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Do IT this week: Layering
Game gives Anderson immeasurable boost
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008
CLEVELAND: Credibility.
That's what Monday night means to the Browns.
An impressive win over the New York Giants gives the Browns credibility as a team, and gives credibility to their hopes for a successful season.
As the season progresses, this prime-time victory could be the one the Browns look back on as the real springboard for a season (unlike that fingernails-on-a-chalkboard win in Cincinnati).
The Browns beat the defending Super Bowl champions.
They ended the Giants' streak of 12 wins in a row on the road.
They gave the Giants their first loss of the season.
But more important, the Browns gave their season a vital boost. This win gives the Browns the credibility that an ugly win over a winless team in Cincinnati could not.
If the Browns can compete with and defeat an unbeaten Super Bowl champion, well then there's reason to believe they can compete with and beat the other teams on the schedule.
''Confidence is everything in this league,'' said tackle Ryan Tucker, whose first appearance in the starting lineup appeared to bring many good results.
The Browns probably caught the Giants on the perfect night. The Browns played on a Monday night after a bye — see what happens when you give Romeo Crennel an extra week to prepare? — and the Giants were coming off an easy win over the Seattle Seahawks. Their road winning streak had to end at some point.
Even with all that, this was an impressive Browns win, a win that involved the key elements of the team and a win that re-established Derek Anderson's status as the starting quarterback.
''It's almost a relief to know that we can play good like that,'' said tight end Steve Heiden, a pro's pro who made the absence of Kellen Winslow a nonfactor. ''Now we've got to keep doing it.''
Moving to 2-3 is not worthy of doing cartwheels, mind you. Which is what Braylon Edwards did prior to the game when introduced. A cartwheel followed by an aerial back flip.
He did not land square, though. Two-tenths deduction.
Cartwheeling into a Monday night game probably should not be allowed until a team is at .500, but Edwards followed his Shawn Johnson opening with a big third-down catch on a slant and a bigger first-down catch on an out-and-up and a bigger still fourth-quarter touchdown that gave the Browns a 13-point lead.
By game's end, Edwards had 154 yards receiving and a touchdown and Anderson had topped 300 yards passing and thrown two touchdowns.
The boost this game gives Anderson is immeasurable.
For the first time this season he looked like the confident quarterback of 2007. He stood tall in the pocket and time and again found the open receiver.
Edwards had big catches. Syndric Steptoe had a big third-down catch. Heiden had five big catches. And the offensive line played to its abilities.
''When we play like we played, we're pretty salty,'' Tucker said.
The Browns had mistakes. Plenty of them. The run defense was weak and there were way too many penalties, most of them irritating and unnecessary.
But the Browns did not let the mistakes beat them.
On one third-quarter drive Browns had five penalties, yet drove from their 13-yard-line for a touchdown and held the ball for 8:16.
Add the 30 yards in penalties and the Browns actually drove 117 yards, which is more than the length of the field (in case anyone didn't know).
Anderson threw to five different receivers and threw his second touchdown pass thanks to the fact the guy covering Edwards (Aaron Ross) cramped up.
No cartwheel followed this play. Edwards merely spiked the ball over the goalpost to celebrate the fact the Browns had a 27-14 lead.
The Giants came back — what else would anyone expect from a Super Bowl champion? — but the Browns persevered and put an exclamation point on the win with Eric Wright's interception and 94-yard return for a touchdown.
The Browns now are 2-3, which is not a good record.
But let's be honest.
When the season began, the schedule looked tough to start.
Most penciled in losses to the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Giants.
The Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals were wins.
Well the Ravens turned into a disappointing loss, but the Giants game turned into a win that could be energizing.
Five games into the season, the Browns are now where most thought they would be. And because the last game was a very good win, the season looks like it has a lot of time left for the Browns to make up what was lost in the first three games.
''We set our bar high,'' center Hank Fraley said. ''And we're just starting to reach it.''
Edwards obviously brought out the cartwheel for Monday night. Premature? Probably.
But if they use it wisely, the Browns might look back at this as the night, the game, the win that cartwheeled them forward to bigger and better things.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/.
CLEVELAND: Credibility.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Naples, FL
Posted 06:26 AM, 10/14/2008
Don't underestimate the value of Ryan Tucker to this O-line. This was the best protection DA has had this year and with the added protection his confidence grew by the minute. Go TUCK! GO BROWNS!
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 07:17 AM, 10/14/2008
Here we go. I love the Browns as much as the next guy, but every time the Browns win a game, NE Ohio loses it's collective mind, screaming "Super Bowl!" and other insane ramblings. The Browns staff and players need to put these bumper stickers on their lockers: "One Day at a Time". Up next: the Redskins, who are going to be angry about a home loss to the Rams.
Posted 08:01 AM, 10/14/2008
The Browns are still a poorly coached team with a QB who will take them no where. He had a good game, 1 out of 5 I guess is acceptable for Cleveland. This does nothing to change my opinion that the Browns need to get BQ ready to play. HE is the future. Nice win though, they actually showed some toughness which leaves me wondering where it was for the first 4 games.
Posted 08:20 AM, 10/14/2008
Hey Patrick, I guess since the Steelers werent playing this week you had to wrie an actual articlle about the Browns huh? How does this guy still have a job?
He should be writing classifieds
Stow, OH
Posted 08:51 AM, 10/14/2008
On a different note : Who designed those awful looking helmets anyways ? My sons high school helmets look more professional than those god awful things.
Posted 09:10 AM, 10/14/2008
Creativity for a CHANGE...
A full use of our weapons...A little Cribbs, a little Harrison, a little Stallworth, A dose of Heiden..All around the core of Lewis and Edwards...They didn't know where we were going to hit them and they have the #3 Offense in the NFL..
GREAT ATTACKING DEFENSE...Gang tackling of the Monster like I haven't seen from the Browns in years....A terrific Pass rush...A monster performance from the big guy in the middle...Tucker has produced Marked results since taking over the Defense
Romeo his usual blunder not going for the 2 points on our next to last TD...but...Someone got to him and we did get the 2 point Conversion on the last TD...
A TREMENDOUS WIN.
Posted 10:23 AM, 10/14/2008
Pat, welcome back on the bandwagon. What no jabs at the Browns for still being second fiddle to the Steelers you love so much? Oh yeah, thanks for pointing out that 117 yards is longer than the football field (excluding the end zones). I'm sure thousands of football fans didn't know that.
Drew, who is talking Super Bowl? Idiots like you who can't even enjoy a great win like this don't deserve to be called fans.
Ronald, why should BQ play? Because he is the annointed one picked in the first round from a big school (Notre Dame). All you BQ fans need to realize something, many first round QBs flop. Many lower picks turn out to be great. BQ isn't so good, or he would have been snatched up long before the 22nd pick in the draft.
Tim, those helmets were throw back editions, like what the Browns wore a long time ago (back in the 50s maybe?). They may not look great, but represent tradition, and all NFL teams have ben using throw back styles (uniforms & helmets) for over about 10 years now. They do look like the trainer put on the numbers using black tape, but they're kind of cool in an old school way.
Roy, you sound like a real fan excited over this win. You can't be the same Roy who posted that negative stuff in the other story.
Posted 10:26 AM, 10/14/2008
Dang it, I had a great post typed up and it didn't post, because of one word I used, I hate that.
Anyway, Pat figured you'd jump back on the bandwagon. No use getting the fans mad after a big win.
The rest of you negative people need to get a life. That was a huge win, over a great team. Nobody is saying the Browns are in the Super Bowl. But this is what was expected of them when the season started. I believe that they will continue to play well and improve. The rest of you can continue to be chicken little (the sky if falling, the Browns still suck). But I'd suggest you keep that to yourselves, nobody wants to hear that garbage after a great game.
Old Faithful, WY
Posted 10:49 AM, 10/14/2008
it wouldn't be cleveland football if there wasn't a game or two in the season to give false hope to the fans.
fire romeo now!
Posted 11:16 AM, 10/14/2008
STEVE:
I try to look at the games realistically...Yesterday there was nothing to be critical of......Creative exciting Offense and Tough Aggresive attack type Defense...
Really a Great Cleveland Game and Game plan.
Old Faithful, WY
Posted 11:42 AM, 10/14/2008
nothing to be critical of????
did you happen to catch all the dumb penalties in the game. this team is poorly coached and stands no chance in a meaningful late season/playoff game.
Posted 12:15 PM, 10/14/2008
Steve:
We did have 10 penalties but for only 55 yards...Not Good and a terrible reflection on CHUD since most were on the offense...BUT THE GOOD FAR Exceeded the bad.
If it was my call I would fire Rac Tomorrow...
But.. No team will ever have a perfect game and this game for the Browns is as Close as most teams will ever get....Edwards had one drop..Does that make his play horrible in this game ...HARDLY...CHUD stepped up BIG-TIME in getting the team ready for this game...and I was all for firing him last week. Tucker really showed me something in getting his guys a great game plan and mentally ready for the Giants. Romeo made his usual Bone Head call not going for the 2 point conversion on our next to last TD but Made up for it on the last TD...
It would be nice to worry about playoff games a little further down the road.
Posted 06:06 PM, 10/14/2008
I'd say he didn't go for the 2-point conversion on the second to last TD because if you don't get it, you take some of the wind out of the sails of a team that was finally starting to look good. So, you take the kick for the extra point and wait until you have the final TD you need to seal the deal before you worry about a 2-pointer.If getting the 2-point conversion were as simple as saying "yeah, let's do it" then I think you'd see a lot more of them on a regular basis.
Anyways, an awesome game and I hope to see a lot more of the same in the coming weeks.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 12:20 PM, 10/15/2008
Steve, I don't know if I am idiot, but I am a realistic fan. I can almost guarantee that at your place of employment, more often than not after the Browns win a game, your co-workers/friends that are Browns fans see stars in their eyes. That has been going on in NEO for as long as I can remember.
Such hostility Stevie.
Posted 12:34 PM, 10/15/2008
Drew,
Nobody is talking Super Bowl that is what you implied with your comments. Sure fans are happy that the Browns won a big game. I would have been happy with a good showing and a loss against one of the best teams in the NFL. But some fans (you appear to be one of them) aren't really fans any more. You're just waiting for the team to explode, then you'll laugh and say "I told you so." Time for you to find another team to back.
I guess according to you when a Cleveland teams wins a big game we should all just say "Oh well, who cares they all suck and have never won anything. They'll just disappoint next week." Yep, those are true fans, and ones I'm sure every pro franchise wants.
PS There appear to be 2 Steve's on here, but I'm not bothering to register again. I'm Steve G. And made the 2 posts in this forum stamped 7:23 and 7:26 AM yesterday.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 10:55 AM, 10/16/2008
Steve, your points are valid, but wrong on a couple of points. My view comes from years of being snake-bitten, as everyone else in NEO. Yet I remain a Browns fan, and would NEVER find another team to back; that is against the rules of being a true fan (see link, that I find amusing, and mostly true):
http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/020227
Holding onto hope that a chronically underperforming stock will explode and recoup gains would be foolish; so too is unconditional love for a team that has suspect ownership and horrible luck. I am realistic about EVERY team that I follow. I haven't missed a Buckeyes game in years, and that includes 18 months living in a row living in NH and TX, but I am not too blinded to see that they have problems from the top down.
Does that make me less of a fan? In my opinion, no. It just means that I feel that I have a better grasp on reality and the performance of the team.
Do I want the Browns to win out? You bet. Do I b*tch at the TV that the Browns suck as they play? No, I cheer big plays, howl bad calls, and yell at false start offenders. But is it annoying sitting next to a bunch of unrealistic fans at work, coming into my office saying that this is the game that gets us to the playoffs? Yes, to me, it is. That isn't realistic. I respect their loyalty, but I don't feel that my view is any less loyal.
May or not make sense, I don't care.
