Nursing a bit of a hangover, I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with my friend in a packed bar in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon, questioning my decision to watch the Browns game. After a couple of minutes of pleading, I had finally convinced the bartender to turn one of the thirty televisions in the place to the Bengals/Browns game. Ten minutes later, I remarked to my friend: "This could be worse than last week. The defense looks like they don't want to be out there." Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense had waltzed down the field and scored a touchdown with neither an incompletion nor a third down situation. On their subsequent possession, Browns QB Derek Anderson had missed two open receivers and Cleveland had punted. It looked like the game would be another ugly loss to a division foe.
But suddenly, the defense held. And the Browns managed a couple of field goals. Then, something happened that nobody could have anticipated: the game became a shootout. Up and down the field each team went. Long kick returns, open receivers, and little defense resulted in a jaw-dropping fifty-nine points in just over twenty minutes of action between the second and third quarters. For Browns fans who witnessed last week's debacle, it was like watching a completely different team. The statistics, staggering in any situation, are down right ridiculous when compared to Week 1. Against Pittsburgh, seven sacks allowed, this week: zero. Jamal Lewis and the rushing attack totaled 170 yard more than last week by posting a gaudy 226 on the Bengals. The 554 total yards more than doubled the 221 the offense managed against the Steelers.
Numbers aside, three instances during the game stand out to me as key moments that went right for the Browns that Cleveland fans are unaccustomed to seeing. The first one happened late in the third quarter. The Bengals blitzed with their cornerback from Derek Anderson’s blindside, while the safety tried to roll over to cover Braylon Edwards. But the former first-round pick from Michigan streaked down the field by the safety. Anderson launched the ball out just a bit too far for Edwards but the lanky receiver laid out horizontally and brought the ball in for a touchdown. Too often, the highly-touted receiver has dropped passes at key moments in games. His catch restored a ten point lead for the Browns. The second moment came with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Clinging to a six point lead, the Browns faced a crucial 3rd and 7. Edwards caught a five yard pass and turned upfield where he was stood up by a trio of Bengals. A moment later, the ball came loose. The Bengals started jumping up and down, clamoring to the referees that the ball was theirs. Not only did the referees say that the ball came out after the play, they gave Cleveland a favorable spot on forward progress. By the nose of the football, the Browns managed to secure a crucial first down. The final moment came on Cincinatti’s final offensive play. With Carson Palmer and the Bengals on the move, CB Leigh Bodden intercepted a pass on the far sideline, dragging both feet inbounds to preserve the win.
Since their return in 1999, the moribund franchise has seemed cursed by ineptitude, poor execution, and just plain bad luck. For the first time in recent memory, the Browns performed in crucial situations and gave the fans arguably the most exciting win since the franchise’s rebirth. It was a remarkable (and rare) day that Browns fans everywhere will savor for some time. I for one haven’t stopped smiling since 4 p.m. Sunday.
# posted by Nate @ 7:38 PM
