Dawgs By Nature
The games were fierce in the 1980s when these teams met, but it was a 2014 game that ended up in the record books. Here are 5 memorable games between Cleveland and Tennessee.
The Cleveland Browns host the Tennessee Titans in Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season.
The Browns hold a 37-32 edge in the all-time series, which began in 1970 when the Titans were still the Houston Oilers. Cleveland won the nine meetings between the teams, and the rivalry took off in the mid-1980s as the Browns went 8-2 against the Oilers from 1985 to 1989 while earning four AFC Central Division titles.
Related: Browns 2025 Schedule Primer: Week 14, Tennessee Titans
The Titans hold a slight 10-7 lead in the series since 1999, but the Browns have won the past two meetings. And while the playoffs have not been on the line, there have been a few memorable matchups since the Oilers relocated to Tennessee and became the Titans.
With that in mind, here are five memorable games between the Browns and the Oilers/Titans.
The Browns were coming off a close loss to the Miami Dolphins that left their playoff hopes slipping away when they hosted the Oilers at a snowy Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
Houston built a 23-7 lead in the third quarter thanks to three interceptions and a lost fumble by Don Strock, who was forced into the starter’s role after Benie Kosar was lost for the season to a knee injury. But with the season on the line, Strock found his mojo and the comeback began.
A two-yard touchdown pass to Earnest Byner cut the deficit to nine points as the teams headed into the fourth quarter. Byner added a two-yard touchdown run to pull the Browns within two, and then with a little more than six minutes remaining, Strock found Webster Slaughter over the middle for a 22-yard pass to give the Browns their first lead of the day.
Cleveland’s defense held firm from there as the Browns pulled out the win, earned a playoff spot, and set up a meeting a week later against the Oilers in the AFC Wild Card Game.
Christmas came early for the Oilers in the rematch, as an untimely injury and a blown call by the officials ended Cleveland’s season in disappointing fashion.
Don Strock injured his wrist on the first play of the second quarter, and the Browns were forced to play the rest of the day with Mike Pagel at quarterback. After falling behind 14-3 thanks to a pair of touchdowns by Allen Pinkett, the Browns drew within five points at the half after two field goals from Matt Bahr.
Cleveland finally found the end zone in the third quarter when Pagel hit Webster Slaughter with a 14-yard touchdown pass to give the Browns their first lead of the game. The Browns appeared to tag on a defensive score after...
