Reggie Rucker playing days.JPG

Fleet-footed receiver Reggie Rucker, shown here in a 1979 game, was one of the stars of the Kardiac Kids Cleveland Browns.

(AP file)

It was called "another typical performance by the Kardiac Kids," as the Cleveland Browns wasted a 10-point lead and then rallied to defeat the New York Jets, 17-14, on this day, Dec. 7, in 1980.

The victory gave the Browns their first 10-win season in eight years as they moved closer to securing a division title.

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It's 'Two more to go' after Browns edge Jets

Browns 17, New York Jets 14

December 07, 1980

By Russell Schneider

Plain Dealer Reporter

A new chant surfaced yesterday after the Browns marched a step closer to the championship of the Central Division of the American Football Conference.

"Two more to go! Two more to go!" the Browns shouted as they romped off the field at the stadium following their 17-14 victory over the New York Jets before 78,454 fans.

It was another typical performance by the Kardiac Kids, as they blew a 10-0 lead, fought back in the fourth quarter to wipe out a 14-10 deficit, and then smothered a Jets drive with five minutes left.

It boosted the Browns' record to 10-4, the first time their victory total has been in double figures since 1972 - which also was the last time they made it into the playoffs.

The "Two more-to-go!" chant refers to their two final games, in Minnesota next Sunday and in Cincinnati a week later. Victories would give the Browns their first division title since 1971.

The only "crucial" game, however, is the one in Cincinnati. The Browns could lose to the Vikings and still win the division championship by beating the Bengals, even if Houston wins its final two games - against Green Bay and Minnesota. The Browns and Oilers both would have 11-5 records. But the Browns would be the division winner because their record within the American Conference would be better.

Sam Rutigliano coached the Cleveland Browns from 1978 until mid-season 1984.

"We're not thinking about that, just as we didn't allow ourselves to look ahead to today," said coach Sam Rutigliano, as he disclaimed the contention that the Browns might have taken the Jets - with a 3-10 record going into yesterday's game - too lightly.

"It was a struggle for us, but that's a good sign, because good teams struggle and win. It took a lot of character and execution - and, yes, guts, to come back the way we did and win."

It also took another record-breaking performance by Brian Sipe, the Browns' quarterback, who keeps getting better and better, and a near-record game by Greg Pruitt, whose rehabilitation from a severe knee injury continues.

Sipe completed 30 of 41 passes for 340 yards and a touchdown. The 30 completions broke Sipe's team record of 28, set six weeks ago against Pittsburgh. They also gave him 293 for the season, which are seven more than the record he set last year.

Sipe now has passed for more than 300 yards five times this season (and 10 in his career), and his total yardage for 1980 is up to 3,592, within reach of the team mark of 3,793 he set in 1979. Sipe also raised his touchdown-pass total to 26, only three below Frank Ryan's record established in 1966.

Greg Pruitt was on the receiving end of 10 aerials, the most by a Browns player since Mac Speedie caught 11 passes in a game in 1952 against the Chicago Cardinals.

"Early in the game we hurt ourselves, mainly by penalties," said Rutigliano. "We kept stopping ourselves. We could have scored 14 to 21 points in the first half."

Sipe agreed. "The first half was kind of tough to swallow. I'm just thankful the defense gave us some breathing room. The Jets made some tactical changes that screwed us up until we were able to make some changes of our own."

The Browns received a big break when New York's Pat Leahy barely missed a field goal early in the first quarter. The Jets had taken the opening kickoff and marched to the Browns' 37-yard line in eight plays. Leahy's attempt was accurate but hit the crossbar, bounced high into the air and fell back, rather than over.

The miss, representing three points that were the final difference in the game, would have given the Jets a 3-0 lead and probably would have altered strategy of both teams.

Don Cockroft attempted a 52-yarder seven plays later, but it was short. But midway through the second quarter, Cockroft connected on a 35-yard field goal after a drive fizzled.

Meanwhile, the defense came up with big plays to stymie Jets quarterback Richard Todd and his two "burner" receivers, Wesley Walker and Lam Jones. Both Browns cornerbacks, Ron Bolton and Clint Burrell, came up with interceptions to keep the Jets off the scoreboard in the first half.

The Browns came out after the intermission, took the kickoff and consumed more than seven minutes, moving 77 yards in 14 plays to go ahead, 10-0, on a 9-yard run up the middle by Mike Pruitt. He carried two defenders the last 4 yards into the end zone with him.

It wasn't achieved without another gamble by Rutigliano, though. The play before Mike Pruitt scored, the Browns had a fourth down on the New York 10, needing about 6 inches for a first down. Conventional strategy called for an "automatic" field goal. But Rutigliano is not conventional.

Mike Pruitt rammed over right guard for a yard and the first down. "I haven't gone for it for a few weeks, and there are a few judges I haven't heard from for awhile," Rutigliano quipped after the game.

Brian Sipe is greeted by teammates from the 1980-81 Kardiac Kids Cleveland Browns, from left, Cleo Miller, Calvin Hill, Mike Pruitt and Greg Pruitt during a 1994 reunion at Cleveland Stadium.

Later, Rutigliano explained, with Sipe in agreement, "I was concerned with the fact that we had been frustrated so much before that, and we had to have seven points as opposed to only three.

"Besides, as I've said before, if we can't make 1 yard when we need it, we shouldn't be involved in this game."

The Jets roared back in four plays, scoring a TD on a 39-yard aerial to Jones, the only "big" play the Browns' defense permitted, as Todd hit on 19-of-28 passes for 214 yards.

The Browns were unable to retaliate, and failed on a fake-punt play. On a fourth-and-17 situation, they lined up to punt but ran an end-around play instead. The maneuver didn't turn out too bad, because the ball was turned over to the Jets at their own 22 with 1:35 left in the third period.

Now the Jets marched 78 yards in eight plays, one of them a 31-yard gain in which Todd caught the Browns in a blitz and dumped a short pass to Bruce Harper. They also capitalized on a 12-yard personal foul penalty charged against Marshall Harris. Todd passed 5 yards to Mickey Shuler for the touchdown.

It gave the Jets the lead, 14-10, and put the pressure on the Browns.

Sipe quickly hit Reggie Rucker on a 45-yard pass, to the Jets' 23. Five plays later, Sipe hit Greg Pruitt for the game-winner.

A rookie, Jesse Johnson, was covering Rucker, playing in place of the injured Bobby Jackson, which Sipe noted immediately. "I knew Johnson is a rookie, and he also is a safety, not a cornerback, which meant he was playing out of position," said Sipe. "You have to test a guy like that right away."

The Jets took over with 9:27 remaining and reached midfield in four plays. But the Browns forced the Jets to punt with 5:51 to go. The Browns took over on their own 8-yard line and ran out the clock.

Sipe and Rutigliano defied the accepted strategy once again in that final possession, throwing four passes in eight plays and completing all of them, to advance the ball to midfield with 1:28 remaining.

That final time was eaten up as Sipe fell on the ball three times, and then, while the fans shouted once again, "We're No. 1! We're No. 1!" - the Browns romped off the field chanting, "Two more to go!"