On Sunday September 29th ,2024, at 4:25 pm eastern time the Cleveland Browns will be playing the Las Vegas Raiders in Las Vegas Nevada. This will be the 28th meeting of these two teams. And the Raiders lead the series 17-10. That record includes two playoff games. The Raiders have won both of those playoff games. One playoff game will always be remembered by Cleveland Browns fans.

On January 4th ,1981, the then Oakland Raiders traveled to Cleveland Ohio to play the Cleveland Browns at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium in an AFC Divisional Playoff game. The one factor in the game that fans of both teams remember was the frigid weather. A polar vortex descended upon Northeast Ohio that January day. The kickoff temperature was 4 Degrees Fahrenheit. The weather was a factor for these evenly matched teams.

Both the Raiders and the Browns had regular season record that year of 11-5. The Browns were the AFC Central Division Champions that year. The Raiders were an AFC Wildcard team. Punts and turnovers were the norm in the game for both teams. Cleveland Browns place kicker Don Cockroft missed two field goals due to the icy conditions. That is what caused the games most heartbreaking moment for Cleveland Browns fans.

With less than a minute remaining in the game while trailing 14-12, the Cleveland Browns drove to the Oakland Raiders 13-yard line. Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano opted to call the infamous pass play called red right 88. He even instructed Browns quarterback Brian Sipe to throw the ball into Lake Erie if it is not wide open. The reasons for this play call were the two missed field goals and that it was only second down. Instead of throwing the ball away, Brian Sipe tried to force a pass to tight end Ozzie Newsome and the pass was intercepted by Raiders defensive back Mike Davis. It was heartbreaking for Browns fans to endure.

The Raiders went on to win Super Bowl 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles. And Browns fans were left to wonder what if we won that game? If anything, it shows the perseverance and toughness that die hard Cleveland Browns fans have always possessed. And we as Browns fans will continue with that same durability regardless of what happens on Sunday.