The Cleveland Browns set the record for the most postseason points in the first quarter of an NFL playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Despite practicing just once all week due to contact tracing related to multiple positive coronavirus (COVID-19) tests, the Cleveland Browns put on a scoring clinic in their wild card round matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. So much so that the Browns set a new NFL record for points in the first quarter of a postseason game, jumping out to an unexpected 28-0 lead.
It didn’t take long for Cleveland’s scoring barrage to get starter, with safety Karl Joseph recovering a fumble in the end zone after Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey snapped the ball over Ben Roethlisberger’s head on the game’s first play from scrimmage.
Cleveland cornerback M.J. Stewart then proceeded to intercept Roethlisberger on Pittsburgh’s ensuing offensive drive. The Browns’ offense capitalized on the costly turnover with Baker Mayfield finding Jarvis Landry for a 40-yard touchdown to extend Cleveland’s lead to double-digits.
The Browns defense then managed to get the ball back in a different manner, forcing a three-and-out. From there, Cleveland’s offense put together a 6-play, 65-yard drive, which ended with an 11-yard Kareem Hunt touchdown run.
On the Steelers’ ensuing offensive drive, safety Sheldrick Redwine got in on the turnover party, picking off Roethlisberger at Pittsburgh’s 45-yard line. Three players later, the Browns were back in the end zone, via an eight-yard Hunt touchdown run.
With that, the Browns set a new record for first-quarter points in a playoff game, surpassing the Oakland Raiders’ 21-point performance vs. the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1969 divisional round. For all the latest from Sunday’s wild card round matchup, which is airing on WKYC Channel 3, follow our live blog.