Oakland Raiders: 30 Iconic Moments In Franchise History

Dec 8, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; A Cleveland Browns helmet sits on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of New England

18. January 4, 1981 – Red Right 88

It was a cold day in Cleveland when the Raiders took on the Browns in the divisional round of the playoffs. At kickoff it was a brisk four degrees, making it the coldest game on record since the infamous Ice Bowl of 1967.

Thanks in large part to the weather conditions, neither team was able to get much going offensively. The first points of the game weren’t scored until Jim Plunkett threw a pick six, giving the Browns a lead. But Raiders LB Ted Hendricks blocked the extra point, keeping the score 6-0.

Plunkett then led the Raiders on their best drive of the game. And with 22 seconds left in the first half, Raiders running back Mark van Eeghen punched it in from two yards out to give the Raiders a 7-6 lead.
Cleveland opened the second half with a solid drive that resulted in a field goal and a 9-7 lead. Following a Raiders punt, the Browns were once again, on the move. The Raider defense stiffened though, holding Cleveland to another field goal and a 12-7 lead.

The Raiders opened with fourth quarter with a long drive led by Plunkett and van Eeghen. The Raiders got the ball down to Cleveland’s six yard line and on third down, van Eeghen finished off the drive by punching it in and a 14-12 lead.

Neither team was able to muster anything offensively until Cleveland got the ball with just over two minutes left in the game. They moved from their own 15 yard line all the way down to Oakland’s 14 with just under a minute left. Needing only a field goal, the Browns tried to punch it in with a pass from Brian Sipe to Ozzie Newsome. Raiders safety Mike Davis though, stepped in front of the pass and picked it off, preserving the lead and giving Oakland the win.

When asked what play he’d run, Browns coach Sam Rutigliano said it was “Red Right 88.”

Next: January 2, 2000