Oilers Get Big Day from Gary Brown and Win : AFC: Subbing for Lorenzo White, Houston running back rushes for 194 yards in victory over a struggling Cleveland.

The empty seats, tens of thousands of them by game’s end, said it all.

Houston’s Gary Brown continued his remarkable work as Lorenzo White’s understudy by running for 194 yards Sunday as the Oilers beat the stumbling Cleveland Browns, 27-20, deepening Cleveland fans’ anger with Coach Bill Belichick for releasing Bernie Kosar.

Brown turned in his second consecutive 100-yard performance in place of White, out with an injured hamstring. In two starts, Brown has rushed for 360 yards, helping the Oilers extend their winning streak to five games.

He was especially outstanding in the second half, keying one scoring drive that lasted 18 plays, another that used 15 plays. He had 73 yards rushing at halftime and added 121 in the last two quarters.

Marcus Robertson had three of Houston’s four interceptions, including two that ruined late fourth-quarter drives.

Houston (6-4) has won five straight for the first time since 1980, matching the team’s longest winning streak since its AFL days. Cleveland (5-5) lost its second straight game since Kosar was cut.

The Browns, who have lost five of their last seven games, were undone by turnovers. Todd Philcox, Kosar’s replacement, was intercepted four times, and Cleveland also lost a fumble and had a punt blocked.

Houston was almost as sloppy on offense, fumbling twice and losing two interceptions.

Brown, however, made up for it. His 194 yards were the most by a Houston back since Earl Campbell had 203 against Minnesota in 1980.

Warren Moon threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Duncan in the second quarter, capitalizing on Cris Dishman’s interception, and Moon added a four-yard scoring run on a broken play after missing a handoff to Brown early in the fourth quarter. Al Del Greco kicked two field goals.

Moon was 19 for 40 for 187 yards. Philcox was 22 for 47 for 316 yards.