The suddenly unpredictable Browns came into the game after a miserable outing against the Washington Redskins that nearly ended in a victory - this coming after routing the previously unbeaten defending Super Bowl champion Giants. The Jacksonville Jaguars limped into the game with a disappointing 3-3, mark with each of their games having been decided by a touchdown or less and with their three losses coming to division leaders who had amassed a combined record of 16-2 up to that point.
Both teams played it close to the chest early, with only a short Derek Anderson to Donte Stallworth touchdown pass between them in the first quarter. The Browns offense looked poised and workmanlike again, if not electric. That would change once the team got their footing.
Both teams got on track in the second half, with Jacksonville tying the game early in the quarter and the Browns answering with a Jamal Lewis touchdown and a Phil Dawson field goal giving them a 17-7 halftime lead.
The third quarter saw David Garrard hit Matt Jones to pull within three and send the game to an exciting fourth quarter.
In the fourth, the teams exchanged field goals until Jacksonville found themselves with the ball in the waning moments needing a touchdown. They moved the ball well into Browns' territory until the clock forced desperate measures. Three long shots at the end zone ended with a broken up attempt, a bobbled ball and a miss and the Browns escaped with a hard-fought 23-17 victory.
The Browns played far and away their cleanest and most disciplined game, with only one penalty and no turnovers. The story, though, was Shawn Rogers, who is living up the hype and showing that maybe the Browns didn't overpay for him in that trade after all. Rogers was all over the field and the Jaguars never had an answer for him as he racked up nine tackles, a sack and a blocked field goal attempt - which he subsequently recovered himself.
An all-around good game and a phenomenal performance by Rogers and the rest of the defense as the Browns get ready for a second crack at the Baltimore Ravens, hoping for a better outcome as they return home having won 3 of their last 4 games to hopefully get this season turned around.