1989 season · Classic · Week 15

All seasons › 1989 › Classic games › Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns

Classic NFL game · Week 15

Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns

Sunday Dec 17, 1989 · Cleveland Municipal Stadium, kickoff 1:00pm

Pregame

Pregame: Week 15 Classic
AI summary based on verified facts

Around-league classic at Cleveland Stadium on Sun December 17, 1989. The Minnesota Vikings (9-5) travel to face the Cleveland Browns (8-5-1) in the AFC-NFC interconference matchup.

Bud Carson year one as head coach. Bernie Kosar at quarterback. Kevin Mack at running back. Webster Slaughter at receiver. The Vikings start Wade Wilson at quarterback. Tommy Kramer in relief. Herschel Walker at running back. Anthony Carter and Steve Jordan at receiver. Jerry Burns in year four as head coach.

Both teams compete for division-title implications.[1]

Columnist
AI summary based on verified facts

Bud Carson's Browns and Jerry Burns' Vikings meet in a regular-season game with playoff seeding stakes for both. The Browns are 8-5-1 and one game out of the AFC Central lead. The Vikings are 9-5 and chasing the NFC Central title. The Sunday-afternoon matchup at Cleveland Stadium is one of the conference's deciding mid-tier games.

Wade Wilson has thrown for 1,738 yards through the year. Tommy Kramer has thrown for 882 yards across six starts in relief. Herschel Walker, the midseason trade acquisition, has 669 rushing yards. The Browns' offense, under Bud Carson's first-year coaching, has produced 23 points per game.

Around the league
AI summary based on verified facts

Week 15 has the conference's mid-December sort. Around the NFC the 49ers 12-2 lead. The Rams 10-3. The Giants 10-3. The Eagles 9-4. The Vikings 9-5 in the NFC Central race against the Bears. Around the AFC the Bills 9-4 lead the East. The Broncos 10-3. The Browns 8-5-1 in the Central race. The Sunday matchup at Cleveland is the kind of interconference late-season game that decides playoff seeding for both.

Trend analyst
AI summary based on verified facts

Through 14 games the Vikings sit at 9-5 with a plus 71 differential. The Browns are 8-5-1 with a plus 49. Wade Wilson 1,738 passing yards across 12 starts. Tommy Kramer 882 across six. Herschel Walker 137 carries for 669. Bernie Kosar 3,021 yards across 14 starts, 15 TDs and 12 INTs. Webster Slaughter 58 catches for 1,158. Kevin Mack 173 carries for 769.

League standings entering Week 15

Standings as of kickoff, Week 15 (no future-game spoilers)

Around the league

  • Best record league-wide: San Francisco 49ers (12-2).

AFC

AFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Houston Oilers9-5W2
Cleveland Browns7-6-1L3
Cincinnati Bengals7-7L1
Pittsburgh Steelers7-7W1

AFC East

TeamRecStrk
Buffalo Bills8-6L2
Miami Dolphins8-6W1
Indianapolis Colts7-7W1
New England Patriots5-9L1
New York Jets4-10L1

AFC West

TeamRecStrk
Denver Broncos10-4L2
Los Angeles Raiders8-6W3
Kansas City Chiefs7-6-1W3
Seattle Seahawks6-8W2
San Diego Chargers4-10L4

NFC

NFC West

TeamRecStrk
San Francisco 49ers12-2W3
Los Angeles Rams9-5L1
New Orleans Saints7-7W1
Atlanta Falcons3-11L5

NFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Minnesota Vikings9-5W2
Green Bay Packers8-6L1
Chicago Bears6-8L4
Detroit Lions5-9W3
Tampa Bay Buccaneers5-9L2

NFC East

TeamRecStrk
New York Giants10-4W1
Philadelphia Eagles10-4W4
Washington Redskins8-6W3
Phoenix Cardinals5-9L4
Dallas Cowboys1-13L5

Game video

▶ Open in YouTube Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns 1989 Week 15 · channel: Survivor504

If the player above shows only a "Watch on YouTube" tile, the uploader has disabled inline embedding for this video. Click the button to open it on YouTube.

🔎 Search YouTube for this game🏈 Around the league this week

Score

Reveal through:

Minnesota Vikings 0, Cleveland Browns 0Minnesota Vikings 3, Cleveland Browns 0Minnesota Vikings 10, Cleveland Browns 14Minnesota Vikings 17, Cleveland Browns 17Minnesota Vikings 17, Cleveland Browns 17[1]

1234T
Minnesota Vikings037703101717
Cleveland Browns0014300141723

Scoring plays

Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.

Q1

TeamPlayScore
No scoring this quarter.

Q2

TeamPlayScore
VikingsRich Karlis 44 yard field goal3-0

Q3

TeamPlayScore
BrownsRon Middleton 5 yard pass from Bernie Kosar ( Matt Bahr kick)3-7
VikingsHerschel Walker 26 yard rush ( Rich Karlis kick)10-7
BrownsReggie Langhorne 62 yard pass from Bernie Kosar ( Matt Bahr kick)10-14

Q4

TeamPlayScore
VikingsSteve Jordan 2 yard pass from Tommy Kramer ( Rich Karlis kick)17-14
BrownsMatt Bahr 32 yard field goal17-17
OT
BrownsVan Waiters 14 yard pass from Mike Pagel17-23

Recap

Recap
AI summary based on verified facts

Van Waiters caught a 14-yard touchdown from Mike Pagel in overtime and the Cleveland Browns beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-17 at Cleveland Stadium. Bernie Kosar threw two touchdowns to Ron Middleton and Reggie Langhorne. Wade Wilson threw a touchdown to Steve Jordan. Herschel Walker ran for 57 yards with a 26-yard touchdown. The Browns improved to 9-5-1 and clinched the AFC Central.[1]

Columnist recap
AI summary based on verified facts

Van Waiters caught a 14-yard touchdown from Mike Pagel in overtime to give the Cleveland Browns a 23-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Stadium. Pagel had come in to relieve an injured Bernie Kosar in the fourth quarter. The win clinched the AFC Central for Cleveland and moved the franchise to 9-5-1.

Kosar finished 17 of 38 for 254 before exiting in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. He threw a 5-yard touchdown to Ron Middleton and a 62-yard touchdown to Reggie Langhorne. Pagel came in and finished 1 of 1 for 14 with the overtime touchdown to Van Waiters. Reggie Langhorne caught six for 140 with the long touchdown. Kevin Mack ran 18 for 55. Eric Metcalf ran 2 for 4.

Wade Wilson finished 11 of 32 for 141 with no touchdowns and zero interceptions in his return start. Tommy Kramer came in for relief and went 6 of 16 for 80 with one touchdown (Steve Jordan 2-yard score) and one interception. Herschel Walker ran 16 for 57 with a 26-yard touchdown. Anthony Carter caught four for 77. Steve Jordan six for 87.

By the numbers
AI summary based on verified facts

Browns 23, Vikings 17 (OT). Margin: plus 6. Around-league classic.

  • Kosar (CLE): 17 of 38, 254, 2 TDs (Middleton 5, Langhorne 62), 0 INTs (exited Q4 injured).
  • Pagel (CLE relief): 1 of 1, 14, 1 TD (Van Waiters 14 OT GW).
  • Reggie Langhorne (CLE): 6 catches for 140, 1 TD (62y).
  • Webster Slaughter (CLE): 1 catch for 17.
  • Kevin Mack (CLE): 18 carries for 55.
  • Matt Bahr: 1 FG (32).
  • Wilson (MIN): 11 of 32, 141, 0 TDs, 0 INTs.
  • Kramer (MIN): 6 of 16, 80, 1 TD (Jordan 2), 1 INT.
  • Herschel Walker (MIN): 16 carries for 57, 1 rushing TD (26y).
  • Anthony Carter (MIN): 4 catches for 77.
  • Steve Jordan (MIN): 6 catches for 87, 1 TD.
  • Rich Karlis (MIN): 1 FG (44).
  • Browns 9-5-1; Vikings 9-6.
Film room
AI summary based on verified facts

A 23-17 overtime home win for the Cleveland Browns over the Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Stadium. Cleveland clinched the AFC Central with the win.

How it unfolded

Rich Karlis kicked a 44-yard field goal first. Ron Middleton caught a 5-yard touchdown from Kosar to make it 7-3. Herschel Walker's 26-yard rushing touchdown extended the Vikings' lead to 10-7. Reggie Langhorne caught a 62-yard touchdown from Kosar to make it 14-10. Steve Jordan caught a 2-yard touchdown from Kramer to tie it 17-14. Matt Bahr's 32-yard field goal tied it 17-17 in the fourth. Van Waiters' 14-yard touchdown reception from Pagel in overtime was the eventual margin.

The turning point

The Bahr 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. With Kosar injured and the Browns down 17-14, Pagel's relief work and Bahr's field goal sent the game to overtime where the Browns' overtime opening drive produced the winning touchdown.

By the numbers

Kosar 17 of 38 for 254 with two touchdowns before exiting. Pagel 1 of 1 for 14 with the OT touchdown. Reggie Langhorne six catches for 140 with the long touchdown. Kevin Mack 55 on 18. Wilson 11 of 32 for 141. Kramer 6 of 16 for 80 with a touchdown. Herschel Walker 57 on 16 with the rushing touchdown.

What it means

9-5-1. AFC Central clinched. The Browns earn the AFC's No. 4 seed and a wild-card-round home game; the win sets up the divisional matchup at Buffalo.

Box score

SFOpp
Team totals
First Downs1916
Total Yards316320
Turnovers12
Passing
Comp/Att17/4818/39
Pass yards221268
Pass TD13
Interceptions10
Sacks taken23
Sack yards lost2712
Net pass yards194256
Rushing
Rushes3029
Rush yards12264
Rush TD10
Discipline
Fumbles32
Fumbles lost02
Penalties87
Penalty yards8140

Passing

PlayerC/AYdsTDIntRate
MIN
Wade Wilson11/3214100
Tommy Kramer6/168011
CLE
Bernie Kosar17/3825420
Mike Pagel1/11410

Rushing

PlayerAttYdsTDLong
MIN
Herschel Walker1657126
Rick Fenney1140012
Anthony Carter117017
Alfred Anderson1505
Wade Wilson1303
CLE
Kevin Mack185509
Bernie Kosar3605
Eric Metcalf2403
Tim Manoa1101
Barry Redden3104
Reggie Langhorne2-306

Receiving

PlayerRecYdsTDLong
MIN
Steve Jordan687124
Anthony Carter477044
Hassan Jones224012
Jessie Clark112012
Leo Lewis1909
Alfred Anderson1707
Rick Fenney1303
Brent Novoselsky1202
CLE
Reggie Langhorne6140162
Brian Brennan435016
Lawyer Tillman119019
Ozzie Newsome118018
Webster Slaughter117017
Eric Metcalf216010
Van Waiters114114
Ron Middleton1515
Kevin Mack1404

Discuss on Reddit

Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.

Find the thread Start the thread

Canonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1989 Classic - Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns - Game Thread