19 yard field goal | Tie 3–3 |
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Q4 |
| CLE | Bahr 38 yard field goal | CLE 6–3 |
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[2]
Week 9
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bengals |
0 |
10 | 3 | 3 |
16 |
• Browns |
3 |
7 | 10 | 3 |
23 |
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Scoring summary |
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Q1 |
| CLE | Bahr 34 yard field goal | CLE 3–0 |
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Q2 |
| CIN | Fulcher 16 yard interception return (Breech kick) | CIN 7–3 |
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Q2 |
| CLE | Manoa 2 yard run (Bahr kick) | CLE 10–7 |
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Q2 |
| CIN | Breech 19 yard field goal | Tie 10–10 |
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Q3 |
| CLE | Bahr 39 yard field goal | CLE 13–10 |
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Q3 |
| CLE | Fontenot 1 yard blocked punt return (Bahr kick) | CLE 20–10 |
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Q3 |
| CIN | Breech 32 yard field goal | CLE 20–13 |
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Q4 |
| CLE | Bahr 29 yard field goal | CLE 23–13 |
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Q4 |
| CIN | Breech 22 yard field goal | CLE 23–16 |
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[3]
Week 14
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Cowboys |
0 |
14 | 0 | 7 |
21 |
• Browns |
7 |
3 | 0 | 14 |
24 |
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Scoring summary |
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Q1 |
| CLE | Langhorne 73 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) | CLE 7–0 |
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Q2 |
| DAL | Clack 7 yard pass from Pelluer (Ruzek kick) | Tie 7–7 |
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Q2 |
| CLE | Bahr 25 yard field goal | CLE 10–7 |
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Q2 |
| DAL | Folsom 5 yard pass from Peuller (Ruzek kick) | DAL 14–10 |
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Q4 |
| CLE | Fontenot 14 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) | CLE 17–14 |
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Q4 |
| CLE | Weathers 36 yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) | CLE 24–14 |
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Q4 |
| DAL | Walker 4 yard run (Ruzek kick) | CLE 24–21 |
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[4]
Week 16
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Oilers |
10 |
6 | 7 | 0 |
23 |
• Browns |
0 |
7 | 7 | 14 |
28 |
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Scoring summary |
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Q1 |
| HOU | Tony Zendejas 39 yard field goal | HOU 3–0 |
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Q1 |
| HOU | Domingo Bryant 36 yard interception return (Tony Zendejas kick) | HOU 10–0 |
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Q2 |
| CLE | Michael Dean Perry 10 yard fumble return (Matt Bahr kick) | HOU 10–7 |
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Q2 |
| HOU | Tony Zendejas 42 yard field goal | HOU 13–7 |
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Q2 |
| HOU | Tony Zendejas 35 yard field goal | HOU 16–7 |
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Q3 |
| HOU | Haywood Jeffries 7 yard pass from Warren Moon (Tony Zendejas kick) | HOU 23–7 |
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Q3 |
| CLE | Earnest Byner 2 yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick) | HOU 23–14 |
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Q4 |
| CLE | Earnest Byner 2 yard run (Matt Bahr kick) | HOU 23–21 |
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Q4 |
| CLE | Webster Slaughter 22 yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick) | CLE 28–23 |
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[5]
Standings
Playoffs
AFC Wild Card Game
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.
References
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Franchise | |
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Stadiums | |
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Key personnel | |
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Culture and lore | |
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Rivalries | |
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Playoff appearances (28) | |
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Division titles (12) | |
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Conference titles (11) | |
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League titles (8) | |
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Retired numbers | |
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Hall of Fame inductees | |
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Media | |
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Current league affiliations | |
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Former league affiliation | |
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Seasons (67) | |
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Championship seasons in bold |