The bitterness of watching the Colts not try to compete against the Titans is how I will view the last week of the season. Since the Browns game meant little and the Titans won, a reaching review of the game seems pointless. For the forgetful: Lewis rumbles for 128, the 49ers have a net 73 passing yards, and A Man Named Brady makes a cameo. Browns win, but fail to make playoffs.
The team improved this year. Anderson proved to be a viable starter in a league that has a paucity of talent at the quarterback position. Jamal Lewis was a revelation and was the hard-running back that Savage hoped would return to form. The Browns should place a high priority on signing both players. Something has to be done about the defense.
The Browns had their fate in their own hands and watched as it slipped through their fingers. Now the Titans hold their fate when they play an Indianapolis squad that surely will be resting players for its playoff run.
Four Derek Anderson interceptions sunk the team against a Bengals squad that nearly turned the ball over as many times as the Browns. Anderson had his chances, including two possessions inside the game's final two minutes, but he failed to come through for the first time this season. His season should not be forgotten, but if they fail to make the playoffs this game will linger in the minds of fans and players alike. Lost in the mix is that the defense played a spirited game, only yielding points after the offense collapsed in the second quarter. Two Leigh Bodden interceptions fades against the implications of the loss.
In the precarious days of free agency and with the constant threat of injury to key players in the era of no depth, one needs to seize opportunities given. Opportunity is now for the Titans. The Browns now rely on charity.
The Browns beat a game but offensively inept Buffalo squad to all-but-clinch a playoff spot. While the Browns ta least tried to throw the ball down-field, the Bills had rookie quarterback hand the ball off to Lynch on downs -3 then punt. The game somehow was fun despite the general lack of offense likely because of seeing the players labor in a blizzard.
For most of the game Jamal Lewis was the offense. He broke the 1,00 yard season barrier during the game and ended the day with 163 yards on an incredible 33 carries. Game ball to kicker Phil Dawson who nailed a 49 yard filed goal against the wind. Dave Zastudil also had one shining moment: dropping a punt in the show at the one.
The team needs to win one of the last two games or the Titans have to lose on of the two remaining games. At this point they don't deserve to make it if they cannot win one of the next two.
It was a game that the Browns needed after that tough loss to Arizona. It was also a game that they should win since the Browns are a better team than the Jets. The victory had the now familiar theme: Anderson, Lewis, Edwards, Winslow and barely enough defense. Young Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens moved the ball well, but he had key interceptions that killed drives.
Lewis looks to be a potential difference maker in still-a-dream playoff thoughts. Gaining 118 yards and scoring yet another touchdown on the ground (and one in the air), Lewis could be the key to getting rest for the beleaguered defense. With 921 yards he should pass the 1000 yard mark this week. Not too bad for a guy with nothing left in the tank.
Let's give the defense a few kudos. Leon Williams had 1.5 sacks for that defense - one that gave up nearly 400 yards to the Jets. A win is a win but one can start dreaming of next year and a better defense to combine with this offense. 10 tackles for Holly and 7 for Jones - too many for your defensive backs.
Though I do not gamble, it is hard to ignore this early line: this week the Patriots are favored over the Jets by 27.
By now we all know that game finished in a controversial fashion: while Winslow was grabbing the winning touchdown pass he was either forced out (if you are a Browns fan) or - as the referees and Cardinal fans saw it - he did not get his feet inbounds and he would not have done so even if he had not been hit.
Leaving aside the obvious playoff implications, we get to consider the utility of replay. What the referees did not review was the call that he was not forced out. Everyone knew that he did not get two feet inbounds. That much was obvious with the naked eye. The meaner question is one for the NFL. If judgment calls are reversible (i.e. was the call of a fumble or a reception) why aren't some calls subject to review? Why can the referee review if an official had blown deciding whether Kellen's feet were inbounds, but he cannot review if he blew the call re the force out?
In the end the Cardinals earned 21 points off of 3 Cleveland turnovers. You usually do not win such games. However the Patriots won a game like that on Monday night. For a while, it looked like the Browns had done so as well.
20071125: Important Win over Houston - Unprocessed Notes
D holds on 4th and 2 on the Clv 35 offense fails 3rd and 2 on next drive nice tackle on 3rd down by Jones as the D holds on first two drrives Cribbs fear leads to a 27 yd punt 4th-and-1 on HOU 39 fails - no push consecutive wide open passes end td drive for Texans O looking off - a mistake to underestimate the Houston D spectacular INT by Jackson big play: 3-1 25 yd pass to JJ lser beam pass to 17 end solid drive nice stutter step freezing db 3-8 at the Cle 23 - Daniels wide open and Pool blasts him causing a drop. First and goal becomes a fg 10-7 t-7 conversion by KW - tough horribly underthrown ball by 3 returned to Cle 35 D holds Hou to fg att. Ng 4-3 with 1:05 left - convert pass to 17 wright release pass for 12 over middle - squander to td pass to kw in traffic another laser pass Cle start - 3 and out - horrid punt 55 good read but drops easy INT mcdonald makes his second pd to hold aftr pass to jj browns go smashmouth lewis rumbling and wright spelling him well drive stalls fg 17-10 KW in traffic williams unblocked for a sack 3-11 underneath for 5 need goodpunt and bad again 27 55 flushes, smith finishes 3-16 stop mcd another pd on andre johnson bodden pd forces punt from end zone aftr punt ball on HOU 34 KW for 21 but drive stalls fg 20-10 peak sack on 1d mcdonald int! Mayor for a day KW again for 21 lewis breaks 100yd rushing td Lewis... 27-10 27-17
So Dawson nails the ball and it hits the upright then it hits the rear support post and then the ball miraculously bounces back onto the field. Everyone thinks the game is over. Romeo walks onto the field to congratulate Brian Billick, Genius ® so I leave for work. Another mostly happy viewing experience ending like a dentist drill into a molar.
Half-way to work I decide to listen to the post-game rantings that surely will follow. And I hear from Jim Donovan, "And the Browns win the toss." WTF?
We win in OT, Josh Cribbs solidifies his spot as likely next mayor of Cleveland and the Ravens have their hearts torn out at home. And I miss this joyous mess? After watching the team blow a lead and let Kyle Boller look like Johnny Unitas, it is the worst of all possible scenarios: joy, building doubt, horrid finish then confusion. Well, not not quite the "worst." The team did win after all.
It is amazing how expectations can change within a season. While I don't have championship expectations for the Browns, sometimes we need to adjust up what we expect from the team. No longer is it enough merely playing the Steelers tough; we should expect to play them and win. Losing 31-28 was not a moral victory. In football, there are no moral victories... especially when you give up 15 fourth quarter points.
The game seemd to turn on the runnning game. The Browns could not muster any yardage and the Steelers had a solid attack. While watching Roethlisberger rumble for a 30 yard TD was hard to stomach, seeing Jamal Lewis rush for 35 yards on 16 carries was sickening.
Josh Cribbs is making a case for a Pro Bowl appearance. He's another player making games exciting for the team. Though Eric Wright undoubtedly had his best game as a Brown (11 tackles and a sack), Coach Crennel surely does not want his DBs making that many tackles.
If Derek Anderson were to run for mayor, he'd win in a landslide. Leading the Browns to an overtime victory in Cleveland has the fans energized. Something that should be mentioned every week: how did the lose the starting job to Charlie Frye?
Offensive heroes: Kellen Winslow: 11 receptions for 125 yds., Jamal Lewis four rushing touchdowns (ad a late, clutch run-after-catch in overtime) and Derek Anderson: 29-48-364.
At this point, 5-3 and rising, let's take a look at the schedule for the last six games: Houston, at Arizona, at NY Jets, Buffalo, at Cincinnati and San Francisco. Optimistically speaking, the Browns should win at least four of those games. With Baltimore dropping like a rock, that game against them in Maryland on 11/18 looms as a gateway game.
One last point that should not be lost in all of this commotion: the Browns are fun to watch. It has been a long time since one could say that much about the Browns... in fact, for the first time since they were resurrected. Echoes of Dick Enberg calling "They should call this the Slaughterhouse" could be heard in the fourth quarter while watching Winslow get open seemingly at will. If they lose next week and the run ends, it has been a fun ride.
Lazy Sunday Blogging: one sentence per drive
Stl1: like a hot knife through butter 7-0
Cle1: 3-and-out
Stl2: penalty extends drive leads to TD 14-0
Cle2: Edwards side-line catch highlights drive 14-3
Stl3: driving again as 1q ends:
Stl3: 4th-and-1 stop for the D!
Cle3: great pass and spectacular Edwards TD grab 14-10
Stl4: D does the job
Cle4: Dig the seam routes... Winslow 21yd TD grab in traffic 17-14
Stl5: solid drive in 2m drill 17-17
Cle1 Joe Jurevicius errs, then stars as Browns battle four penalties on way to yet another Edwards TD 24-17
Stl1 defense bends but not broken 24-20
Cle2 3q ends with hard run after catch by 17 followed by personal foul for helmet removal on the field. I predict that Romeo will take a antacid during the break
Cle1 penalty stifles drive but Dawson nails a 45 yarder 27-20
Stl1 defense holds after 1 first down
Cle2 3-and-out after punt touch-back
Stl2 after a good drive, D stops Rams twice with 1 yd to go at the 15
Cle3 getting the ball with 1:52 left and knowing a first down ices the game, Edwards drops a first down ball right in his hands
Stl3 pass int on 4th-and-5 extends drive followed by offsides but Bodden INT ends the drive
Three player stood apart today: Braylon Edwards, Derek Anderson and Ronnie Brown. Edwards shook off two early drops and had three touchdowns. Miami had no answer for Edwards which is good since the Browns had no answer for running back Ronnie Brown. All I can say is that I am glad he is in the eastern division. Brown is tough to bring down, good hands, quick and shifty. Enough of Miami players, let's talk Browns.
Derek took the next step in his development today. While we had learned that he could make some good throws, we had not seen the error-free Anderson that we enjoyed today. The home crowd was treated to a blazing fast quarterback rush for a touchdown. Well perhaps not blazing fast, but he got in the end zone. Toss in some solid running from Harrison (aside for that late carry that Taylor stripped away) and Wright and you had two offenses that simply ran over the defenses.
Nice to see the Browns no huddle with less than a minute left instead of running out the clock. Not the same old thing and they were rewarded with a late field goal by Dawson. Fun to see Winslow grab that seam route against Porter for a long gain to set up the chip shot.
Late series was a gut check. Will they put them away? 9:01 left...
Harrison up the gut for 5
bootleg to 80 and 17 gets a good down field block
Harrison around right for 13
Harrison head down for 9
No gain for Harrison
Vickers dive for 7
Harrison for 1
Incomplete - good coverage and smart throw away
Beautiful pass: over the shoulder at the pylon - TD Edwards!
4:27 drive, makes it 41-24.
Willie McGinest was a bright spot on defense. It was great to see Willie pressuring the quarterback throughout the day. Why squib kick and give Miami the ball at mid-field after that late score?
First drives: Nice goal line stand on the NE first drive masking the knife-through-butter defense on the rest of the drive. Good-looking first drive for the Browns was a pleasant surprise. Anyone else notice that NE didn't cover Wright out of the backfield on the play that ended that drive via bad Anderson INT?
Consecutive INTs follow news that Jamaal Lewis hurt his foot after one rush. Next is a bad tackling clinic... I mean TD pass by Tom Brady, Superstar®. We knew going in that the only chance to win on the road againsta more talented team was to win the turnover battle. Differences: 3rd-and-2 Brady immediately see his release back and hits him.
Tough break for Miami's Trent Green. Replay shows wha looks to be another concussion. Retire now, chief. No reason to risk your life. Talk to Al Toon, Merril Hoge, etc. someone should arrange an intervention.
Nice small smashmouth drive with 5 mins left in the half marred by an INT caused by a Vrabel hit. Promise turns to blowout in one play. Brady converts and it is 20-0 at the half.
Browns D looks decent in 3rd quarter. Andserson doesn't quite have the old Bernie giraffe scramble, but he's close. A beautiful pitch-and-catch Anderson to Tim Carter for a 21-yard early 4th quarter TD to make it 21-10.
4th and inches gut check goes to NE; next play TD pass to TE Watson.
Sweet catch there on the sideline, Braylon. Way to hang in the pocket Anderson on that TD pass to KW and I loved that option flip to Cribbs.... Wonder if that was the huddle call. How does the biggest man on the field go unblocked to stomp Anderson into the ground? Sour grapes sounding: based on this game, NE will not go undefeated.
I am not sure how to celebrate two divisional wins in one month. I hear that this happens frequently to good teams. Sweet.
Winslow gets the game ball as the injured-but-playing tight end shows that the only thing that can slow down his career is his own motorcycle driving skills (or lack thereof). Another solid game with Kellen grabbing four passes for 96 yards. We'll split the blame/fame for this game's bottom line. While the defense kept the Ravens out of the end zone, it seemed like the Ravens simply could not keep themselves from making the critical error at the key moments. Another solid if unspectacular game from Anderson. All Coach Romeo is asking is for him to "Dilfer" until A Man Named Brady is ready.
Former Brown Matt Stover pays the Cleveland fans back by missing two field goals. Is it just me or does Bart Scott make one much more worried than Ray Lewis? Neither team had a sack; no sacks when McNair passed 53 times? Hmmm.
Whose idea was it to allow the last second time out to screw with the kicker by making him kick twice? Okay, we know that Oakland got screwed by Denver last week by The Genius®, so they rightly feel bitter. Now we do too. The blocked kick for the win wipes out the gloss of a brilliant last drive by Anderson and Winslow. Quinn is the future, but Anderson has played well enough in his two starts to merit more playing time.
Quick quiz: what running back gained over 200 rushing yards on 27 carries in week two and had fewer combined carries in weeks one and three? Okay, it's a cheap shot. I feel bad... now I am over the guilt. While 15 carries is not enough, someone (and I am talking to you Joe Jurevicius, Tim Carter and Steve Heiden) has to make a play to get first downs so Jamaal gets more carries for Lewis.
Spectacular Josh Cribbs 99-yard return for a TD. There is no truth to the rumor that Sebastian Janikowski didn't make the tackle on Cribbs because he didn't want to spill his beer.
When your safety leads the team in tackles, it's generally not a good thing.
Okay, I give up. Week one has them as bums and this week brings 51 points. I would guess that they will not score that many points in their next two (or three?) games. Don't get me wrong, I am happy. I am happy to see Braylon Edwards start to tap his potential. I am happy to see Anderson and his strong arm get a win. I am happy t see Jamaal Lewis get the rock and run wild like the back we saw run over the Browns in the stadium. I am happy to see Romeo Crennel get a victory against a division rival. I am happy to see fans have something to cheer about. Even if lasts only one week.
It must be weird to be Charlie. First, he gets named the starting quarterback. Next he plays only part of one half in the season opener. Finally, he gets traded before he can get his laundry back from the weekend. Doesn't exactly make one feel like management has their pulse on the team. I am guessing that the Anderson era will be much shorter than the glorious Frye years.
This season starts as if no progress were made in the off-season. Another blow out loss to a divisional rival. Charlie Frye is pulled after 7 series and potential workhorse back free agent signee Jamal Lewis gets a meager 11 carries. The Brady Watch is on. Is week 2 too early?