User:Frank Anchor/Browncos

Denver Broncos–Cleveland Browns
Teams	Denver Broncos; Cleveland Browns;
First meeting	December 20, 1970; Browns 27, Broncos 13
Latest meeting	November 26, 2023 ; Broncos 29, Browns 12
Next meeting	TBD, 2024
Statistics
Meetings total	32
All-time series	Broncos, 25–7
Regular season series	Broncos, 22–7
Postseason results	Broncos, 3–0 January 11, 1987; Broncos 23, Browns 20 (OT) January 17, 1988; Broncos 38, Browns 33 January 14, 1990; Broncos 37, Browns 21
Largest victory	Broncos, 44–10 (2000)
Longest win streak	Broncos, 7 (1975–1988; 1991–2015)
Current win streak	Browns, 1 (2021–present)

The Broncos–Browns rivalry

rivalry between the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns. While Denver has dominated the head-to-head series, the rivalry stems from the teams meeting in three AFC Championship Games in four seasons in 1986, 1987, and 1989 between quarterbacks John Elway and Bernie Kosar. The Broncos won all three of these meetings, two of which are best known for The Drive and The Fumble

. The Broncos lead the overall series, 25–7.

Game results

Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns season-by-season results

1970s (Broncos, 4–3)

Season	Results	Location	Overall series	Notes
1970	Browns 27–13	Mile High Stadium	Browns 1–0	First meeting between the two teams. First season following the AFL–NFL merger. Browns placed in the American Football Conference. Final game for Browns head coach Blanton Collier.
1971	Broncos 27–0	Cleveland Stadium	Tie 1–1
1972	Browns 27–20	Mile High Stadium	Browns 2–1
1974	Browns 23–21	Cleveland Stadium	Browns 3–1
1975	Broncos 16–15	Mile High Stadium	Browns 3–2
1976	Broncos 44–13	Mile High Stadium	Tie 3–3
1978	Broncos 19–7	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 4–3

1980s (Broncos, 8–1)

Season	Results	Location	Overall series	Notes
1980	Broncos 19–16	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 5–3
1981	Broncos 23–20_(OT)	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 6–3
1983	Broncos 27–6	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 7–3
1984	Broncos 24–14	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 8–3
1986 playoffs	Broncos 23–20_(OT)	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 9–3	AFC Championship Game. John Elway leads Broncos on a 98-yard drive in the final five minutes to tie the game and would win in overtime. Broncos go on to lose Super Bowl XXI.
1987 playoffs	Broncos 38–33	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 10–3	AFC Championship Game. Browns reach the Broncos' 8-yard line with a chance to tie the game late, Earnest Byner fumbled the ball to Denver. Broncos go on to lose Super Bowl XXII.
1988	Broncos 30–7	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 11–3	Broncos win 11 straight meetings (1975–88)
1989	Browns 16–13	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 11–4	Fans in the Dawg Pound threw debris on the field forcing referee Tom Dooley to order the teams to switch sides, giving the Browns a wind advantage in the fourth quarter. Cleveland wins the game on a Matt Bahr 48-yard field goal that barely cleared the crossbar as time expired.
1989 playoffs	Broncos 37–21	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 12–4	AFC Championship Game. Broncos go on to lose Super Bowl XXIV.

1990s (Broncos, 4–1)

Season	Results	Location	Overall series	Notes
1990	Browns 30–29	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 12–5
1991	Broncos 17–7	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 13–5
1992	Broncos 12–0	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 14–5
1993	Broncos 29–14	Cleveland Stadium	Broncos 15–5
1994	Broncos 26–14	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 16–5	Final meeting before the Browns moved to Baltimore and suspended operations

2000s (Broncos, 5–0)

Season	Results	Location	Overall series	Notes
2000	Broncos 44–10	Mile High Stadium	Broncos 17–5	First meeting between the Broncos and reactivated Browns
2003	Broncos 23–20_(OT)	Invesco Field at Mile High	Broncos 18–5	First meeting at Invesco Field (now Empower Field at Mile High).
2006	Broncos 17–7	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Broncos 19–5	First meeting at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
2008	Broncos 34–30	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Broncos 20–5	Broncos overcome a 23–10 third-quarter deficit
2009	Broncos 27–6	Invesco Field at Mile High	Broncos 21–5

2010s (Broncos, 3–1)

Season	Results	Location	Overall series	Notes
2012	Broncos 34–12	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Broncos 22–5
2015	Broncos 26–23_(OT)	FirstEnergy Stadium	Broncos 23–5	Broncos win seven straight meetings. Broncos win Super Bowl 50.
2018	Browns 17–16	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Broncos 23–6	Browns' first win in the series since 1990
2019	Broncos 24–19	Empower Field at Mile High	Broncos 24–6

2020s (Tie, 1–1)

Season	Results	Location	Overall series	Notes
2021	Browns 17–14	FirstEnergy Stadium	Broncos 24–7	Browns' third-string running back D'Ernest Johnson rushes for 146 yards in his first career start
2023	Broncos 29–12	Empower Field at Mile High	Broncos 24–7
2024	TBD	Empower Field at Mile High	Broncos 24–7

Summary of results

Season	Season series	at Denver Broncos	at Cleveland Browns	Notes
Regular season	Broncos 22–7	Broncos 12–4	Broncos 10–3
Postseason	Broncos 3–0	Broncos 2–0	Broncos 1–0	AFC Championship Game: 1986, 1987, 1989.
Regular and postseason	Broncos 25–7	Broncos 14–4	Broncos 11–3

^ Unk, Jesse (October 14, 2021). "Who Are the Cleveland Browns' Biggest Rivals of All Time?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
^ "Broncos, Browns rivalry reaches to the sky". United Press International. January 11, 1990. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
^ "Throwback Game the Week - Cleveland at Denver". Pro Football Hall of Fame. September 17, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
^ Moeglin, Anthony (November 25, 2023). "Nightmares of Mile High Stadium Are A Thing Of The Past". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 26, 2024.

[1] Unk, Jesse (October 14, 2021). "Who Are the Cleveland Browns' Biggest Rivals of All Time?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 19, 2022.

[2] "Broncos, Browns rivalry reaches to the sky". United Press International. January 11, 1990. Retrieved September 19, 2022.

[3] "Throwback Game the Week - Cleveland at Denver". Pro Football Hall of Fame. September 17, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2022.

[4] Moeglin, Anthony (November 25, 2023). "Nightmares of Mile High Stadium Are A Thing Of The Past". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 26, 2024.