A Record Day for Oilers Against Browns, 58-14 : AFC: White scores four touchdowns as Houston sets franchise mark for points in a game.

HOUSTON — The Houston Oilers wasted no time disposing of the sinking Cleveland Browns Sunday.

Lorenzo White ran for three of his four touchdowns during a 45-point first half as the Oilers routed the Browns, 58-14.

“The blocking cleared most of the first tacklers, and I had enough momentum to sting the people beyond the line of scrimmage,” said White, who scored on runs of 10, one, seven and five yards. “We made a big statement early and set the tone.”

The Oilers (7-6) set a franchise record for points in a game, and the first-half points matched the third-highest total in NFL history.

The victory, coupled with Cincinnati’s 20-17 loss to San Francisco and Pittsburgh’s 24-3 victory over New England, put the Oilers, Bengals and Steelers in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC Central.

The Oilers’ victory also gave them a season sweep of the Browns for the first time since 1981.

Cleveland (2-11), which has lost eight in a row, was helpless against the Oilers’ top-ranked offense, which scored on all six of its first- half possessions.

The 58 points broke the Oilers’ record of 56 that was set in 1962 against the New York Titans when Houston was a member of the American Football League.

Houston’s 45 first-half points ranks only behind Green Bay’s 49 against Tampa Bay in 1983 and Buffalo’s 48 against Miami in 1966. It matched Indianapolis’ 45 against Denver in 1988 and Green Bay’s against Cleveland in 1967.

The 58 points were the most scored in a regular-season game against the Browns, who have allowed 30 or more points for five consecutive weeks, including a 42-0 loss to Buffalo. Cleveland has allowed 380 points this season, another franchise record.

“You figure a team can’t lose this bad unless people are quitting,” Browns’ linebacker Clay Matthews said. “But I disagree. I think we had a great effort. They just beat us.”

On the Browns’ first possession, Houston safety Terry Kinard returned an interception 47 yards to set up the first of White’s touchdown runs.

“If they had scored early, it could have been a different game,” Oiler Coach Jack Pardee said. “But with their record and the bad things that have happened to them, Kinard really helped us out.”

Kinard scored in the second quarter when he scooped up a fumble by Kevin Mack and ran 72 yards for the third touchdown of his career.

“Our defense gained momentum after that first drive,” Kinard said. “The interception turned it around. Fortunately, I was on the spot to run in that fumble. It was my best game as an Oiler.”

White, who gained only 16 yards in six carries in last week’s 13-10 overtime loss to Seattle, rushed for 116 yards in 18 carries against the Browns for the third 100-yard performance of his career.

White left the game midway through the third quarter along with quarterback Warren Moon, who completed 17 of 25 passes for a season-low 190 yards.

Moon, who has 310 completions this season, broke the team record of 293 set by Ken Stabler in 1980. Moon had touchdown passes of six yards to Ernest Givins and 17 yards to Leonard Harris in the first half.

The Oilers beat the Browns, 35-23, in their first game this season, but the Browns led, 16-14, in the fourth quarter of that one.

“We fumbled the opening kickoff the last time we played them,” Pardee said, “so it was important to get on them early.”

Eric Metcalf’s 101-yard kickoff return was Cleveland’s only first-half score.

Metcalf zig-zagged to the middle, cut back to the sideline and sidestepped kicker Teddy Garcia and cornerback Cris Dishman before he outran Lamar Lathon to the end zone.

“We thought that (kickoff return) could have given us some momentum,” Metcalf said, “but we didn’t make anything out of it.”

Metcalf, who also scored on a 31-yard touchdown pass play from Bernie Kosar in the third quarter, had 165 yards in kickoff returns, the most since Chicago’s Brian Baschnagel had 185 yards in 1977.

Metcalf rushed for 15 yards in four carries and caught three passes for 36 yards.

Kosar completed 13 of 26 passes for 166 yards. He had two passes intercepted and lost a fumble.