Oct
20
Written by:
LarryMac
10/20/2008 11:13 AM
After another humbling defeat, this time at the hands of the hated Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns went into their third consecutive divisional game on the road against the also winless Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals, meanwhile would be without quarterback Carson Palmer who was out with an inflamed elbow. If ever the stars would align for the Browns to get their season started, surely it would be this week.
Embattled Browns QB Derek Anderson had to know that his tenure as the Browns QB rode on this game. People have been calling for the move to Brady Quinn since he was drafted last year and with coach Romeo Crennel sitting next to him on the hot seat, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the coach would make the move sooner rather than later to save his own skin. After accumulating all of three points in the first three quarters of the game, it seemed all but assured that we would see Quinn take the field. The fact that the Bengals had only mustered six points of their own may have played a part in the decision to give Anderson one more crack at it. He sure seemed to think so, as Anderson went on a tear in the fourth quarter the likes of which we haven't seen out of him this season. The Browns caught their second win and outscored the hometeam 17-6 in the final 15 minutes to secure their first win of the season.
Braylon Edwards nabbed his first touchdown of the season in that fourth quarter and Jamal Lewis gave the Browns their first rushing touchdown of the season. Although this game would mark the third time in four games that the Browns had more penalties than their opponent (the Cowboys had more in Week 1), it would also be the first time that the Browns accumulated less than 55 yards in penalties (at 52).
This was an ugly game for both teams as they combined for seven turnovers. Nothing characterized this game better than a play in the second quarter in which Cincinnati QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had a pass to Chad Johnson intercepted by Eric Wright, who then fumbled the ball on the return only to have the fumble recovered by, you guessed it, Chad Johnson. Some of the playcalling again seemed suspect as well. Jamal Lewis moved the ball well in the first quarter, accumulating 36 yards on the Browns opening drive en route to a field goal but garnered only 39 the rest of the way.
Derek Anderson was a bit cocky after the game, telling reporters not to "go there" when the topic of Brady Quinn replacing him was brought up and saying that the team had gotten its swagger back with the team. An ugly win over an equally inept team is hardly something to pat yourselves on the back about, especially with a Monday night matchup with the undefeated defending Super Bowl champs coming up next on the schedule, but we'll take it.
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