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Browns shine in prime time, stun defending NFL champions
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008
CLEVELAND: An embattled quarterback directing a struggling offense without its Pro Bowl tight end.
The foe, the undefeated defending Super Bowl champion, boasting the league's leading offense and third-ranked defense. And a winner of 12 consecutive road games to boot.
An upset made perfect sense, right?
Nothing really made sense Monday night, including a stunning 87-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown despite five Browns penalties. But the magic was back in Cleveland Browns Stadium from the moment receiver Braylon Edwards did a cartwheel and a back flip during pre-game introductions as the Browns stunned the New York Giants 35-14.
''This felt like the Browns of last year,'' Browns running back Jamal Lewis said.
''Everyone knows they're a great team. Tonight was just our night,'' right tackle Ryan Tucker said.
In their second of five prime-time appearances this season and their first on Monday night in five years, the Browns (2-3) took a major step toward reclaiming a season of great expectations.
That embattled quarterback, Derek Anderson, threw for 225 yards in the first half and finished with 310, his first 300-yard game since Dec. 2 at the Arizona Cardinals.
''It's kind of been like beating my head against a wall, you put the work in and don't see results,'' Anderson said. ''I'm really happy for our team and the way we responded.
''I could feel it, I could see it in guys' eyes in warm-ups. The focus was there. I knew it on Friday and Saturday, guys knew their assignments, there were no mental errors in practice.''
Anderson completed 18-of-29 passes, tossing two touchdown passes without an interception for a 121.3 rating. The boisterous crowd of 73,102 never got a chance to chant for backup Brady Quinn.
''Derek was on fire, I was excited for him, it was great to see it, the way he was connecting with the receivers,'' center Hank Fraley said.
Edwards caught five passes for a career-high 154 yards with a touchdown and a two-point conversion. He quickly rediscovered his chemistry with Anderson, catching a 49-yarder on the third play of the game and a 70-yarder to the Giants' 4 on the Browns' first play of the second quarter.
''I throw it a couple yards farther and he probably walks in,'' Anderson said of the bomb. ''But I wanted to make sure he got it.''
The Giants (4-1) threatened to make a game of it until second-year cornerback Eric Wright picked off an Eli Manning pass intended for receiver Amani Toomer and returned it 94 yards for the game's final touchdown with 8:07 remaining. Wright barely avoided stepping out of bounds as Manning dove for him on the play, the fourth-longest interception return in Browns history.
''We made Eli run around a little bit out there and he held the ball a little longer and it allowed me time to make a play on the ball,'' Wright said. ''When I was running I tried to give myself some room so I could stay inbounds and I lucked out. It's real embarrassing if you get tackled by the quarterback, so I had to stay inbounds.''
It was the third interception of Manning, with free safety Brodney Pool nabbing one on the Giants' first possession and Brandon McDonald getting another on the first play of the second half.
Wright had played one of his worst games in the Browns' 37-34 preseason loss to the Giants at the Meadowlands on Aug. 18, beaten twice as the Giants opened a 30-3 lead.
''We gave them plays in the preseason game. Me personally, I had a pass interference call early, then blew a coverage a couple plays later,'' Wright said. ''Just those two plays, everybody looked at me like I was the worst corner ever in life.''
But what most fans will be talking about today was an amazing 14-play, 87-yard drive that consumed 8:16 of the third and fourth quarters. The Browns seemed destined to score in spite of themselves. They were whistled for three false starts (on fullback Lawrence Vickers, Edwards and center Fraley), a delay of game and a holding penalty (on left tackle Joe Thomas).
But showing newfound resilience, the Browns came up with the big plays they had been missing all season. Edwards finished it off with an 11-yard touchdown reception as cornerback Aaron Ross fell to give the Browns a 27-14 advantage with 14:55 to play.
''We'd take two steps and go back one,'' Fraley said of the monstrous drive. ''We were saying we felt like we went 200 yards. But we never got frustrated, never got down on each other. I was glad to see us overcome it.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
CLEVELAND: An embattled quarterback directing a struggling offense without its Pro Bowl tight end.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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WADSWORTH, OH
Posted 04:58 AM, 10/14/2008
BRING ON THE REDSKINS!!
Posted 06:40 AM, 10/14/2008
Too many mistakes by the offense makes me question the discipline of this team. Yea they won a big game, but to be consistent the offense must change its ways. Discipline comes directly from the head coach. This team needs leadership. Can RC do it? I doubt it.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 06:41 AM, 10/14/2008
If you can't beat the Steelers, does it even matter? This was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise win.
Posted 07:32 AM, 10/14/2008
Real nice, Ray - can't even enjoy a win. That was
Go Browns!
somewhere near you, US
Posted 07:36 AM, 10/14/2008
Give me a break, this is the clowns we're talking about. They will do well and revert back to playing normally (horribly bad). Don't get caught up in a rare occasion of competence, they will only break your heart if you let them.
Posted 07:43 AM, 10/14/2008
Remember, even a blind hog will find an acorn. The clowns and all the rest of pro football are controlled by the mob. This game, as is all of pro football are fixed.
Pity the poor fools who think this sport is real. It's not, it's all fixed. The "Boys" made millions of this game !!!
Posted 07:56 AM, 10/14/2008
Lets not get carried away with this win. It was a great win for the fans and the city but the Browns are still 2-3 with a lame coach and even worse QB who had a good game. 1 out of 5 does not make a leader or even a mediocre QB. They are very undisciplined. They did show some toughness but where has that been for the other 4 games. They played well becasue it was the Giants and Monday night and that is it.
Posted 07:57 AM, 10/14/2008
Who really cares ??
Even a blind hog will find an acorn.
east of Akron, AA
Posted 08:08 AM, 10/14/2008
show me the blind hog!
east of Akron, AA
Posted 08:09 AM, 10/14/2008
and the acorn...no, wait, I've seen that nut. His name is Obama!
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 08:16 AM, 10/14/2008
The fix is on.................
Posted 08:22 AM, 10/14/2008
Browns haters/Squeelers fans:
I will be my house against your trailers/shacks that we beat the Steelers later this year.
Posted 08:30 AM, 10/14/2008
Go Browns !!! Woo hoo!!
Posted 08:44 AM, 10/14/2008
What a great win for the Browns! I enjoyed the game and hope for more this year. GO BROWNS!
akron, oh
Posted 09:23 AM, 10/14/2008
Can't anyone just be happy that they won a great game. The beat the Super Bowl Champs, I am very proud of our team. Win or lose they are still our team. Stealnuts are no longer a problem.
GO BROWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OUR TIME IS COMING AND SOON.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 09:54 AM, 10/14/2008
You Clowns fans act like you just won the Superbowl. You are still 2-3 and a long way from a good season. And as far as talking smack about the Steelers, you have nothing to stand on we already beat you once this year.
Posted 09:58 AM, 10/14/2008
Boy some of you negative nancies are really a big downer after a great game. This team had several key pre-season injuries. That affected their team chemistry. The big loss to the Giants in pre-season also affected that. Then they started off with a brutal opening schedule, Dallas, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They couldn't win any of those and looked pretty bad at times.
But they have rebounded with 2 wins, yesterday's against arguably one of the best teams in the league. Nobody is saying they are Super Bowl bound, or even a playoff team. But they looked really good, played well and over came those penalties. This is what Browns fans were expecting from the beginning. I think they are back, and will continue to improve and play well. Contending for the division and a playoff spot.
To Roy, Alan, Rich and the other nay-sayers, if you don't like the Browns stop following them. The rest of us real fans will be backing them, even when they don't play well.
Posted 10:47 AM, 10/14/2008
Besides the Redskins the Giants have only beaten losing teams; Bengals, Rams, Seahawks.
akron, oh
Posted 10:50 AM, 10/14/2008
Thanks Steve, they shouldn't post, good to know we still have a bunch of guys to come back Jones, Joey J, Winslow, Rucker, Smith and that will make that flash offense even mo better GO BROWNS
Posted 10:58 AM, 10/14/2008
Hey Steve,
I don't follow the Clowns. I've got better things to do with my time.....VERY important things to do.... Like inventoring my socks, and painting paperclips..............
Pity you poor fools who actually think this "game " is real................
Green, OH
Posted 11:08 AM, 10/14/2008
That was fun! Romeo found a playbook that had Cribbs doing more than returning kicks! Heiden showed he deserves more playing time! Edwards remembered how to catch! DA threw da bomb! But geeze, those penalties.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:37 AM, 10/14/2008
I'm crushin on Steve Heiden. Let him play more!!
Ravenna, OH
Posted 12:18 PM, 10/14/2008
Cleveland and the Browns have a reason to celebrate but they HAVE to cut down the penalties. They called a false start on the center, for crying out loud and he has the football!!
Long Beach, CA
Posted 12:26 PM, 10/14/2008
That was certainly nice to see the Browns win that way. The o-line was good, and the defense stepped up. Hopefully they can get the stupid idiotic penalties resolved, but a good win just the same and one that was terribly needed. I still have no earthly idea why people are calling for Brady Quinn? Did those people ever watch him at ND, I mean fully watch the games? I doubt it. Stick with Anderson.
Kent, Oh
Posted 01:36 PM, 10/14/2008
Way to go Browns! I posted yesterday to look for an upset and look what happened. I think this was really the game that will be remembered as the one that gave the team the confidence to live up to their potentials! They all played excellent football. How about Steve Heiden! He was absolutely great as was the rest of our offensive line. The Browns DB's also were right when they needed to be. The whole team especially Derek Anderson looks great! 13-3?? You never know. Congratulations to the Browns!
The Great City in, OH
Posted 01:49 PM, 10/14/2008
That was a spectacular victory for the Browns considering they made "BONE" head mistakes; which absolutely must stop.
..
Even with all of the penalties, they still beat the defending Super Bowl champions by 21 points and left another three on the field due to the missed Field goal.
..
Now get this, "THEY DID NOT PUNT THE BALL AWAY AT ALLLLLLLLL!"
..
To the Browns fans of this forum; don’t sweat the negative comments because everyone hear is not a “Browns fan”.
..
Remember, even satan goes to church!
Ravenna, OH
Posted 02:45 PM, 10/14/2008
Winslow can stay and keep icing his jewels that his girlfriend used to kick a field goal.
The Great City in, OH
Posted 03:00 PM, 10/14/2008
Posted by Craig 11:45 AM, 10/14/2008
Winslow can stay and keep icing his jewels that his girlfriend used to kick a field goal.
___________________________________________
..
Oohh, I was wondering just what the problem might be; of course I still don't know but my mind will wander if I don't have details.
Akron, OH
Posted 03:19 PM, 10/14/2008
Hey Rich... if you have better things to do, why do you bother posting insults about the Browns? You must not have very many socks to inventory.
I'll be glad when our injured guys are back. That will only make us stronger. However, I heard that Joey J won't be back at all this year. Any truth to that?
GO BROWNS!
Posted 04:10 PM, 10/14/2008
You people still don't get it, do you ??
The NFL is fixed. They are told who will when and by how many points.
For those who are still wondering what happened to Winslow...........He got kicked in the stones by his girl friend. Stones swelled up the size of softballs (No pun intended !!) Guess she got mad at him because he has as many tatoo's as she does !!! Why DO blacks get tatoos when you can't see anything but black and blue colors ??
Posted 04:16 PM, 10/14/2008
The NFL IS the opiate of the people. Without the NFL, people might just realize there is a life out there..... God forbid that happens. People just might start using their heads and thinking, instead of becoming a robotic idiot fawning all over a bunch of clowns with the IQ of a screwdriver, dressed in orange in brown.
Pity, such a pity
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 04:26 PM, 10/14/2008
Posted by Daniel 10:36 AM, 10/14/2008
Way to go Browns! I posted yesterday to look for an upset and look what happened. I think this was really the game that will be remembered as the one that gave the team the confidence to live up to their potentials! They all played excellent football. How about Steve Heiden! He was absolutely great as was the rest of our offensive line. The Browns DB's also were right when they needed to be. The whole team especially Derek Anderson looks great! 13-3?? You never know. Congratulations to the Browns!
13-3???????? You need to have your head checked.
Posted 05:55 PM, 10/14/2008
A great game by the Browns. I think it was good for DA not to have Winslow to look to all the time. Forced him to look at the rest of the field. Heiden has always been a good player - no flash, but he's steady and he can block. Aside from the penalties (which they overcame) that was a good looking team effort.
Hey, Rich. The mob monitors the web for mention of them and they have savvy computer geeks who can track down your IP address. Were you using your home computer? DOH!! Perhaps you should put your foil hat back on so the aliens can't finish eating your brains.
Posted 06:01 PM, 10/14/2008
Great win, if you can't enjoy it as a Browns fan then you are winer. If you aren't a Browns fan then get on your own forum, losers!!! If you aren't a football fan then quit reading the sport page, loser!!!
Posted 06:08 PM, 10/14/2008
Awesome!! These guys showed a lot of heart, played with a passion we haven't seen all year. The offense and defense both came to play and came through when it counted. We need to keep Anderson in and let him ride this out and build up his confidence to where it was last year. Let's keep the entire playing level up and live up to our potential!
Posted 06:39 PM, 10/14/2008
what happens when you see your post and then later you don't? Was it removed or is the system messed up?
Posted 09:47 PM, 10/14/2008
WAKE UP CLOWNS FANS NEXT WEEK BACK TO THE REAL WORLD ANY TEAM CAN WIN ON ANY GIVEN DAY THE GIANTS HAVE HAD IT EASY SO FAR THE CLOWNS GOT LUCKY BUT ENJOY YOUR WEEK IN THE SUN ITS NOT GOING TO SHINE FOR LONG
akron, oh
Posted 11:45 AM, 10/15/2008
Kristine get back in the kitchen and make me a samich. Roch that would be a meatball samich see ya
Posted 12:41 PM, 10/15/2008
Rich, if you don't follow the Browns then why comment on the story. You are a big loser, and just like crapping on other people. Wow, you must have a great time living in your mom's basement, working at McDonalds, and being an internet bully.
The Great City in, OH
Posted 03:45 PM, 10/15/2008
Posted by john 03:39 PM, 10/14/2008
what happens when you see your post and then later you don't? Was it removed or is the system messed up?
__________________________________________
Open your eyes!
Kent, Oh
Posted 08:30 PM, 10/15/2008
This is to Pittsburgh Matt-check this! The NFL play 16 games before the playoffs and I said 13-3 and if you don't like it "check this!" I might be a little sarcastic but I'm happy that my team beat the Super Bowl winning Giants and if you don't like it too damn bad. Also, quit repeating me boy!
Kent, Oh
Posted 08:32 PM, 10/15/2008
Hey Matt-check this! I said 13 and three and I meant it boy.!! Go Browns go Browns go Browns!
