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Do IT this week: Layering
Running back becomes 24th player to reach 10,000 yards rushing
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Monday, Dec 22, 2008
CLEVELAND: Nearing the end of what he called the worst season of his career in terms of victories, Browns running back Jamal Lewis didn't revel over his milestone.
After a 14-0 loss to the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns (4-11) could finish last in the AFC North division.
But when Lewis retires, he might cherish the elite club he joined Sunday, becoming the 24th player in NFL history to reach 10,000 rushing yards.
''It don't mean anything to me, honestly,'' Lewis said. ''I can care less about numbers, I never have. I don't know how many yards I have this season, I never do. I just look at numbers at the end of the season and where I end up.
''But I'm a winner. That's what I am and that's what I want to be. Hopefully, we can get things together around here and put together some winning seasons.''
Now with 10,013 yards, Lewis, a nine-year veteran, is the second Browns player to reach 10,000, joining hall of famer Jim Brown, who totaled 12,312 in 1957-65. Brown is now executive adviser to owner Randy Lerner.
''It's always great to be mentioned in the likes of a great running back like Jim Brown and be around a facility where he's there most of the time,'' Lewis said. ''It's a great deal and I'm happy here. Hopefully, there will be more milestones to cross over.''
Lewis came in needing 63 yards to reach 10,000 and picked up 76 yards on 16 carries. He went over on an 8-yard run early in the third quarter. The public address announcer relayed the news after the next play.
''That's a tremendous stat to have, to be amongst the Barry Sanderses and Curtis Martins and the Jim Browns,'' wide receiver Braylon Edwards said. ''To be in that elite group says a lot about what he's done in his career. We're all proud and I'm happy I had a chance to be a part of it when he was here.''
Center Hank Fraley felt the same way.
''It's a great feeling,'' Fraley said. ''We knew going into this game how many yards he needed. I enjoy blocking for him. He runs hard.''
The fifth overall pick in the 2000 draft, Lewis said he never dreamed about 10,000 back then.
''I really didn't,'' he said. ''It's just over the years and putting up good numbers and just trying to stay consistent. It added up.''
Lewis has 908 yards (3.5 per carry) going into Sunday's season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers boasted the league's No. 1 defense last week and were giving up 75.8 rushing yards per game.
Mea culpa?
Edwards sounded like he was apologizing for his comments after Monday night's game in Philadelphia, when he said he was a ''marked man'' because he went to Michigan and Browns fans could not accept him.
He saluted those who came out in the bitter cold, with the wind chill zero at kickoff and falling during the game.
Asked how the home crowd treated him, Edwards said: ''I really didn't listen. My job was to go out there and try to get a win. Try to make some plays, help [Ken] Dorsey out. I heard some cheers, I heard some boos, but that's every game.
''They were here. Whatever they say, whatever comes out of their mouth, at the end of the day, they're here, which means they care about us. That's all that matters.''
Edwards was not booed in pregame because the Browns introduced special teams.
Battle of Michigan men
Browns quarterback Ken Dorsey threw three interceptions, all on passes intended for Edwards that were picked off by Bengals cornerback Leon Hall. Edwards caught four passes for 35 yards and was also called for an offensive pass interference on Hall, knocking him down on the Browns' first possession.
With his first interceptions of the season, Hall was trying to atone for his poor play against Edwards in the past. Edwards had scored five touchdowns in the previous three games against the Bengals.
Edwards was the third overall pick out of Michigan in 2005; ex-Wolverine teammate Hall was taken 18th in 2007. But the two are not close.
''We don't talk much,'' Hall said.
Edwards gave Hall his kudos for a good game, but wouldn't answer a question about whether Hall was growing into his position.
''Next question,'' Edwards said.
Edwards went along with the suggestion that the Bengals knew Dorsey does not have a strong arm and saw the interception the Eagles' Asante Samuel scored on Monday.
''Possibly. At the same time, that field was as hard as ice. We knew going into it we were not going to do too many things deep,'' Edwards said. ''When we did, it was at the end of the game, when it's kind of desperation time. [Hall] did a good job with his scouting report. He studied well and made some plays.''
Edwards found another member of the Bengals secondary he'll have to contend with in the future. He and strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe, in his second year out of Notre Dame, exchanged hard hits.
They mixed it up on a third-quarter drive, Edwards blowing up Ndukwe on an end-around by Joshua Cribbs and Ndukwe getting him back with a powerful tackle after Edwards' 4-yard catch for a first down. Then, after Dorsey's third interception with 10:46 left in the fourth quarter, Edwards jumped over Hall and Ndukwe hit Edwards from behind when it appeared Hall was well past him on a 27-yard interception return.
''I was out there doing my job. My job is to block when Josh runs reverses,'' Edwards said. ''I got him. My block was legal nonetheless.''
Asked whether Ndukwe's was legal on the interception, Edwards said: ''You watched it, you make your own opinion. It's football, man. You deal with it.''
Injury update
Dorsey suffered a rib injury and a possible concussion. Fullback Lawrence Vickers experienced back spasms before the game, but was able to play in the second half. Left guard Eric Steinbach's sore back forced him out in the second half. Defensive end Shaun Smith (calf) was inactive.
Challenge kings
Browns coach Romeo Crennel lost his first challenge of the season on whether Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh accidentally touched a second-quarter punt. Crennel is two-for-three in 2008. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is six-for-seven on challenges, winning one in the first quarter when he said cornerback Eric Wright was down on a return of a Cedric Benson fumble.
Brownies
Punter Dave Zastudil gutted it out with a swollen right knee, his plant leg. He kicked five times for a 49.4 average, with two inside the 20 and a long of 58. . . . Former Browns safety Chris Crocker, signed by the Bengals on Oct. 30, visited his former team's locker room. . . . Crennel gave the Browns today off. . . . Bengals receiver Chad Ocho Cinco was inactive.
>> What they're saying today from Cleveland to Cincinnati
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
CLEVELAND: Nearing the end of what he called the worst season of his career in terms of victories, Browns running back Jamal Lewis didn't revel over his milestone.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Mogadore, OH
Posted 07:23 AM, 12/22/2008
When a team loses all four exhibition games looking undisciplined, it's going to be a long season...and it has!
Akron, OH
Posted 07:34 AM, 12/22/2008
Martin - maybe so, but the Lions won all of their preseason games. Figures, right? Unreal!
Posted 09:53 AM, 12/22/2008
The bottom line to this entire season is that Cleveland is horrible. Kudos to J. Lewis. He is a tough and durable RB. Romeo needs to find his Juliet elsewhere. As bad as the Bengals are, Cleveland is worse. I knew before the season started that The clowns weren't going to go anywhere. They are a joke. Cleveland had a soft schedule last year and played above their talent. Games that they won against good teams were because of key injuries to players on the other teams or, just luck. Either way, the clowns will still be the clowns. If Crennell stays, they wont win more than 6 games. you can have all of the talent in the world, but if the coaches are horrid, you don't win. If Romeo is fired, they will have to teach a new system. At least 2 more seasons down the tubes. So, either way, the fans are screwed.
A, O
Posted 03:26 PM, 12/22/2008
Nobody could be as lucky as the Steelers have been through the years from the Emaculate Reception til now.
Posted 04:05 PM, 12/22/2008
Jamal,
Congrats! It is a huge accomplishment.
