By BRIAN DULIK

Staff Writer

CLEVELAND — The Browns and Broncos haven’t met in the playoffs since Jan. 14, 1990, but memories of their three classic AFC Championship games remain fresh in the minds of many people.

Those great matchups were the primary reason why NFL Network chose to kickoff its 2008 regular-season package with Denver at Cleveland on Thursday night.

“I remember watching Bernie Kosar and John Elway play against each other, now it’s two young quarterbacks and two young teams,” said studio analyst Marshall Faulk, who had a stellar career with the Colts and Rams. “This will be an intense game because these two teams have a history.”

That history includes the Broncos beating the Browns in AFC title games following the 1986, 1987 and 1989 seasons, as well as going 15-2 in head-to-head meetings over the last 33 years.

Current Denver coach Mike Shanahan, who was an offensive assistant on Dan Reeves’ staff for all three of the aforementioned Cleveland heartbreakers, says he relishes the chance to return to the lakefront for the nationally televised game.

“This is a really great football town,” he said. “When Carmen Policy went there (to become part-owner of the Browns in 1998), I told him that he won’t believe the support he’ll get because I’ve never seen people that were such great football fans.

“I remember one of my first years over there, one of the playoff games, we were just getting killed in the end zone (by thrown) dog bones. I just remember being on about the goal line or the 5-yard line and it was solid (debris) until about the 20.”

Like Shanahan, former Bengals wide receiver Cris Collinsworth also had some less-than wonderful moments at the late Cleveland Stadium. Among the most unpleasant was being knocked unconscious while running a sideline pattern, then having original “Dawgs” Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield dance over his fallen body.

But like Shanahan, Collinsworth said he enjoyed being part of the wild atmosphere.

“There were two places that I thought were the greatest places that I got a chance to play,” the NFL Network color commentator said. “One was Green Bay and the other was Cleveland. There was something magical to me about playing the Cleveland Browns. It was one of my favorite football experiences.”

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BROWNIE BITS: Brady Quinn’s first NFL touchdown pass was a 5-yarder to tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. Their connection was fitting as “K2” dropped what could have been Quinn’s first scoring toss last Dec. 30 at home against San Francisco. … Winslow also caught Quinn’s second TD of the night — marking the first time in his career he has scored twice in a game — and was the recipient of six of his first 11 completions. … Free safety Brodney Pool picked off Denver’s Jay Cutler for his second interception of the year. … Scat back Jerome Harrison gained 44 yards on four first-half carries. … Phil Dawson drilled a 52-yard field goal, four days after making a career-high 54-yarder at Cleveland Browns Stadium. … Offensive lineman Dustin Fry was added to the practice squad earlier in the day. The 6-foot-3, 326-pound Clemson product spent part of 2007 and 2008 with the St. Louis Rams, but did not appear in a game.

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DENVER NUGGETS: Fourth-string running back Ryan Torain — starting because of injuries to Selvin Young, Michael Pittman and Andre Hall — had 68 first-half yards, but left with a sprained left knee after being folded up like an accordion on a 6-yard gain. Young was subsequently forced into action, but lasted one play before tweaking his sore groin. … Tight end Tony Scheffler also fought through a groin injury to make three grabs over the first two periods. The 6-5, 250-pounder also was called for offensive pass interference in the end zone when 5-11, 195 cornerback Mike Adams outmuscled him for position. … Cutler was 13-for-23 for 193 yards in the first half, 78 of them on five catches by Brandon Marshall.

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OUT OF ACTION: Left guard Eric Steinbach (ribs) and fullback Lawrence Vickers (ankle) were injury inactives for the Browns, while defensive backs Travis Daniels and Hamza Abdullah, linebacker Beau Bell, wide receiver Steve Sanders and tight end Martin Rucker were healthy scratches. Seth McKinney took Steinbach’s place, while Charles Ali filled in for Vickers. Ken Dorsey was the third quarterback. … Not in uniform for Denver were cornerback Champ Bailey (groin), safety Marlon McCree (safety), linebacker D.J. Williams (knee), wide receivers Chad Jackson and Glenn Martinez, running back P.J. Pope and defensive linemen Josh Shaw and Tim Crowder. The Broncos lost linebacker Nate Webster to a sprained left knee in the first quarter.

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WELCOME BACK: Six members of Cleveland’s undefeated 1948 All-America Football Conference champions were honored in a halftime ceremony. Running back Ara Parseghian, wide receivers Dante Lavelli and Dub Jones, defensive end Zeke O’Connor, defensive tackle Ben Pucci and center Mo Scarry all took part in the spotless 15-0 campaign. The Browns captured all four AAFC crowns before merging into the NFL in 1950, but those titles have never been recognized by the NFL, which does include all AFL games and statistics in its history. … Also in attendance was former Browns linebacker Dick Ambrose, who has gone on to a successful judicial career.

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EXTRA POINTS: The Browns were 2-3 on Thursday Night Football entering the evening, including 0-1 on NFL Network. All five of its previous games were against divisional opponents (Houston Oilers, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers). … Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson’s wife, Shannon, performed the national anthem. … The Browns’ odds of winning the Super Bowl are now 100-1, while their odds of becoming AFC champions are 50-1, according to off-shore sports bookmaker Bodog. … Cleveland wore brown tops and white pants, forcing Denver to don all-white uniforms. … Shanahan’s fee for giving a motivational speech ranges from $20,001 to $30,000 through the All-American Talent and Celebrity Network.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I picked up a newspaper yesterday and I saw that Brady Quinn is going to start. I said, ‘They’re doing that for me.’ I think he’s a terrific football player and, in addition to that, he’s a terrific kid and an outstanding young man.” — Former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian on ex-Fighting Irish quarterback Brady Quinn.

Dulik may be reached at brisports@hotmail.com or 330-721-4059.

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