The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sits on Lake Erie, just a stone's throw from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. AP Photo.
- More Early Looks: Baltimore | Cincinnati
UPDATED June 22, 2015 | 2:20 p.m. PT - see connections below*
Originally published: June 22, 2015 | 1:30 p.m. PT
The Oakland Raiders' first road trip of the 2015 regular season will be a jaunt to the shores of Lake Erie and a match-up with the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders owned the series with the original iteration, but the current version of the orange and brown has given the Silver and Black fits.
Here are some interesting facts and notes about the series and Cleveland:
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Red Right 88**: Cleveland is the site of one of the most important games, plays, moments, in Raiders history. Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano's infamous "Red Right 88" play call in the 1980 AFC Divisional Playoffs became the stuff of legend. The "Cardiac Kids" went to the well one too many times as Rutigliano didn't trust his kicker to boot the game-winner in frigid conditions. Raiders safety Mike Davis' interception of a QB Brian Sipe pass preserved a 14-12 victory and sent the Raiders to the AFC Championship game en route to a win in Super Bowl XV.
Trifecta: This game will be the third of three games against AFC North opponents to start the 2015 season and first road trip of the campaign for the Silver and Black.
Disjointed History: Oakland leads the all-time series, 11-10. The Raiders are 2-0 in the postseason against Cleveland, with a 14-12 win on Jan. 4, 1981, at Cleveland, and a 27-10 victory on Jan. 8, 1983, at home. Cleveland has won the last two meetings and nine of its last 12 games against the Raiders.
The Browns and Raiders first met in 1970 after the AFL/NFL merger. The Browns left Cleveland after the 1995 season to become the Baltimore Ravens. The NFL awarded the city of Cleveland an expansion team and reconstituted the Browns. The current edition began play in 1999.
Back-to-Back: This year's game will mark the first time in the all-time series two-straight games (in 2014 and 2015) will be played at Cleveland. It will also be the 10th time the two teams will face off in back-to-back seasons (last: 2011 and 2012).
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Connections**: *The Cincinnati Bengals waived former Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor and he was awarded to the Browns Monday afternoon. The Browns' website says he will compete at the wide receiver position.
Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo was the Raiders quarterbacks coach from 2007-08 and again from 2012-14, helping tutor rookie QB Derek Carr last season. Raiders RB Trent Richardson was drafted in the first round (third overall) by Cleveland in 2012. In 17 games, all starts, Richardson rushed for 1,055 yards on 298 carries (3.5 avg.) with 11 touchdowns, and caught 58 passes for 418 yards (7.2 avg.) and one score. Raiders special teams coordinator Brad Seely was the assistant head coach/special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns from 2009-10, where assistant special teams coach Tracy Smith was his assistant.
Notes About the Region: Cleveland is the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is also where the cult classic A Christmas Story was filmed. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in 1995. There are 312 inductees in the Rock and Hall of Fame. You can also visit the house featured in A Christmas Story, where the iconic leg lamp sits in the front window.
Raiders Media Relations contributed to this article.
