Cleveland’s 12 Closest Championship Calls Since 1964

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1968 Browns

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Everyone in Cleveland remembers it was the Baltimore Colts whom the Browns shut out 27-0 in the 1964 NFL Championship Game. Four years later, the Browns handed the Colts their only regular-season loss — a 30-20 decision in Baltimore, no less — and crushed the Dallas Cowboys in a playoff game which sent Don Meredith into an early retirement.

But when coach Don Shula brought his Colts to town this time, the payback was on. For only the second time since being absorbed into the NFL in 1950, the Browns were held scoreless, with the Colts using three touchdown runs by Tom Matte to cruise to a 34-0 victory. On the other hand, imagine if it was the Browns rather than the Colts who were stunned by Joe Namath and the New York Jets of the upstart AFL two weeks later.

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Ken Hornack is a longtime NBA sports journalist. Before covering the Orlando Magic for the Daytona Beach News-Journal and FoxSportsFlorida.com, the native of the Cleveland area got his foot in the door with the Cavaliers during the Tom Nissalke coaching era and will forever associate his senior year of high school with the Miracle of Richfield. You can follow him @Ken_Hornack.