13. 2021 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at 4. 1953 CLEVELAND BROWNS
4. 1953 CLEVELAND BROWNS
Record: 11-1
Pythag: 10-2
Off: 4th
Def: 1st
1st NFL East
Lost NFL Title Lions 17-16
HC: Paul Brown
Municipal Stadium: 45 degrees
Offense
QB Otto Graham (32 All Pro)
RB Chick Jagade (27)
RB Ken Carpenter (27)
RB Dub Jones (29)
WR Pete Brewster (23)
WR Dante Lavelli (30)
LT Lou Groza (29 All Pro)
LG Abe Gibron (28)
C Frank Gatski (34 All Pro)
RG Chuck Noll (21-R)
RT John Sandusky (28)
Defense
LDE Doug Atkins (23-R)
LDT Don Colo (28)
MG Bill Willis (32 All Pro)
RDT Derrell Palmer (31)
RDE Len Ford (27 All Pro)
LLB Walt Michaels (24)
RLB Tommy Thompson (26 All Pro)
LCB Warren Lahr (30)
RCB Tommy James (30)
LS Ken Gorgal (24)
RS Ken Konz (25)
K Lou Groza (29)
P Horace Gillom (32)
KR Ken Carpenter (27)
PR Billy Reynolds (22)
Let's rewind to Region 3: 10th seeded 1960 Browns 50 7th seeded 2003 Patriots 14; back up 7 years and fast forward 18 and there's this game. The '53 Browns had the top defense in the league with 3 All Pros, 32 year old Bill Willis, 27 year old Len Ford, 26 year old Tommy Thompson. The offense is just okay - 32 year old Otto Graham is an All Pro, 17 scores, 9 picks. 2 linemen are also All Pros, Lou Groza's 29, Frank Gatski's 34. The Browns are going to run the ball over and over again in this one.
13. 2021 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Record: 10-7
Pythag: 12-5
Off: 6th
Def: 2nd
2nd AFC East
Lost Bills WC 47-17
HC Bill Belichick OC Josh McDaniels
Offense
QB Mac Jones (23 Alabama)
RB Damien Harris
WR Jakobi Meyers
WR Nelson Agholor
WR Kendrick Bourne
TE Hunter Henry
T Isaiah Wynn
G Shaq Mason
C David Andrews
G Michael Onwenu
T Trent Brown
Defense
DT Davon Godchaux
DT Christian Barmore
LB Matt Judon
LB Kyle Van Noy
LB Ja'Whaun Bentley
LB Dont'a Hightower
CB JC Jackson
CB Jalen Mills
SS Adrian Phillips
FS Devin McCourty
DB Kyle Duggar
K Nick Folk
P Jake Bailey
KR/PR Gunner Olszewski
The 2007 Patriots are the top overall seed in the tournament; they've advanced, as has the '06 team, the '14 team is still to come in this region - this, of course, is the Belichick team w/o Brady, the first Mac Jones team, with the 2nd best defense in the league. 26 year old JC Jackson had 8 picks, 29 year old Matt Judon had 12.5 sacks. On offense, Jones is 23, in his rookie season, 22 scores and 13 picks. 24 year old Damien Harris ran for 15 scores (note, this is now a 17 game season)
Let's go to Cleveland for the kick.
1st Qtr
Browns at the 32.
3 and out.
Patriots at the 24. They get a first down - Mac Jones to Jakobi Meyers for 18.
That's it. After the punt, Browns at the 19.
1/10 - Ken Carpenter gets a yard.
2/9 - Otto Graham's first completion is to Ray Renfro for 9. First down.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Graham finds Pete Brewster for 16, Browns at the 45.
1/10 - Chick Jagade for 4.
2/6 - Renfro gets a yard.
3/5 - Graham hits Dub Jones for 14 and the Browns are at the NE 36.
1/10 - Carpenter gets 10.
1/10 - Jagade for 1
2/9 - Incomplete
3/9 - Graham finds Renfro downfield, he's got 18 yards and the Browns have a first and goal at the 7.
1/goal - Jagade gets 6. Browns at the doorstep.
2/goal - Play action - Graham finds a wide open Dub Jones - TOUCHDOWN BROWNS - that's a terrific drive, 14 plays, 81 yards - takes 7 and a half minutes - Browns doing Browns things against a team 70 years in their future.
Patriots will start at the 23.
1/10 - Damien Harris gets a yard.
2/9 - Harris gets a dozen.
1/10 - Jones finds Hunger Henry for a dozen, Patriots near midfield.
1/10 - Jones quick out to Nelson Agholor - he turns upfield - and is Stripped by Warren Lahr - Fumble -- Lahr forces the Agholor fumble and the Browns take over at their own 41.
1/10 - Renfro is stopped at the line and the qtr ends.
2nd Qtr
The Browns take half the quarter to drive and score - then force a turnover; Cleveland's got a second and 9 at their own 41, up 7-0.
2/9 - Graham converts - 16 yards to Pete Brewster, Browns at the 43.
The next 3 plays net 3 yards and the Patriots take over after a touchback.
1/10 Rhamondre Stevenson gets 9.
2/1 - Jones to Harris for 6,
1/10 - Stevenson gets 1.
2/9 - Harris gets 15, Patriots have crossed midfield.
1/10 - Jones finds Brandon Bolden, 13 yards to the 36.
1/10 - Bolden, draw play - Bolden's into the Secondary -- Bolden's Got Open Field -- Bolden is Into the Endzone --- TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS - just one pass attempt on that drive - Belichick staying on the ground, Brandon Bolden rumbling 36 yards for the game tying score.
Cleveland deep in their own territory at the 5.
They get a first down on a Jagade 12 yard run, but that's it - nice return by Gunner Olszewski, Pats start at the 33.
1/10 - Harris gets 7.
2/3 - Stevenson is just short of the first down
3/1 - Play action - Jones finds Stevenson on the sideline, he's got 16 and the Pats have a first and goal.
1/goal - Harris for 1
2/goal - Jones to Bolden, just 3 - and it's 3rd and goal at the 4.
3/goal - Stevenson blows into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS - back to back scores by New England, almost entirely on the ground Belichick has taken Brown's gameplan and fed it back to him.
Cleveland really struggling with special teams today - they're again pinned back deep in their own territory at the 9 -- and this time they go 3 and out.
After the punt - the Pats again are in Cleveland territory, just 90 seconds left in the half - Pats at the 38 -- they only get 4 yards - but Folk hits a 51 yard FG and it's now 17-7.
And it happens to the Browns again on the kick - they start at the 8 - a combination of penalties, muffs, generally bad special teams play causes the Browns again to start deep in their own end.
1/10 - Jagade stopped at the line - Pats call timeout, New England might try to get this ball back one more time with a minute left.
2/10 - Jagade gets 1 and there's the second timeout.
3/10 - Graham looking to pass - Graham's flushed - Graham across the line of scrimmage, he's got 4 yards - but that's the Pats third timeout - and with 30 seconds left, the Patriots get the ball back again, Pats at the Browns 48.
1/10 - Handoff - Damien Harris -- AND HARRIS BUSTS THROUGH THE LINE -- Damien Harris busts through the line and he will - go - all - the - way - TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS - Damien Harris busts through for a 48 yard TD run -- the New England Patriots have scored 24 2nd qtr points - the Browns will just down the ball and go to the locker room after the kick - it is 24-7 Patriots.
3rd Qtr
Just a lightning bolt in the 2nd qtr - 24 straight Patriots points, all on long TD runs, the biggest scoring quarter in the tournament - this Cleveland crowd is stunned.
Patriots start at the 36.
3 and out. Browns start at the 31.
1/10 - Ray Renfro carries for 13.
1/10 - Renfro for 16 and the Browns are quickly across midfield.
The next 3 plays net 7 yards - Lou Groza is at the end of his range ---- but he does hit the 50 yard FG and the deficit is 24-10.
Pats start at the 23.
1/10 - Harris loses 1
2/11 - Stevenson stopped at the line.
3/11 - Jones picks is up - 19 to Meyers - the Patriots are at the Browns 41.
1/10 - Harris goes for 11.
The next 3 plays net 6 yards - the Patriots punt - the Browns get the ball back at the 18.
1/10 - Jagade stopped at the line.
2/10 - Billy Reynolds gets 13.
1/10 - 2 for Reynolds.
2/8 - Dub Jones gets 11
1/10 - Renfro gets 14 - the Browns, big yardage on the ground.
The next 3 plays lose 2 yards - and so the qtr ends with a 4th and 12 for the Browns near midfield.
4th Qtr
24-10 Pats, Cleveland punting the ball back to them as the qtr starts. NE will start at their own 6.
1/10 - Jones over the middle to Meyers for 5.
2/5 - Bolden gets a dozen, big first down for the Patriots to get away from their end zone.
But thats it - 3 more plays net 7 yards - after the punt, the Browns start at their own 39.
1/10 - Jagade stopped at the line.
2/10 - Carpenter stopped at the line.
3/10 - Graham finds Dante Lavelli for the first time all day - it's 29 big yards - all the way to the Patriot 32.
1/10 - Reynolds gets 2.
2/8 - Reynolds gets 11, Browns at the 23.
1/10 - Jagade for 1
2/9 - Reynolds gets 8 and the Browns are at the 14.
3/1 - Graham to pass - back corner of the endzone -- Lavelli -- TOUCHDOWN BROWNS - Graham 14 yards to Lavelli and the Browns have cut the deficit to 24-17.
Patriots at their own 32. 6:36 left. Can the Browns get a quick stop?
They can. 3 and out. Browns getting the ball back at the 29. 4:21 left.
24-17. Can Cleveland tie this score?
1/10 - Reynolds for 8.
2/2 - Graham to Horace Gillom for 4 and it's a first down.
1/10 - Carpenter for 1
2/9 - Jagade for 6 and it's a third and 3. Big play here.
3/3 - Reynolds picks it up, 3 yards - and the Browns are at the Patriot 49 at the 2 minute warning.
1/10 - Reynolds gets 1 - the Browns running on every play of the drive.
2/9 - Graham goes downfield -- it's Lavelli -- Caught -- 22 yards and Cleveland it at the 26 and this stadium is quaking.
1/10 - Graham to Brewster - 15 yards -- that's another 1st down and Cleveland has first down at the 11.
1/10 - Graham over the middle - Brewster -- Brewster at the 3-2-1---- TOUCHDOWN BROWNS - TOUCHDOWN BROWNS - Cleveland has scored 17 straight points and tied this game at 24 - Graham 11 yard TD pass to Brewster to tie this score.
Patriots have some time, 1:15, and the ball at the 22.
They get one first down, Jones to Henry for 9 - but that's it, and with a few seconds left in the game they punt. Graham hits a 21 yard pass to Lavelli and we end regulation tied at 24.
OT
Cleveland shuts out NE in the second half - scores 17 of their own and we head to Sudden Death
Browns win the toss. They start at the 28.
1/10 - Renfro gets 16, Browns at the 44.
1/10 - Jagade loses 2.
2/12 - Carpenter gets all 12 and the Browns are across midfield - this is sudden death, NE may not get the ball at all if Cleveland can score.
The next 3 plays net 9 yards and so Cleveland has a 4th and 1 at the 37.
Big decision here for Brown. Go for it? Punt?
Neither. He brings out Groza to attempt a 54 yard FG.
Here's Groza...54.....up.......GOOOD! GOOOOOD! GOOOOD! GOOOOD!
Lou Groza with a 54 yard FG and the Cleveland Browns have defeated the New England Patriots and advance to Rnd 2.
Final: Browns 27 Patriots 24
20 unanswered Browns points and the 2021 Pats go home.
Graham: 16 for 24, 212, 3 TD
Jones: 10 for 14, 121
Renfro: 10 carries for 69, 4 catches for 42
Harris: 16 for 106, 1 TD
Lavelli: 4 catches for 86 1TD
Meyers 3 catches for 42
Player of the Game: Lou Groza
Region 6 is halfway done.
1968 Colts
2020 Saints
1982 Dolphins
1953 Browns
Bottom half of the region next - we've got a SB Champ in the next game.
