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Defense digs in, hangs on, earns redemption
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Monday, Oct 29, 2007
ST. LOUIS: A 27-20 victory Sunday over the winless St. Louis Rams could be remembered as the day Cleveland's long-struggling franchise finally put its head above water.
For many of the Browns, it also was an afternoon of atonement.
Browns cornerback Leigh Bodden, victimized as the Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, secured the victory by intercepting Marc Bulger's pass intended for Torry Holt with 38 seconds remaining.
''I just wanted to make a play,'' Bodden said. ''I had to make up for the way I played in the first half.''
Browns strong safety Sean Jones, criticized for his struggles covering tight ends, made a drive-ending and perhaps game-saving tackle on rookie running back Brian Leonard's fourth-and-1 plunge at the Browns' 16-yard line with 1:57 left. Jones grabbed Leonard's leg and wouldn't let go.
''Whatever it takes to get him down,'' Jones said. ''I thought everyone else was coming, but he dragged me for a little while. In this league, there's a lot of ups and downs. I was criticized the last two weeks. All that doesn't matter. We're 4-3 right now.''
The Browns' 32nd-ranked defense came up with two fourth-down stops. With the Rams leading 14-3 early in the second quarter, defensive lineman Shaun Smith stopped Leonard for no gain at the Browns' 33.
''Everybody keeps saying stuff about the D-line,'' Smith said. ''It doesn't matter if a guy rushes for 150 yards as long as we get the 'W.' The Indianapolis Colts couldn't stop the run, and they were the Super Bowl champs. The only stat that means anything in the NFL is wins and losses.''
Browns receiver Braylon Edwards also could have been the goat.
In his first self-centered gaffe of the season, Edwards took off his helmet to celebrate running over a Rams defender on a 19-yard reception to the Rams' 26-yard line near the end of the third quarter. Despite the 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Phil Dawson converted a 45-yard field goal to give the Browns a 27-20 lead with 10:35 remaining.
Edwards equaled his career-high with eight catches. He had 117 yards and two touchdowns.
''I apologized to the team and the coaches,'' Edwards said of the helmet incident. ''I assumed the quarter was over with. When the play started, there were seven or eight seconds left. That's not the kind of player I am, and that's not what coach Romeo Crennel teaches. It will never happen again.''
The Browns earned their first road victory of the season and broke a string of 64 consecutive games dating to 2003 without winning in back-to-back games in the same season. The Browns are above .500 after seven games for the first time since the 2001 season.
''How you respond in the face of adversity, that's what this whole team has been about this whole season,'' Edwards said. ''After the Pittsburgh game, the Cincinnati game they had a chance to come back. There have been instances where we could have (regressed) back to last year and the year before. The team we want to be, they respond. This was a great win for us, to come back and prevail.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
ST. LOUIS: A 27-20 victory Sunday over the winless St. Louis Rams could be remembered as the day Cleveland's long-struggling franchise finally put its head above water.
Get the full article here.
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