NFL 2002 Season
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NFL 2002 Season
BROWNS-STEELERS: RIVALRY REACHES 100TH MEETING SUNDAY
"I played those guys 28 times," says DOUG DIEKEN, Browns offensive tackle from 1971-84. "I don't think I ever shook hands with any of them and said, 'Nice game.' Half of our game plan was getting (JACK) LAMBERT kicked out of the game – and we did a couple times. But today, I see (former Steelers) DWIGHT WHITE and Lambert and we're friends."
Friendship will be cast aside for at least four quarters Sunday when the Browns (2-1) travel 132 miles to Pittsburgh (0-2) to face the Steelers for the 100th time (including one playoff game). The Browns-Steelers rivalry will become the AFC's first to reach 100 meetings and is the 11th NFL series to do so all-time. Sunday's milestone meeting will determine whether the Steelers can rebound from consecutive losses or if the Browns can widen their AFC North first-place cushion.
From 1970-2001, the teams combined to earn 23 of a possible 32 AFC Central titles (Steelers, 16; Browns, 7). From 1950-58, Cleveland won 16 of 18 games versus Pittsburgh. The Steelers returned the favor a generation later, downing the Browns in 14 of 16 games (1974-81) in the midst of four haunting words in Cleveland's sports lexicon: "The Three Rivers Jinx." From 1970 – Three Rivers' first season – through 1985, the mighty Steelers were 16-0 at home against the Browns. In that span, Cleveland changed its travel plans to Pittsburgh almost annually, trying to end the curse.
Steelers head coach BILL COWHER played three seasons as a Browns linebacker (1980-82) before joining Cleveland's coaching staff (1985-88). "After losing so many games in Pittsburgh, changing from riding a bus to flying, and then staying in every Pittsburgh hotel imaginable, our first win (1986) was very memorable," says Cowher.
"I could be a tour guide for Pittsburgh," says Dieken, a former roommate of Cowher's when they played for the Browns. "I stayed in just about every hotel there and rode on every possible route between there and Cleveland."
Steelers sixth-year safety and Pittsburgh native MIKE LOGAN recalls memories of the rivalry while growing up in a Steelers household. "I was young, but I remember my family making a big deal out of it," says Logan.
"I remember driving up (to Cleveland) one time," says Logan. "It was my first time seeing the 'Dawg Pound.' I didn't know what was going on. My grandfather explained to me what exactly the game meant. I was a little intimidated by it at first until I got to know and understand it."
Perhaps the most anticipated game in Browns history occurred on September 12, 1999 when the club returned to the NFL after a three-year absence. The Steelers traveled north to pummel the expansion Browns, 43-0, before a national TV audience on ESPN, but Cleveland proved resilient and won the series' next two games, including one in Three Rivers.
"We had the chance to continue this rivalry when the Browns came back," says Browns wide receiver KEVIN JOHNSON. "We have won a couple of big games against the Steelers. We went back to Pittsburgh in 1999 and beat them at Three Rivers Stadium. We won at Browns Stadium for the first time against them in 2000."
Cowher reflects on what makes these meetings special: "More than anything, the Pittsburgh-Cleveland rivalry is built on time and based on the passion that both cities have for their football team. This rivalry goes beyond what occurs on the football field. It is about two cities, which are very similar, who are very passionate about their football teams."
"What makes this rivalry great is the work ethic of both towns," says Dieken. "They're both blue-collar and tough. The fans in both cities are appreciative of players who play hard, and football is the No. 1 sport in both towns. People in both cities are very smart football fans and that adds more.
"After we won the AFC Central Division in 1980 – we had finally gotten past Pittsburgh – a fan sent me a tombstone that I still have that reads, 'Here lies the remains of the Pittsburgh Steelers.' This series means a lot to the fans."
Super Bowl Games & Super Bowl MVP History
- Super Bowl XLII: One of the Greatest
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Super Bowl I
Green Bay Packers 35 Kansas City Chiefs 10 -
Super Bowl II
Green Bay Packers 33 Oakland Raiders 14 -
Super Bowl III
New York Jets 16 Baltimore Colts 7 -
Super Bowl IV
Kansas City Chiefs 23 Minnesota Vikings 7 -
Super Bowl V
Baltimore Colts 16 Dallas Cowboys 13 -
Super Bowl VI
Dallas Cowboys 24 Miami Dolphins 3 -
Super Bowl VII
Miami Dolphins 14 Washington Redskins 7 -
Super Bowl VIII
Miami Dolphins 24 Minnesota Vikings 7 -
Super Bowl IX
Pittsburgh Steelers 16 Minnesota Vikings 6 -
Super Bowl X
Steelers 21 Dallas Cowboys 17 -
Super Bowl XI
Oakland Raiders 32 Minnesota Vikings 14 -
Super Bowl XII
Cowboys 27 Denver Broncos 10 -
Super Bowl XIII
Pittsburgh Steelers 35 Dallas Cowboys 31 -
Super Bowl XIV
Pittsburgh Steelers 31 Los Angeles Rams 19 -
Super Bowl XV
Oakland Raiders 27 Philadelphia Eagles 10 -
Super Bowl XVI
San Francisco 49ers 26 Cincinnati Bengals 21 -
Super Bowl XVII
Washington Redskins 27 Miami Dolphins 17 -
Super Bowl XVIII
Los Angeles Raiders 38 Washington Redskins 9 -
Super Bowl XIX
San Francisco 49ers 38 Miami Dolphins 16 -
Super Bowl XX
Chicago Bears 46 New England Patriots 10 -
Super Bowl XXI
New York Giants 39 Denver Broncos 20 -
Super Bowl XXII
Washington Redskins 42 Denver Broncos 10 -
Super Bowl XXIII
San Francisco 49ers 20 Cincinnati Bengals 16 -
Super Bowl XXIV
San Francisco 49ers 55 Denver Broncos 10 -
Super Bowl XXV
New York Giants 20 Buffalo Bills 19 -
Super Bowl XXVI
Washington Redskins 37 Buffalo Bills 24 -
Super Bowl XXVII
Dallas Cowboys 52 Buffalo Bills 17 -
Super Bowl XXVIII
Dallas Cowboys 30 Buffalo Bills 13 -
Super Bowl XXIX
San Francisco 49ers 49 San Diego Chargers 26 -
Super Bowl XXX
Dallas Cowboys 27 Pittsburgh Steelers 17 -
Super Bowl XXXI
Green Bay Packers 35 New England Patriots 21 -
Super Bowl XXXII
Denver Broncos 31 Green Bay Packers 24 -
Super Bowl XXXIII
Denver Broncos 34 Atlanta Falcons 19 -
Super Bowl XXXIV
Saint Louis Rams 23 Tennessee Titans 16 -
Super Bowl XXXV
Baltimore Ravens 34 New York Giants 7 -
Super Bowl XXXVI
New England Patriots 20 Saint Louis Rams 17 -
Super Bowl XXXVII
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48 Oakland Raiders 21 -
Super Bowl XXXVIII
New England Patriots 32 Carolina Panthers 29 -
Super Bowl XXXIX
New England Patriots 24 Philadelphia Eagles 21 -
Super Bowl XL
Steelers 21 Seahawks 10 -
Super Bowl XLI
Colts 29 Bears 17 -
Super Bowl XLII
New York Giants 17 New England Patriots 14
NFL Super Bowl History, Scores, Summaries & Super Bowl MVP Articles
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