Oilers Rally to Get Eighth Win in a Row, 19-17 : AFC: Del Greco’s field goal leads Houston over Cleveland. After 1-4 start, a victory next week will clinch the Central Division title.

HOUSTON —  Just when Houston’s seven-game winning streak seemed to be slipping away, the Oiler defense and Al Del Greco charged in to make it eight in a row.

Del Greco’s fourth field goal, a 25-yarder with 10:39 remaining, rallied Houston to a 19-17 victory over Cleveland on Sunday and the Oiler defense helped get them there with three takeaways, two that set up points.

“I’m proud of the way we hung in there,” Coach Jack Pardee said. “We’ve got colds, a flu bug and injuries going around and we didn’t play great but we stayed in there and won the game.”

Cris Dishman’s fourth interception in as many games and a 20-yard pass-interference penalty against Terry Taylor set up Del Greco’s go-ahead field goal and gave the Oilers (9-4) eight wins in a row for the first time since 1961.

Del Greco has converted 23 of 27 field-goal tries this season with three of his four misses from 50-plus yards.

In the closing minutes, the defense forced the Browns (6-7) into a 56-yard field goal try by Matt Stover that was wide right.

Houston can clinch its second AFC Central title in three years with a victory at Pittsburgh next Sunday.

Vinny Testaverde, in his first start since recovering from a shoulder separation, completed two touchdown passes and had the Browns leading 17-16 early in the third quarter.

“Going up 10-0 gave us some momentum and confidence,” Testaverde said. “We were playing a good team on the road and we were ahead. We had some success . . . but what matters is winning.

Houston spotted the Browns 10 points to start the game on Eric Metcalf’s 49-yard touchdown catch from Testaverde and Stover’s 53-yard field goal before the Oilers scored 16 unanswered points for a 16-10 halftime lead.

It didn’t last very long however. After failing to score at the end of the first half, the Browns struck quickly in the third quarter.

Testaverde completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Mark Carrier with 3:36 elapsed in the third quarter to regain the lead.

The Oilers played the second half without starting free safety Marcus Robertson, who suffered a season-ending ruptured tendon in his left knee.