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The 1976 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 27th season with the National Football League. The Browns were coached by second year coach Forrest Gregg, and ended their season with a record of 9-5, being second in their division. The team's top draft choice was running back Mike Pruitt. Brian Sipe firmly took control at quarterback. Sipe had been inserted into the lineup after a Mike Phipps injury in the season-opening win against the New York Jets on September 12. After a 1-3 start brought visions of another disastrous year, the Browns jolted the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers with an 18-16 victory on October 10. Third-string quarterback Dave Mays helped lead the team to that victory, while defensive end Joe "Turkey" Jones' pile-driving sack of quarterback Terry Bradshaw fueled the heated rivalry between the two teams. That win was the first of eight in the next nine weeks, helping put the Browns in contention for the AFC playoffs. A loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular season finale cost them a share of the division title, but running back Greg Pruitt continued his outstanding play by rushing for exactly 1000 yards, his second-straight four-digit season.
[edit] Regular season results
| Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Results |
Stadium |
Attendance |
| Score |
Record |
| 1 |
September 12, 1976 |
New York Jets |
W 17-38 |
1–0 |
Cleveland Stadium |
67,496[1] |
| 2 |
September 19, 1976 |
@ Pittsburgh Steelers |
L 14-31 |
1-1 |
Three Rivers Stadium |
49,169[1] |
| 3 |
September 26, 1976 |
@ Denver Broncos |
L 13-44 |
1-2 |
Mile High Stadium |
62,775[1] |
| 4 |
October 3, 1976 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
L 45-24 |
1-3 |
Cleveland Stadium |
75,817[1] |
| 5 |
October 10, 1976 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
W 16-18 |
2-3 |
Cleveland Stadium |
76,411[1] |
| 6 |
October 17, 1976 |
@ Atlanta Falcons |
W 20-17 |
3-3 |
Atlanta Stadium |
33,364[1] |
| 7 |
October 24, 1976 |
San Diego Chargers |
W 17-21 |
4-3 |
Cleveland Stadium |
60,018[1] |
| 8 |
October 31, 1976 |
@ Cincinnati Bengals |
L 21-6 |
4-4 |
Riverfront Stadium |
54,776[1] |
| 9 |
November 7, 1976 |
@ Houston Oilers |
W 21-7 |
5-4 |
Reliant Astrodome |
39,828[1] |
| 10 |
November 14, 1976 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
W 3-24 |
6-4 |
Cleveland Stadium |
62,120[1] |
| 11 |
November 21, 1976 |
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
W 24-7 |
7-4 |
Tampa Stadium |
36,930[1] |
| 12 |
November 28, 1976 |
Miami Dolphins |
W 13-17 |
8-4 |
Cleveland Stadium |
74,715[1] |
| 13 |
December 5, 1976 |
Houston Oilers |
W 10-13 |
9-4 |
Cleveland Stadium |
56,025[1] |
| 14 |
December 12, 1976 |
@ Kansas City Chiefs |
L 14-39 |
9-5 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
34,340[1] |
[edit] Final standings
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Cite error: Invalid
<ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Attendance
- ^ Winning percentage does not factor in ties.
