Longtime fanatics have code words for all the moments that have crushed their souls. “Red Right 88” denotes the fatal play call from the 1981 divisional playoffs against the Oakland Raiders, when—trailing 14–12 with less than a minute to play, inside the red zone—the Browns tried to pass instead of running the ball and attempting a field goal.63 The ensuing end zone interception ended the season. That ’81 squad was (arguably) Cleveland’s best team of the modern era, unless you consider the ’86 Browns (who were killed by John Elway and “The Drive”) or the ’87 Browns (whose hopes were dashed by
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