Lingering Items--Preseason Opener Edition

Generally speaking, the less said about preseason games, the better. It's easier to understand the underpinnings of the movie Inception than it is to draw conclusions about most preseason games.

So when the Cleveland Browns beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night 27-24 thanks to a quick start and the able leg of Phil Dawson, the knee jerk reaction of most fans likely fell into one of two themes: hmmm and start printing the playoff tickets.

It's early so let's just say that Saturday night was more of a hmmm.

What struck most was the opening series. When it was over it was a head slap moment that said "so that's what a real drive looks like."

Indeed it does. Who knows how much is left in quarterback Jake Delhomme's tank? But so long as there's something, you get the feeling that there will be more drives like this down the road.

For most of last season, the Browns offense looked like it did in Saturday night's second half. That's no knock on Colt McCoy. He's a rookie. But neither Derek Anderson nor Brady Quinn ever seemed like they could calmly go through their reads and then find the open receiver like Delhomme seemed to do so casually in his one series.

The contrast was that dramatic.

Meanwhile, Seneca Wallace looked like an interesting option should Delhomme get injured. Not exactly a run first quarterback, Wallace is still  clearly more comfortable using his scrambling ability and strong arm as his choice of weapons than he is dropping straight back.

Wallace's strong throw on the run to Brian Robiskie for the Browns' second touchdown was a thing of beauty. But in the NFL a quarterback has to learn when to restrain that kind of bravado.  Throw late over the middle too often and you'll find yourself on clipboard duty faster than you can say "Tim Couch."

Nonetheless watching Wallace gave good insight into exactly why head coach Eric Mangini suggested that Wallace will see game action even if Delhomme is healthy. Wallace is an excellent change of pace whose abilities should actually open up the running games as teams attempt to utilize extra defensive backs to counter his scrambling.  

McCoy, as mentioned, looked every bit the rookie as he played more than most fans anticipated. But if he does develop he'll actually be a nice blend between Delhomme and Wallace. Barring an injury in preseason, Brett Ratliff will be the odd man out.

It was actually fun to watch a professional quarterback like Delhomme in action. It gives fans hope that the days of one stuck in the mud drive after another will be a distant memory. That alone is reason to celebrate.  

##

The defense on the other hand looked to be still in fire drill mode, just like most of last season.

With Eric Wright out and two rookies, TJ Ward and Joe Haden, starting it looked unsettled. It was deja vu all over again.

Brandon McDonald showed once again that he's at best a minor talent, prone to occasional good play and long stretches of mediocrity. His future depends on injuries to others.

The best case scenario is for Haden to develop quickly so that McDonald at most can be relegated to nickel and dime situations. He just can't consistently cover a receiver and spends much more time than he should with his front facing the opposing end zone.

Haden didn't do much in his first game to either impress or disappoint but then it won't take much to break in the starting lineup. Meanwhile Ward could be one of the better draft picks in recent Browns' history. He's fast and plays physical. When he learns that running backs in the NFL need to be wrapped and not tapped, he'll be a force.

The linebacker and line play was just so so, which means not much has changed there either. Overall, about the only conclusion worth drawing Saturday night is that the offense is ahead of the defense, which actually might get people to pick up the phone and buy some tickets.
**

I really thought we were done with Braylon Edwards but he's the gift that keeps on giving.

His interview with the New York Times last week was like tossing a cup full of food into a pond full of carp. So I'll take the bait.

At the very least, the interview was one of the more fascinating reads you’re likely to come across when it comes to understanding the psyche of the professional athlete.

Running through Edwards’ mind, certainly, was that this interview would somehow further establish his brand and rehabilitate an image that to this point is more poser than accomplished. Instead, all he did was cement the notion that he’s a misanthrope with an ego that no matter what he may ultimately accomplish will always run 100 steps ahead.

I’m sure he felt comfortable trashing Cleveland given the hits its taken lately because of James. In that portion of his diatribe there wasn’t much new. There’s nowhere to have fun, the people are boring, blah, blah, blah. We’ve heard worse from better.

But the further insight surrounds Edwards’ need to build himself up by tearing others down. Not able to stand on his own very limited merits, he found a convenient straw man as if all that stands between him and worldwide acknowledgement of his awesomeness is to place his Cleveland years in the proper context.

Edwards has done this before, it’s just that he’s expanded his game a bit. It used to be that the people in Cleveland didn’t like him because he was from Michigan. That’s still there, according to Edwards, but it’s also because he had the audacity to show up to training camp in a Bentley! The gall of the fans to begrudge a young, successful athlete.

The only thing Edwards didn’t trot out to make his case is the race card. I suspect that will come with the next interview. But for now Edwards wants Cleveland to be viewed as a town that can’t handle a player with a New York attitude.

Actually, there may be something to that. Cities like Cleveland tend not to like loudmouth athletes, particularly loudmouth athletes that don’t perform. Basically Midwestern in its sensibilities, Cleveland and its kissing cousin cities like Pittsburgh, Buffalo, place a premium on results. That’s why players like Joe Thomas will always fit in and players like Edwards will not.

If I’m counting correctly, this is at least the 5th time that Edwards has tried to shape his brand and none to this point have worked and for reasons that aren’t all that complex: he simply can’t hold on to the damn ball. For all the introspection that Edwards feigns every time one of these profiles comes out, he still is remarkably clueless as to what he really needs to do in order to be successful.

Edwards can hang out in the clubs of New York where he feels most comfortable, though that doesn’t sound like it’s gone all that well for him, at least when it comes to trying to send champagne over to the Rihannas of the world. But until Edwards actually becomes a complete receiver, someone who blocks and someone who can be relied on to catch the ball, he’ll always be far less than the sum of his parts.

**

The Browns are clearly in upgrade mode, which leads to a question to ponder: Who will be cut first, McDonald or Ratliff?

Lingering Items--Eagles Edition

The selection of Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Joe Thomas and defensive lineman Shaun Rogers to the Pro Bowl is a validation of sorts for general manager Phil Savage. It was Savage that made the hard decision to beef up the line by selecting Thomas third overall in the 2007 draft. Savage then made the hard decision to strengthen the defensive line at the expense of depth in the defensive backfield by trading for Rogers in the last off season.

But no decision is without consequence.

Thomas was always a safe, if aggressive pick at number three. Given the make up of most offenses, left tackle is often the key position on the line. The main job is to protect the quarterback’s blind side. That’s why left tackles are also the most highly paid positions on the line. But in choosing Thomas, Savage had to resist the siren call of the so-called “skill” players, including one Brady Quinn who landed in Cleveland anyway.

The far bigger gamble was Rogers. Despite two previous Pro Bowl seasons with the Detroit Lions, Rogers had basically worn out his welcome for a variety of reasons. The Lions have been underachieving for years and Rogers, with his tendency to gain weight and lose interest as the season wore on, often was a frequent target of fan wrath, as if he was what ailed that franchise.

But whether the rap on Rogers coming into the season was fair or not, it hasn’t been an issue yet for the Browns. Rogers has played hurt and at a high level all season against an AFC that hadn’t seen much of him until this season. Obviously they were impressed.

The fact that both players have worked out to this point at least as well as expected is a credit to Savage’s abilities as a talent evaluator. But it isn’t necessarily complete validation either. There is another side to the story.

If you are one of the fans wondering whether Thomas made the Pro Bowl this season on reputation, you aren’t alone. I’m hard pressed, for example, to find a specific positive play from Thomas that made me shake my head and say “that’s why he’s an All Pro.” I can point you to any number of plays where he was bull rushed aside by lighter and more mobile defensive tackles on their way to the quarterback. Think Indianapolis game. Think Tennessee game. In fact, the one play that I’ll remember most was watching Thomas get shoved unceremoniously to the ground over while pursuing Asante Samuel after his interception in last week’s game..

In some respects, the case for Rogers is far easier. There were plenty of plays where it was easy to tell how big of an upgrade he’s been to the 2007 defensive line. That may have been a fairly easy hurdle to jump, but he cleared that bar by plenty. Rogers does disrupt an opposing team’s offensive line. He’s often double teamed. He doesn’t give up on any play as evidence by the number of blocked passes he’s had.

The real problem with both selections is that they came in a year when the units they both anchored are far worse than the year before by almost any measure. It’s a nice accolade to be recognized by your peers and perhaps it puts a little bonus money in the pockets, but the truth is that those performances had virtually no impact on the overall success of the team. Isn’t that really the standard the matters most?

That doesn’t mean that Rogers and Thomas played poorly or even that their selections were a mistake. It’s just that from the fans’ perspective the fact that the two were voted to the Pro Bowl is pretty meaningless. The Browns have still only won 4 games. How much worse could it have gotten?

Perhaps the real reason neither had much of an impact (and by saying “perhaps” I’m just being cute) is that the talent around them not only didn’t measure up but actually negated whatever good they accomplished.. Where that shows up in particular is with respect to Rogers. Rogers can only do so much. The other defensive linemen around him are just average but even if they were better the far bigger problem is the linebackers. The Browns under head coach Romeo Crennel continue to insist on playing a defensive scheme that relies on having good linebackers in place. Yet the talent level at linebacker on this season is barely NFL caliber. Not a single linebacker on this team would start on any other team, save perhaps the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions. It really is that simple. Toss in a defensive backfield that is not just young but raw and you can really begin to see why Rogers’ play has had no impact.

The same holds on the offensive side of the ball. That unit could not have been more mismanaged this season if Crennel had set out to deliberately sabotage it. Derek Anderson was not the same player that he was a year ago and that much was clear from the outset. Yet the move away from him came too late to make a difference. Braylon Edwards has had a disastrous season and injuries are clearly taking a toll on Kellen Winslow’s ability to perform. Donte Stallworth was a swing and a miss of epic proportions. Jamal Lewis, as much as we want to believe otherwise, has lost a step. Throw in the injury to Ryan Tucker and the significant drop off that is Rex Hadnot and the only conclusion left to draw is that it would have been impossible for Thomas to have made any impact, even if he had played better than any player in the history of the game.

It’s nice to see two Browns’ players, even in this most awful of seasons, honored. It’s a bit of confirmation that the team isn’t a complete disaster. Throw in the section of Josh Cribbs and Phil Dawson as alternates and overall there is some good news among the mostly bad that’s come from Berea this season. But this modest recognition does come at a price. It reminds us how deficient the rest of the roster really is. That’s why it’s only a validation of sorts and not a complete vindication for Savage.

**

In the category of “you had to see this injury coming,” it can’t be a shock to anyone that punter Dave Zastudil has some tendinitis in his knee and is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bengals. His leg has been getting quite a work out, particularly the last few weeks.

With two games remaining, Zastudil has 65 punts, 12 of which have come in the last two weeks. Last season, the Browns had 62 punts total. For the stats freaks, that’s figures to an extra punt per game. By the time this season ends in a few weeks with whoever is quarterback, that could creep up to an extra 1.5 punts per game. That may not seem like much unless you’re the one that had to make those kicks.

**

In a year of dubious achievements cornerback Brandon McDonald’s game against the Eagles will certainly rank among the most dubious. It was nice to see McDonald score the team’s first touchdown in weeks, but the fact that he could take another interception back 97 or 98 yards (depending how far back in the end zone you estimate he was when the play began) and not score a touchdown had to make him the butt of a few jokes in the team’s film room this week. Probably the Bengals’ film room as well.

When McDonald made that interception there was no one in front of him and the path to the opposite end zone was clean and green. Yet the Eagles’ Brian Westbrook hunted him down and slowed him up enough to allow Hank Baskett, the player against whom he made the interception in the first place, make the tackle at the 7-yard line.

It’s debatable whether McDonald slowed up thinking he had the touchdown. What’s not debatable, though, is that neither Westbrook nor Baskett did. They knew full well that their team’s playoff chances were at stake and they couldn’t afford a loss to the Browns. The play they both made spoke volumes about their pride and desire.

Which leads us to this week’s question to ponder: If the situation had been reversed, would Braylon Edwards have put in that same effort?

Keeping the Streaks Alive

Sure, there were streaks to consider. Could the Cleveland Browns be the first team to win three times on Monday night in one season? No. Would the Browns go another game without a touchdown? No, but only technically. Might head coach Romeo Crennel have double digit losses for the third time in four seasons? Yes. But for most of the nation about the only intrigue Monday night’s Browns game against the Philadelphia Eagles held was whether or not Eagles fans would boo Santa Claus. They didn’t.

As it turns out, Santa was a no show. His time obviously was better spent elsewhere. For those whose wasn’t, they saw the Browns lose for the sixth time in seven games, this time 30-10, to an Eagles team that made enough mistakes that a decent team would have exploited. But this Browns team is not all that or much else and thus could get no closer than the 20-point margin. It easily could have been far worse.

As games go, it wasn’t much of one. Sure, the Browns broke their touchdown-less streak with 9:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. That shot hear ‘round the world ended a 245 minutes and 48 seconds drought without any sort of touchdown, a franchise record. Of course the streak wasn’t broken by the offense. That dubious achievement is nearly 17 quarters strong. This touchdown came courtesy of Brandon McDonald, who returned a Kevin Kolb pass 24 yards for the score. Kolb was only in the game because Eagles’ head coach Andy Reid didn’t have the good sense to keep him on the bench where he belonged. Somewhere some gamblers are still complaining.

It was a rather interesting night for McDonald, actually. He almost had the Browns’ first touchdown in four games at the end of the first half. With just 9 seconds remaining and the ball sitting on the Cleveland 1-yard line, McNabb attempted a fade pass to receiver Hank Baskett. McDonald, however, got a great break on the pass and intercepted it four yards in the end zone. With virtually no one in front of him, McDonald sprinted down the sideline but was tracked down by Brian Westbrook. McDonald was able to escape Westbrook but was eventually hauled down by Baskett at the Eagles 7-yard line as time expired. Officially it was a 97-yard interception return with no happy ending. If you were thinking it had to be some sort of record, it is, at least for the regular season. And for the moment, given the abject futility of that moment, things looked like they couldn’t possibly get worse.

Those fireworks aside, no one expected the game to be competitive and it wasn’t at any particular point except early and that was only because it was, well, early. But that, too, ended soon enough. And despite the relatively close score, relatively being a relative word, it was only that close due to several Eagles missteps inside the Browns’ 10-yard line. As a result, a game that should have been a laugher was merely a huge guffaw instead.

Predictably, the Eagles scored a touchdown on their opening drive. They passed, they ran and 8 plays and 64 yards later they had a quick 7-0 lead thanks to a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Donovan McNabb to receiver Kevin Curtis.

Predictably, the Browns didn’t score a touchdown on their opening drive. After all, doing so would have resulted in simultaneously breaking two of their more dubious streaks—20+ games without a first-drive touchdown and three+ games without a touchdown. As it turned out, when the drive died at the Eagles 19-yard line, the only time the offense penetrated inside the Eagles’ 20-yard line, and they settled for a 26-yard Phil Dawson field goal, they kept in tact a trifecta of sorts of futility, adding to it another red zone failure. Using that as a measure of success, the Browns were off to a good start.

Things got slightly better for the Browns on the Eagles’ second drive, but saying that is an acknowledgement that progress is measured in the least exactly standards possible. McNabb moved the Eagles down the field rather easily, again, but was stifled when his pass on third down from the Cleveland 6-yard line sailed over the head of tight end L.J. Smith, forcing the Eagles to settle for a 24-yard field goal from David Akers near the end of the first quarter. If the rout wasn’t quite yet on, it was undeniably germinating.

It would have been in full bloom on the Eagles next drive but for an ill-advised call by someone wearing an Eagles head set, likely Reid. After again methodically moving downfield and facing a 3rd-and-goal from the Browns’ 7-yard line, the Eagles decided a wrinkle was necessary because the other stuff was working too well apparently. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson lined up as the quarterback in the shotgun formation. With the option to pass apparently his, Jackson did just that, poorly, in the direction of Baskett. Safety Sean Jones made a nice grab in the end zone instead to end that drive.

As it turned out, the interception was only a minor bump in the road. Six plays later, Browns quarterback Ken Dorsey tossed his own interception, to cornerback Asante Samuel, at the 50-yard line. Samuel then proceeded to take it back for a touchdown. For good measure, an unidentified Eagles player blasted left tackle Joe Thomas during the run back sending him about five yards forward and to the ground. Now it was 17-3 order was restored and dignity officially stripped.

Just when it looked like the Eagles were going to put the game completely out of reach (although it already was, technically speaking) at the end of the first half, McDonald had his remarkable end zone interception and run back. But like everything else this season, it fell short.

Here’s what’s hard to figure, as if there wasn’t enough already. On the Browns’ opening drive in the second half, Dorsey had the Browns sitting at the Eagles’ 35-yard line. It was 3rd-and-9. As the play clock was ticking down, Dorsey called time out to avoid a delay penalty. Then when the third down pass fell short of its intended target by a good 5 yards or so as expected, the Browns were forced to punt. That left punter Dave Zastudil less room to place a punt inside the Eagles’ 10-yard line. Thinking quickly, the Browns tried to correct that error by deliberately taking a delay on 4th down. Of course, the Eagles declined the penalty. Zastudil’s punt, naturally, sailed in the end zone.

The Eagles then took over and for the fifth straight time took the ball deep into Cleveland territory. While the Eagles avoided a turnover this time, they couldn’t avoid their own brand of red zone futility and had to settle for a 34-yard field goal and a 20-3 lead. For the sake of everyone, the Eagles were at least gobbling up huge chunks of the game clock in the process thereby shortening the game considerably as a grateful nation applauded.

It was about at this point that Crennel took off his head set. What exactly was he going to hear that he couldn’t see? The Browns defense was offering token resistance to the Eagles offense and his own offense had just set a franchise record for not scoring a touchdown of any sort. Given how things looked at the moment, it was a total that looked to continue into next week’s game.

Before going on, stop and consider the enormity of that record, even just in recent terms. Since their return in 1999 the Browns have had some of the worst teams imaginable with some of the worst offensive coordinators and quarterbacks imaginable. And yet, it took this team this year to grab that record. No matter what comes next, it’s official. Things could get worse than the McDonald 97-yard interception return. This is worse.

Meanwhile, the Eagles looked to be running some sort of 7-on-7 drill and having fun doing it. They again drove deep into the Browns territory with virtually no resistance but again had to settle for a 34-yard Akers’ field goal that pushed the scored to a deceivingly respectable 23-3. Respectability, though, was thrown out the window shortly thereafter. Following Dorsey’s second interception of the game, this time to linebacker Stewart Bradley, McNabb found Greg Lewis in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown two plays later and just as quickly the score was now 30-3. McDonald finished the scoring with his touchdown a few minutes later as the teams thereafter simply gave up playing and collectively watched the clock countdown to 0:0.

With no sarcasm intended, there actually was one bright spot for the Browns. Receiver Braylon Edwards had 5 catches for 102 yards and absolutely no drops. He is Mr. Monday Night. Unfortunately, given the Browns’ season Edwards isn’t likely to see any Monday night games for awhile, absent a trade. Other than Edwards, there was virtually nothing else of note. The Browns, averaging just over 200 yards offense more or less kept that streak in tact as well, endng the game with 196 total yards. Dorsey was 11-28 for 156 yards and 2 interceptions. That was good for a quarterback rating of 28.27. McNabb, meanwhile, had his way except in the red zone. Facing virtually no pass rush and only an occasional token blitz, he was 26-35 for 290 yards, two touchdowns and the McDonald interception. The Eagles had 136 yards rushing, with Correll Buckhalter getting 55 yards and Brian Westbrook adding 53.

As much as you’d like to think it’s over, the Browns do have two more games. Next week against Cincinnati, that promises to attract CBS’ 8th string announcing crew, and the finale against the Steelers. Even if the Steelers are resting their starters in that game, it still appears as though the Browns’ last best chance to score a touchdown on offense is next week. If not, then the Browns may truly own the football equivalent of Joe DiMaggio’s unbreakable 56-game hitting streak.

Flat lining

For the second time in the last four days, the Cleveland Browns tried to resuscitate a season that has been in need of life support since September. And for the second time in the last four days, the Browns did all they could to kill the patient instead, again blowing a second half lead on their way to losing to a very iffy Denver Broncos team, 34-30 Thursday night.

The final blow of the game and likely the season came courtesy of Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, who took a machete to the Cleveland secondary in the second half on his way to passing for a career high 447 yards. The coroner’s report will show that it was Cutler’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 that officially flat lined the Browns. But it was al that had led up to that moment that really did the damage.

The Browns’ did have one final shot but it ended moments later when Brady Quinn’s pass on 4th and 1 sailed right through the hands of Kellen Winslow. It was a disastrous end to a disastrous half for Winslow that was a contributing factor, at least, toward sending the Browns to their second straight loss and third in four games. A pass interference call on Winslow on a ball thrown to Braylon Edwards helped kill one drive and a fumble by Winslow after getting a first down on the next drive lead to a Broncos touchdown that ultimately helped set the stage for the Broncos’ comeback.

But Winslow was hardly the primary reason the Browns lost the game. That dubious honor goes to a defense that barely pressured Cutler the entire night, allowing him all the time he needed to spread the ball around to six different receivers. The lack of pressure essentially exposed a weak secondary, and particularly an overmatched Brandon McDonald, who was burned for two touchdowns in the second half, a 93-yard Cutler to wide receiver Eddie Royal and the final touchdown to Marshall.

Perhaps most frustrating about the play of the defense was the fact that it knew what was coming on virtually every play and still couldn’t do anything about it. The Broncos arrived in Cleveland with virtually no running game because of injuries and halfway through the second quarter literally had no healthy tailback on its active roster when fourth string tailback Ryan Torain went down.

Apparently that was a satisfactory game plan as it allowed Cutler to embarrass a defense that had been carrying the team until recently as he compelted 24 of 42 passes for three touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the defensive collapse obscured a good debut by Brady Quinn as a legitimate NFL starting quarterback. Looking confident and capable throughout, Quinn engineered a critical fourth quarter drive that temporarily gave Cleveland a 30-27 lead with just under five minutes to play. But the defense was essentially a chew toy for Cutler and as a result, the Browns’ sixth loss of the season was firmly secured.

On the night, Quinn was 23-35 for 239 yards and two touchdowns, both to Winslow. Indeed, until it turned on him, Winslow too was having a strong night. He was Quinn’s favorite target, catching 11 passes for 111 yards. But it was the interference call, the fumble and the final drop that fans will remember most, assuming they can get the image of the defense out of their heads.

For the first half anyway the Browns played like a team that seemed to thrive on turmoil. Just as they did two weeks ago against Jacksonville, the Browns used controversy, this time the controversy that grew out of the benching of quarterback Derek Anderson, to their advantage and had a 10-point half time lead that they stretched to 13 points early in the third quarter.

But the Broncos, despite a shortage of healthy bodies, were always able to stay within striking distance because of Cutler. That much was clear from outset. On the Broncos’ first play from scrimmage, he hit tight end Tony Sheffler for 39 yards. Though that drive went for naught when kicker Matt Prater missed a 38-yard field goal a few plays later, it was certainly a precursor of what was to come.

On the Broncos’ next series, they grabbled the early lead as Cutler picked apart the secondary, moving 86 yards in 9 plays, including an 18-yard pass to Royal that took the ball to the Browns’ 1-yard line. From there, Torain hurdled over the pile at the goal line for the touchdown.

The Browns quickly answered and answered and answered again and seemed well in control doing it. Josh Cribbs, fortifying his bid for a second straight Pro Bowl, took the Prater kick back to the Browns 41-yard line. Quinn then hit Donte Stallworth on a short out pattern that Stallworth turned into an 18-yard game. It was the kind of short touch pass that has bedeviled Anderson, all season. From there, Jamal Lewis took over, running first for 8 yards and then breaking loose on a 29-yard run, the Browns’ longest run from scrimmage this season. On the night, Lewis had 60 yards on 19 carries. Then, on third and goal from the five, Quinn hit tight end Kellen Winslow with a bullet in the back of the end zone. The Phil Dawson extra point then knotted the game at 7-7.

Following a Denver punt, the Browns added to their lead thanks to a 24-yard Dawson field goal. It was a drive that featured Jerome Harrison ripping off one long run after another against the Broncos’ defense. In all, Harrison had 44 yards on 4 carries on that drive. Oddly, Harrison had only one other carry the rest of the night.

Meanwhile, Cutler kept on slinging. After a holding penalty pushed the ball back to the Broncos’ 15-yard line, Cutler tried to hit Marshall breaking long but instead hit Brodney Pool, who took the interception back to the Broncos’ 20-yard line. Three plays later, Quinn hit Winslow at the Broncos’ 5-yard line. Winslow was able to shake the tackle of Marquand Manuel on his way to the 16-yard touchdown, his second of the game, to help give the Browns a 17-7 lead with the second quarter barely four minutes old.

After a Prater 38-yard field goal brought the Broncos back to within 7, Cleveland answered with a Dawson 52-yard field goal to once again push the lead to 10, giving the Browns a 20-10 half time lead.

The Browns kept the pressure on the Broncos in the second half with a 10 play 54-yard drive to open the second half. But Quinn and Winslow couldn’t quite connect twice in the red zone and the Browns settled for a 33-yard Dawson field goal. Cutler and the Broncos answered on their opening drive with a field goal of their own, a 30-yarder by Prater. It seemed harmless at the time but as it turned out, the Broncos were just getting warmed up.

The Browns actually had a chance to perhaps put the game out of reach for good on their next drive. In the process of putting together the kind of drive that tends to break the backs of a defense, Quinn first and then Lewis converted crucial third and fourth down plays. But on 3rd and 6 from the Denver 41, Quinn hit Edwards for 15 yards, but the play was nullified because of the Winslow interference penalty. The Browns couldn’t convert on 3rd and 16 and were forced to punt.

What doesn’t kill you apparently makes you stronger as Cutler hit Royal sprinting down the left side line for what turned out to be a 93-yard touchdown play. There was either a blown assignment or Royal just badly beat McDonald. Either way, a game that the Browns were dominating had suddenly turned shaky with the Browns clinging to a 23-20.

And it seemed like it would only be shaky for as long as it took Prater to kick the ball to Cribbs. Fielding the ball at the 5-yard line, Cribbs nearly broke it for a touchdown before being dragged down at the 50-yard line. But after catching a key 3rd down pass from Quinn for a first down, Winslow fumbled the ball and Denver recovered, giving the Broncos the ball at their own 38-yard line with a chance to take the lead, which predictably is what happened.

The colossal mess that the game eventually devolved into for the Browns was typified on that Broncos drive. Throwing on virtually every down and with almost no pass rush to challenge him, Cutler had no problem finding a variety of receivers against a defensive secondary that was neither covering nor tackling well. The epitome came on Cutler’s 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Daniel Graham who essentially walked the final 10 yards into the end zone as both Mike Adams and D’Qwell Jackson whiffed on tackles. It didn’t help either that McDonald, fresh off giving up the long touchdown to Royal, had a chance to make amends in that drive but dropped what should have been his second interception of the game that allowed the Broncos drive to continue.

After the Quinn-engineered touchdown gave the Browns back the lead, the defense had a chance to shut the door again but couldn’t. On the Broncos’ final drive, they faced a 4th and 1 from their own 45-yard line. After being forced to call a timeout in order to get the right personnel in, Cutler gave the ball to fullback Peyton Hills. Sean Jones had Hills stopped behind the line of scrimmage but couldn’t finish the tackle as Hills dove forward for the first down.

From there, Cutler continued to slice the defense as finely as a ginsu knife slices a tomato, helping his own cause with an18-yard run that took the ball to the Browns’ 11-yard line. From there he put the knife to, who else, McDonald who couldn’t stay with Marshall. The easy touchdown, along with the Prater extra point, gave the Broncos the 34-30 lead and the game.

With two games completed in just four days, the Browns now have 11 days off. They’ll need it, but not to find a quarterback but to find a defensive lineman who can pressure a quarterback or a cornerback that can cover. Is that DeAngelo Hall’s phone I just heard ringing?

More than likely, the Browns will just squander the time off instead in favor of some sort of self-inflicted controversy. But as we know now, not even turmoil can rally this team anymore. With the loss and the way it happened, the Browns have officially run out of excuses. The monitor can be unplugged.

Near Chaos

For the first 55 minutes or so, it was a game that Cleveland Browns fans had seen before. Last season. And the season before that. And the season before that. But this time it wasn’t the Browns on the receiving end of another late season beating. Instead, they were the ones in the suddenly unfamiliar role of doing the beating, taking the measure of a lousy New York Jets team. But the last five minutes turned suddenly interesting and more than just a bit scary as the Browns hung on to win 24-18.

The win moved the Browns to 8-5 on the season and guaranteed them only their second non-losing season since 1999. More importantly, the win, coupled with an overtime loss by the Tennessee Titans, gave the Browns a more solid grasp on the last wild card playoff spot with just three games remaining. It also moved the Browns to within a game of division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers who were on the receiving end of their own beating at the hands of the New England Patriots.

This game had the potential of being a gotcha game for the Browns. The fact that the Jets weren’t very good was hardly a secret. After a stinging, self-inflicted loss to the Arizona Cardinals the week before, it was hardly a foregone conclusion that the Browns could regroup in time. Indeed, the smart money was probably against it. But like it’s been most of the season, just when you think the Browns will zig, they zag. Not only did they regroup, they almost completely reversed the mistake-prone game of just a week before, at least for most of the game anyway.

But a team prone to the kinds of mistakes that the Browns are prone to make allowed a beaten Jets team to scrape their way back into the game late. The final mistakes though belonged instead to the Jets in general, head coach Eric Mangini in particular. But it was close. With just 50 seconds remaining and the Browns suddenly clinging to a six-point lead and the Jets kicking off, Browns linebacker Leon Williams was offside on the Jets kick. Try to remember the last time you saw a player on the receiving team go off side on a kickoff. Good luck.

The Williams penalty nullified a Jets penalty when Nugent’s kick off, which he sent deep when the Browns were expecting it to be onside, went out of bounds. It forced a re-kick and this time the Jets went for an onside kick instead. Fortunately, receiver Joe Jurevicius snatched a bounding ball from the bottom of the pile that allowed the Browns to finally close out the game.

For the first 55 minutes, it was hard to believe the game would come to that. It was a relatively efficient, mistake-free affair for the Browns, more notable for the relatively rapid pace at which the game was progressing than anything else. But behind Lewis, quarterback Derek Anderson, receiver Braylon Edwards and the re-emergence of an incredibly pliable but oddly opportunistic defense, the Browns did enough of what they had to do when they had to do it against a Jets team that seemed far more interested in escaping a cold, driving rain than finishing the game, let alone win it.

But things rarely go as they seem with this team and the final five minutes seemed to last nearly as long as the first 55 minutes and featured nearly as many points scored. In that time, the Browns nearly imploded, saved only by Jurevicius, Lewis and some very odd calls by Mangini. Illustrating just how far they’ve come this season, the Browns never did make that final mistake that Mangini counted on. At the same time, it also illustrated how far the Jets need to go.

Mangini, who apparently has taken his nickname of Mangenius a little too seriously, basically outsmarted himself with the game within reach. With just over five minutes left and running the no huddle with great effect, Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens moved the Jets quickly down the field in nine plays covering nearly 70 yards in 2:28, sneaking it in from the one yard line to bring the Jets to within five at 17-12. But the Jets couldn’t convert the two-point attempt and were forced to then rely on the onside kick as a last gasp. At least it seemed like a last gasp at the time.

It’s funny how a lack of preparation will jump up and grab you by the throat at precisely the wrong moment. The Browns were not able to handle the kick and the Jets took over again and again moved the ball quickly. But when the Jets were unable to convert on third and 10 from the Browns 20 yard line, Mangini, acting as if his team was the one fighting for the playoffs, opted for another Nugent field goal to get within two at 17-15 with 1:48 left and three time outs remaining. At this point, the only thing certain about Mangini’s thinking was that he didn’t believe Clemens would convert on fourth and 10.

Given the situation, the better play would have been for Mangini to actually kick deep and hope his defense could hold a conservative Browns to a quick three and out and decent field position that would at least give the Jets a chance to get it back into field goal range. After all, it was a Browns three and out in just 42 seconds midway through the fourth quarter that set up this entire mess in the first place. But Mangini opted instead for an onside kick, apparently under the emerging theory that that the Browns had never practiced the onside kick from the receiving side given how they handled it the first time. It was the wrong decision.

Jurevicius fielded the onside kick and the Browns didn’t just get the first down they needed, they got more. Lewis, demonstrating the perfect veteran presence, ran twice for six yards and on third and four from the Jets 31, put together his best run of the season, a 31-yard rumble into the end zone with several Jets hanging on to give the Browns their final score and a seemingly insurmountable lead.

But nothing is every easy or cheap for the Browns. The Browns, not wanting to kick to Leon Washington, had Dawson dribble the ball. Washington fielded it anyway at the Jets 29 and returned it to their 40. From there the Jets moved to the Cleveland 17 with 37 seconds left. But the Jets, needing two scores and now having no time outs left, opted to kick a field goal on first down. It brought the score to 24-18 and set up the final, failed onside kick that Jurevicius again recovered.

For the game, Anderson was a modest 16-29 for 185 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Anderson now has 26 touchdowns on the season, inching ever closer to the franchise single season record. His Oregon neighbor and rival, Clemens, was 24-41 for 286 yards but two interceptions.

Edwards only had three catches for 63 yards, two of which were on a crucial second half touchdown drive, and another touchdown, giving him 13, which does tie him with Gary Collins for the single season franchise record. And Lewis carried the ball 21 times for 118 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was through the air. On the season, Lewis has 921 rushing yards and seems certain to get over 1000 for the season. In fact, with any luck, both Edwards and Kellen Winslow II will both go over the 1000 yard mark, joining Edwards who already has over 1100 yards for the season.

The chaos of the final five minutes was a dramatic departure from the mostly laconic pace of the rest of the game. In fact, the way the first half unfolded, the game moved along so quickly and uneventfully that it seemed as if both teams needed to get out of the Meadowlands to get in some Christmas shopping. There were turnovers by both teams, which could have been critical but weren’t, and neither team was able to sustain much of anything until late in the second quarter.

After the Browns took over with 6:09 left in that quarter, they put together a 10 play, 80-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead with just 1:15 left. The key was Anderson’s 14-yard pass to Edwards who not only made a spectacular catch, but capped it with a spectacular effort to get both feet in just as the two-minute warning sounded. Mangini challenged the catch. That he lost the challenge shouldn’t be a surprise given the closeness of his relationship with perennially replay-challenged Browns head coach Romeo Crennel. It cost the Jets a time out that they’d regret just a short time later. Two plays later, Anderson rolled right, hit Lewis for an easy 7-yard touchdown.

Not to be lost in that drive was the fact that offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski unveiled a few additional wrinkles involving Josh Cribbs. With Cribbs lining up as a wide receiver, Anderson hit him an 18-yard pass, but Kelly Rhodes, who earlier had intercepted Anderson, drilled Cribbs in the small of his back. Cribbs bounced right back up, only to find himself airborne two plays later after lining up in the backfield and receiving a pitchout from Anderson for four yards. If nothing else, the two plays highlighted the real risk of trying to increase the role of one of the NFL’s premier kick returners.

Showing a similar urgency, the Jets took the ensuing kickoff and moved quickly downfield. But with only two timeouts remaining as a result of the failed Mangini challenge, the Jets were forced to alter their strategy. Thus when Washington failed to get out of bounds on Clemens’ pass that took the ball to the Cleveland 17, the Jets were forced to use their last time out with only 10 seconds left. After Clemens’ quick fade pass to Laveranues Coles was overthrown, in came Nugent. But demonstrating that he’s learned a few things this season, Crennel tried to freeze Nugent by calling a timeout just before the kick. It mattered not. Nugent nailed it as the half ended with the score 7-3. It didn’t seem that close, even given the fact that the Jets actually could have had the halftime lead if not for a Kellen Clemens’ interception to Sean Jones on third and goal from the two early in the second quarter.

The Browns, who have had their share of troubles making adjustments in the second half, shed that reputation quickly. After taking the opening kick in the second half, they put together a quick five play, 61-yard drive that belonged mostly to Edwards. He took about a 15-yard pass from Anderson and turned it into a 45-yard gain, down to the Jets five yard line, but not without some excitement first. Trying to get into the end zone, Edwards fumbled, out of bounds fortunately. On the next play, Edwards made another nice grab of the Anderson fade pass for the touchdown that ultimately gave the Browns a 14-3 lead.

The Jets inched to within eight on a Nugent 41-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, 14-6. But a Phil Dawson 49-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter pushed it to 17-6 and seemingly out of reach, a sentiment even the Jets seemed to share when Brandon McDonald intercepted Clemens on the next series. It was the fast-rising McDonald’s second interceptions in three games. But the Browns couldn’t find a way to close out the game with just 6:30 remaining. The quick three and out set up the chaos that ensued until the final gun sounded.

The Browns ultimately regrouped with just enough time to find themselves sitting, albeit uncomfortably, in the driver’s seat for the second wild card spot. But next week’s home game against the Bills, who themselves are in the same hunt as the Browns for that playoff spot, suddenly looks much tougher than it did a few weeks ago. Lying in wait for them as well is a dangerous Bengals team the following week. The Browns also still cling to a chance of winning the division as well, particularly with the Steelers facing Jacksonville, Baltimore and St. Louis in the remaining three weeks.

How it all plays out is anyone’s guess and whatever that guess may be, it will probably be wrong. And for every bit of fun it may be, it will also be at least as frustrating. Sunday’s game wasn’t the most exhausting the Browns have played this season, nor even the most unpredictable. What it was, though, was another gentle reminder that whatever is left to accomplish this season is probably not as great as what this team can ultimately accomplish with a sound defense, a better veteran presence and a more disciplined approach.

Lingering Items--Texans Edition

There is any number of ways to measure the progress of a team like the Cleveland Browns, and not every one them is statistically based.

For example, this past Sunday’s victory, which pushed their record to 7-4, showed evidence that the team is no longer in awe of its own success and is now capable of closing out a game it should win, something they couldn’t do just two weeks prior against Pittsburgh. Another is the way in which the defense is starting to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, demonstrating how much good, in the form of sacks and turnovers, can come from this.

But in my mind, the fact that head coach Romeo Crennel went virtually unnoticed during last Sunday’s game is as much a sign of progress as anything else. There were no overt examples of sideline confusion that dot most Browns games in one form or another. The Browns didn’t foolishly burn an extra time out or two trying to figure out whether to challenge an official’s call. For the most part the players seemed to be in most of the right places at most of the right times. In fact, it’s hard to think of any outward example of an impact, positive or negative, which Crennel had on Sunday’s game. That’s not a criticism.

This of course doesn’t qualify Crennel for any special awards, unless of course you’re Patrick McManamon from the Akron Beacon Journal and your threshold is so low that a winning record after 11 games, after two years of sheer torture, is worthy of a ticker tape parade. In Tuesday’s Beacon Journal (see column here), McManamon argues that the Browns progress to date is a veritable mandate that general manager Phil Savage come out now and publicly declare that Crennel will serve out the final two years of his contract.

Let’s see if I have this right. Savage already announced at the season’s outset that Crennel isn’t nor has he been on the hot seat. Now, because the Browns are showing measurable progress in a season that is only 75% complete, suddenly Savage needs to further back his coach? Wouldn’t that sort of imply that despite what Savage said earlier, he really did have doubts about Crennel? In other words, wouldn’t such a public proclamation actually raise more questions than it answers?

Beyond these rather obvious questions is the rather obvious fact that the season isn’t quite finished. What if the Browns tank the rest of the games and finish 7-9? Sure, that’s progress over last season’s debacle, but so what? In a season where so much seems possible, wouldn’t falling flat with the season on the line take the shine off that record? And by the way, if the Browns do fall flat, does that mean we should patiently sit by while it takes two more years to get to 9-7?

As McManamon admits, Crennel is far from perfect. Indeed, McManamon cites to some of the more obvious examples: the Maurice Carthon debacle, the Charlie Frye debacle, the time out debacle, etc. ad nauseum. McManamon, however, does gloss over some of the other shortcomings of this team, which ultimately are a reflection on the head coach, like its lack of discipline as exhibited by the inordinate number of mental errors that plague the team on a regular basis, such as false starts and personal fouls, the lack of attention to detail in any number of areas, like who exactly has authority to call a timeout in the first place, or the fact that this defensive specialist has one of the worst defenses in the league.

Sure any of these shortcomings can be rationalized away by placing the blame elsewhere, such as on Savage for not acquiring better players on the defensive side of the ball. And maybe that’s true to some extent or even to a great extent. But even Crennel readily admits that the buck stops with him and it does.

This isn’t to necessarily bash Crennel so much as it’s intended to recalibrate McManamon’s perspective scale a bit. It’s also intended to say that nothing good comes out of making any promises that ultimately Savage may not be able to keep. As a work in progress, the Browns are necessarily still in a state of flux. Crennel has already earned the right to come back next year, like it or not. But the rest of this season and particularly next year when the Browns will be facing difficult decisions about their quarterback while no longer being able to sneak up on opponents will be the real measure of whether or not Crennel really has matured into a head coach and whether or not he really can deliver the Browns to the next level as an elite team. If that occurs, Savage won’t need to make any public proclamation about his final year or the next several thereafter. Crennel’s future will be secured by fiat.

***

Not to go all Mary Kay Cabot on anyone, but I have the same question she had on Monday: What exactly was Braylon Edwards thinking when he drilled a ball into the Dawg Pound on Sunday? Apparently very little.

For anyone that didn’t see the play, early in the second quarter quarterback Derek Anderson hit Edwards with a 19-yard touchdown pass that ultimately tied the game at 7-7. Immediately following the catch, Edwards wound up and threw the ball as hard as he could on a direct line into the Dawg Pound.

According to Edwards, he was just showing some pent up aggression, claiming he was just excited and needed an outlet since he doesn’t dance. Maybe he should learn. Lucky for him the fans in that section were paying attention or someone would have surely been hurt, which very well could have spelled trouble for both Edwards and the Browns.

Fans at sporting events are warned, on their tickets and through announcements, that they need to be alert for balls, bats, gloves, whatever, that may inadvertently leave the field of play. And while there have been any numbers of lawsuits filed by injured spectators over flying balls and bats, most of them have been losers for the fans who filed them because of this warning and the nature of the games. However, this body of law is premised on the unintended nature of the injury. It’s different when it’s the result of intentional or reckless conduct, just ask Albert Belle who was forced to settle a lawsuit filed by Associated Press photographer Tony Tomsic as a result of a ball Belle allegedly deliberately threw at him. Belle also had a run-in with a fan a few years earlier who had called him Joey. Belle drilled the fan in the chest with a ball. It’s unclear whether it resulted in a lawsuit. More likely a private settlement resulted either before the legal process went too far or just after it was initiated. It’s unlikely the incident was merely forgotten.

***

Now we know the answer to the question of how we can tell if the Browns are wearing throwback uniforms. There will be numbers on the helmets, that’s how.

What is actually somewhat amazing is how little the Browns uniforms really have changed over the years. Not only have the colors remained the same, but so too has the design of the uniforms. Other than an insignificant stripe or two on the helmet or the socks, the uniforms you see today are virtually the same as they’ve ever been.

The reason this is amazing, actually, is that owner Randy Lerner and even former owner Art Modell for that matter, saw no reason to try and tap into additional revenue that tends to follow when teams change colors and fans by new jerseys and such. Look at the NBA in general and the Cavs in particular. Teams somewhat routinely change colors and radically alter uniform design, just as the Cavs did. The teams will argue of course it’s to freshen the look. The truth is that it’s done to re-open a revenue stream. It’s kind of like when you buy a DVD of your favorite movie and the next year it’s reissued with special packaging. It’s only purpose is to separate your money from your wallet.

***

Here’s a question to ponder: If Brandon McDonald, in his first extended play of the season, has enough ability to shut down a Pro Bowl receiver, what took the Browns so long to get him out there?

A November to Remember

The only things missing were the snow and the mud. But in every other way, the Browns 27-17 victory over the Houston Texans felt like the kind of late November win that a team marching toward the playoffs needs if they are going to play meaningful games in December. And at this point, there is no question that the Browns are going to play meaningful games in December.

Flashy offenses with four and five wide receiver sets are nice but they’re built for the warmer weather. If you’re going to win late in the season, particularly in Cleveland, it’s going to be with tight ends that can make the tough catches in bad conditions, running backs that can ground out the hard yards when the footing is poor and an opportunistic defense that pounces at just the right time to drain whatever life might remain in the opponent. And that’s exactly the formula that the Browns followed on Sunday. In fact, it could not have been better executed.

It was a game, indeed a win, which belonged mostly to those tight ends, running backs and an opportunistic defense. Tight end Kellen Winslow II, running back Jamal Lewis, and a defense that forced three turnovers, two of which led directly to 14 points, ultimately were the difference in a game that the Browns had to win to keep alive what is surely turning into a Christmas miracle of a season.

And what a difference it was. Time and again, the Texans had no answer for Winslow, the clear front runner among a number of deserving Browns for a berth in the Pro Bowl. Going into the game he was the leading tight end in terms of total yards, yards per catch, yards per game and most receptions of more than 20 yards. Coming out of the game he did nothing to hurt that status. He had 10 more receptions, giving him 62 on the season, 107 receiving yards, and caught his fifth touchdown pass of the season. Winslow may not be causing fans to forget Ozzie Newsome just yet, but he’s well on his way.

When the Texans return to their practice complex on Monday to review film of the game, what they’ll see mostly is Winslow everywhere the Browns needed him to be. But should they focus more closely, two plays late and one play early will no doubt stand out.

The set up to the first of those two late plays came early in the fourth quarter. After punter Dave Zastudil hit one of his few decent punts of the game, to the Houston 11, the defense was able to hold the Texans to a three-and-out. The Browns got the ball back on the Houston 34 after Josh Cribbs returned the Matt Turk punt to the Texans 34 yard line. If the Texans had any hope of remaining in the game, it was critical that they hold the Browns right there.

But on second and 10 with just under 11 minutes left in the game and the Browns clinging to a seven point lead, quarterback Derek Anderson found Winslow deep down the middle for 21 yards, putting the ball at the Texans 13-yard line. The Browns couldn’t get the ball in the end zone, but a Phil Dawson 27-yard field goal pushed the lead to 20-10 with 8:35 left.

On the Browns next possession, which came quickly on the heels of Brandon McDonald’s first career interception, Anderson again hit Winslow on second down, this time for 20 yards, putting the ball at the Houston eight yard line. Two plays later, Lewis scored from the one yard line, putting the game completely out of reach.

The third key play by Winslow was the seven yard touchdown pass he caught just before the end of the first half. In a drive that started out with much promise, stuttered in the middle and recovered late, Winslow made sure it didn’t end for naught, catching Anderson’s ill-advised pass in triple coverage. If this were college and Winslow were in the running for the Heisman trophy, it would have been his signature play. But this isn’t college and Winslow’s not vying for the Heisman. It still was a signature play. It also gave the Browns momentum heading into the locker room and a blueprint for the second half. It also gave them a lead they never relinquished.

It is in these situations where offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski seems particularly adept. Though he gets deserved credit for bringing innovation to an offense that was literally starving for a direction under previous coordinator, Maurice Carthon, one of the secrets to Chudzinski’s approach is his abject refusal to give up on the run. He knows that it holds the key to long-term success, even though Anderson is playing well beyond anyone’s expectations.

In the first half, the Browns offense was wildly and unusually out of balance. There were only 10 rushing attempts compared to 22 passes. But the Winslow touchdown allowed Chudzinski to restore that balance, which is not as easy as it sounds. Staying true to the running game takes an equal measure of patience and confidence by the offensive coordinator. More often than not, the tough yards early in the game that make it seem as if the run is not working often become the big gains later in the game.

Lewis had 29 carries, 21 of which came in the second half. He also had 137 rushing yards, 94 of which came in the second half. Even that though doesn’t tell the whole story. In that second half, the Browns first possession, a three-and-out, featured two passes. But on that next possession, Chudzinski changed course and decided to pound the ball a luxury that a vastly improved offensive line and a back like Lewis affords him. Lewis was up to the task. From that point on he had two carries of 10 yards each and another two of 15 yards each. Sprinkled among them were numerous carries of five and six yards, all of which served to keep the Texans defense on their heels.

What was perhaps most impressive and where Lewis’ leadership mattered most was on the Browns last possession. After the Browns had seemingly pushed the game out of reach, 27-10, with just under six minutes left, the Texans came right back, going through the Browns defense like a hot knife through a stick of butter, closing to within 10 with just over three minutes left.

Following the onside kick that Browns defensive back Nick Sorenson fielded at the Houston 39 yard line, Lewis single-handedly closed out the game with six straight carries, the most important of which was the 15-yard gain to the Houston 23 just before the two minute warning. Another Lewis 5-yard gain forced the Texans to burn their final time out and from there the Browns were able to close out the game.

The offense, of course, has been the story of the season. The defense, of course, has likewise been the story of the season, but for vastly different reasons. Going into the game, the Texans were the near statistical equivalent of the Browns offensively, which means they’re a pretty good group overall. Indeed, the conventional wisdom, exercised in the form of all the fantasy football players that added Schaub to their lineups this week, suggested that the Browns defense was likely in for a long day. But on this day, in late November, the much maligned group stood up when it mattered most instead of standing down.

And it’s not as if the Texans were awful on offense, at least statistically. Schaub, in fact, was 22-36 for 256 yards and two touchdowns. But if you’re struggling defensively, then you at least should be opportunistic, and that is what the Browns were on Sunday. They intercepted Schaub twice and recovered a fumble by tight end Owen Daniels just as it looked like the Texans were poised to score. In fact, though the defense was giving up yards by the chunk, the turnovers they created each came at a critical point.

The first was an improbable interception by linebacker D’Qwell Jackson that he grabbed about two inches from the turf off a deflection by fellow linebacker Andra Davis just as Houston was entering Cleveland territory early in the second quarter. The second was the aforementioned fumble by Daniels that came at the Cleveland 30. The third, the interception by McDonald, was the most satisfying. With Houston desperate to get back into the game following the Dawson field goal early in the fourth quarter, Houston had the ball at its own 20. On the first play from scrimmage, Antwan Peek sacked Schaub, one of only two sacks the Browns had all game, for a 12 yard loss. On the next play, a desperate Schaub threw for Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson but McDonald was there for the interception.

A few words about McDonald, the Browns fifth round pick this past off-season, seems appropriate. Thus far, he’s seen relatively limited duty. Though he was ultimately credited with only one tackle on Sunday along with that key interception, in his first extended play of the season he proved to be a bright spot in a defensive backfield that has spent most of the season chasing receivers unsuccessfully. Johnson, whom McDonald was forced to cover most of the day, caught only three balls for 37 yards. If nothing else, he’s earned another long look next week, which he’ll likely get if Eric Wright is unable to go.

At this juncture, the Browns stand at 7-4 and a trip to Arizona next week to face a Cardinals team that is finally starting to show some life. Though no team remaining on the schedule currently had a winning record entering play on Sunday, the one downside is that three of the five remaining games are on the road where the Browns are just 2-3. The upside in all of it, though, is that this is a Browns team that has not only proven to their fans that they can win when they have to, they’ve proven it to themselves.

When the story on this season is ultimately written, it will contain many story lines. There will be the one featuring the coming of age of players like Winslow, receiver Braylon Edwards and Anderson, who had another solid day on Sunday, completing 24 of his 35 passes for 253 yards and two more touchdowns, giving him 22 on the season, well within reach of the Browns single season record of 30 held by Brian Sipe. He also had one interception. There will be another story line recounting the redemption of Lewis, a player who looked mostly through not only last season but several times this season. But the main story line will be one of rebirth, of a franchise and a fan base and the win against the Texans, on a cold day in late November, will be one of the reasons why.