Cleveland's Top 5 Most "Rory Mcllroy" Losses Since Returning in 1999

Rory Mcllroy had an all-time collapse on Sunday at the US Open. Here are my top-5 most Rory Like losses in recent Browns history.

Sunday was a great reminder for all sports fans of how much the agony of defeat contrasts with the pure elation of victory. The entire golf world descended in on Pinehurst No. 2 this past weekend and were given a show.

The show concluded with an all-time choke by Rory Mcllroy where he gifted Bryson DeChambeau his second US Open Championship. Agony wore across the face of the 35-year-old and I couldn’t help but think back to the times that the Browns left us feeling the exact same way.

We have seen some incredibly incompetent football over the years, here are my Top-5 Rory Mcllroy losses in recent Browns History.

5. The Kick Six

Man, this one was tough. The eyes of the football world were on Cleveland as they hosted the Baltimore Ravens on a Monday Night Football matchup. The game was back and forth and with just six seconds remaining Cleveland lined up for a 51-yard field goal to walk off a win. The opposite occurred. The kick was blocked and the Ravens not only recovered it but scoop and scored it to have a walk-off win themselves.

4. Justin Tucker Ends an Instant Classic

Again, the Browns and Ravens met in primetime and gave the fans everything they could have asked for. Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson dueled all game long. It was big play after big play and again, with the game tied, the kicking teams took the field. The only difference is that the Ravens trotted out one of the best kickers of all time and he split the posts sending every Browns fan home a loser, again.

3. Joe Flacco Completes a Miraculous Comeback

Nick Chubb crossed the goalline in week two of the 2022 season putting the Browns up 31-17 with just 1:55 remaining. Cleveland had a 99.9 percent chance to win the game. Flacco connected with Corey Davis for a 75-yard touchdown and immediately everyone knew what was coming. The Jets recovered the onside kick and went right down the field where Flacco found Garrett Wilson for the go-ahead touchdown. The city of Cleveland was stunned.

Lamarcus Joyner, New York Jets, Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns, / Getty Images

2. Pittsburgh Stuns the Browns in the 2003 Wild Card

This one was too early for me to have committed to memory, but the instant classic videos do enough to tell the tale. Browns quarterback Kelly Holcomb was incredible. He was 26-for-43 for 429 yards and three touchdowns pushing the Browns to out-gain Pittsburgh 447 to 443.

After a Phil Dawson field goal to start the fourth quarter, Cleveland held a 27-14 lead and was less than 15 minutes away from a playoff win. They again would stretch the lead to two scores after an Andre Davis 22-yard touchdown catch and the win was on their fingertips. Tommy Maddox had different ideas. He led Pittsburgh on two scoring drives to take the lead and win the game 36-33.

1. Helmet to helmet goes uncalled and Rashard Higgins fumbles away a trip to the AFC Championship Game

Baker Mayfield and the Browns went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs at Arrowhead in the Divisional Round of the AFC Playoffs. Kevin Stefanksi left everything out on the table and the Browns put up an incredible fight with a chance to win the game. Trailing 16-3 at the end of the first half, Mayfield found Rashard Higgins up the right sideline streaking towards the endzone. Higgins reached the ball over the pylon and simultaneously was speared in the head by Daniel Sorenson knocking the ball free and through the endzone for a turnover. The Chiefs then went down and kicked a field goal to take a 19-3 lead. That 10-point swing proved to be the difference in a five-point game as Cleveland’s dreams were snatched by a 22-17 defeat.

Jan 17, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Rashard Higgins (82) moves the ball on a scoring attempt against Kansas City Chiefs free safety Daniel Sorensen (49) during the first half in the AFC Divisional Round playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

There has been more bad than good in Cleveland Browns recent history, but these five games stand out among the most agonizing defeats since Cleveland returned in 1999. Hopefully 2024 gives us more of Dechambeau’s elation and not Mcllroy’s defeat.