This is a nice video. It looks at the 1986 Divisional playoff game between the NY Jets and Cleveland Browns. In fact its more legendary on the people involved...





- At one point during the 1986 season the NY Jets was 10-1. At home Head Coach Walt Michaels is asked by his wife why he isn't happy. Michaels tells her that they won't have 1 loss if they keep losing all-pros during the year. They had lost 2 defensive stars on the Defensive line and it played havoc on them. The offense went into a funk the rest of the way and the final game Pat Ryan (backup QB) had to start due to Ken O'Brien's injury.


- Now Ken O'Brien could have started. He wasn't as mobile due to this and after a big win at KC the team kept Ryan as starter. But during pre-game warmups before the Browns game ; Ryan would suffer a pulled groin. He was not the same as he played through it.


- In Cleveland they were riding the hot hand of Bernie Kosar and the coaching of Marty Schottenheimer. Who had a basic one play at a time mantra. We see Marty talking to his players close at times and his way helped them make the playoffs. Kosar is praised as perhaps one of the smart non fearing young QB's at the time. He was 21 and seemed so relax. As Bernie jokes in this , he ran a 4.6 in the 40. He needed to have something to hang onto. lol



- The Jets hated the field and complained over the Browns field. Bernie claims the Jets came from a beautiful nice stadium and field. That they had it so good and here in Cleveland it was crap. But the Browns were used to that field and could make it work.


- Before this game NY Jets DE Mark Gastineau was hurting badly. He had suffered a pulled abdominal in his stomach and was struggling badly in game to breath as we see clips. Yet he would come in on passing situations to try and play. One player jokes he loved sacks and he also loved...to dance. He would playfully taunt the people in crowd after a sack.


- Schottenheimer was very frustrated by the fact the team couldn't run a lick in this game. That the Browns were struggling to get a run game going so Bernie was able to change the plays at the line. The coaches wasn't happy but he said he had to since they had to keep moving the ball. Kosar claims it wasn't because he thought oh , my plays are better. No as he claims they had to move the ball and this was only way they could. The Browns only called 3 running plays the entire 3rd quarter.



- In a fun moment we see Marty and future head coach Bill Cowher angry on sideline at a non call . Cowher is yelling at referee as Marty has to tell him , hey get back. All while he too gives the referee hell.


- Kosar later in the 4th quarter throws a big Int in the redzone. He brings up that the entire world knew the Browns playbook near the endzone. Run on 1st down , run on 2nd , ok he's gonna pass. Kosar admits he should have changed the play but he stuck with it and takes the blame for it. Bernie rips the play calling from the game . They have tried to run all game and its not working. Take the dresses off and throw on 1st down. He admits he was pissed on sideline.


- Marty still takes the stance again , 1 play at a time. That he holds to that as the game plan on not thinking of the previous bad play , think of the next play you get.


- Kosar brings up that after his 2nd Int fans started leaving the game. Ready for more heart break. The Jets player who got the 2nd Int taunted Kosar after the play as Bernie claims I made sure to remember who he was. In fact right after it the Jets score on a big run by McNeil and the game seems done. Even the NY Jets radio announcer Charley Steiner proclaims them going to the AFC Championship game.


- Steiner admits he let his heart and emotion carry him there sure. But lets be logical here. The Jets had a 10 point lead with 4 minutes in the game. The Browns had scored only 10 points the entire 56 minutes of the game.


- Browns WR Brian Brennan was thinking it was likely over. During a spot after a play he complimented Mark Gastineau after a play which had his offensive lineman nearly fight him. Bernie stepped in to break it up and was like , if anyones to blame here it should be me. I threw 2 Ints in this and the fans were throwing dog bones likely at him.


- Walt Michaels brings up the late great Bud Carson who was defensive coordinator of the Jets. He was the type who loved a pressure defense and well it works til a point. Then the changing point happened. Carson sent Gastineau on a big pass rush on 2nd and 24. He couldn't slow down and replays seemed to show a late hit on Bernie's back where the hit was square in the back. The flag was thrown and changed the course of the game.


- Bernie brings up how he was gasping for air. He was hurt like hell and cracked a rib , spitting up blood. There was no going to sideline. He was not gonna go sit on bench as he claims his team needed him now. Ozzie Newsome put over how Bernie was inspiring to do this. It pumped the team up and they drove for a TD.


- Then later after losing McNeil to an injury , Walt Michaels decides to do a play that worked last week with Pat Ryan , a QB sneak. But where as Ryan was very mobile , Ken O'Brien wasn't. Also at the time any QB sack after the 2 minute warning would stop the clock and it did.


- Brennan redeemed himself in a way as he made a big play without catching the ball. A PI call set things up big. After a big pass completion near endzone , Kosar has to grab Slaughter who caught the pass and get them set up due to clock running. Everyone was celebrating as Schottenheimer puts over how great Bernie was to get everyone to set and go .


- In OT the Browns miss a game winning FG , as Walt Michaels brings up how limited they were offensively now. So he pushed on defense. Which they had 2 near chances for big turnovers to get the ball.


- The Jets themselves saw the loss as they were heart broken. One of the players (Marty Lyons) brings up the whole , we'll get em next year. Well next year never came for him and he played into 90's. Gastineau blames himself for the hit that changed the game. One player claims that some Jets didn't like Gastineau with his flashy attitude and dancing. That if anyone had a terrible play well they were happy it was him. The Jets wouldn't win a playoff game for the next 12 seasons.


- The Browns never could get past Denver Broncos. In the 1987 , 1988 and 1989 playoffs they were eliminated each year by John Elway.