10 worst plays in NFL history
By John Buhler
9. Red Right 88
Red Right 88 is one of the many plays associated with the tortured sports culture of Cleveland, Ohio. What stands out about this one is how stupid Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Sipe was on this play call.
Cleveland was down 14-12 at home in the 1980 AFC Divisional Round to the Oakland Raiders. It was a frigid day at Cleveland Stadium with a game time temperature of 4-degrees Fahrenheit. The Browns had the football on the Raiders’ 13-yard line with less than a minute remaining in the game. It was cold outside, but the Browns were in range for an easy field goal to win the AFC Playoff game.
Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano told Sipe to run a play called “Red Slot Right, Halfback Stay, 88” on first down. Rutigliano instructed Sipe to “throw it into Lake Erie” if nobody was wide open in the end zone on that pass attempt.
Sipe misread the Raiders defense and tried to force the ball to tight end Ozzie Newsome. Raiders safety Mike Davis read Sipe’s telegraphed pass and pick him off in the end zone by jumping in front of Newsome. Oakland would run out the clock to win the AFC Playoff game on the road, 14-12. The Raiders would go on to win Super Bowl XV, 27-10 over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cleveland had four plays to get three points and completely blew it on the first attempt. It wasn’t a sure thing that kicker Don Cockroft would have made the field goal, as he was playing with two herniated discs. If Sipe threw this ball into Lake Erie like Rutigliano instructed, maybe Cleveland would have won Super Bowl XV?