The old adage in the NFL is "on any given Sunday...", meaning that any team can rise up against what appaears to be a superior foe and get the job done. That's what the Browns did earlier this year when they shocked the New York Giants. The Browns faced a similar challenge this week as they put their 4-8 record and back-to-back losses against the 11-1 Tennessee Titans. But the hapless Browns, already mired in a disappointing season, would go into the game with their third-string quarterback, Ken Dorsey, making his first start in three years and the Titans would enter the game with a chip on their shoulders, coming off their first loss of the season - an upset at the hands of the New York Jets.
Once again the Browns defense took matters in their own hands and tried to get things donme with the help of special teams. Josh Cribbs returned the opening kickoff to the Browns' 37 and the offense cobbled together a 33-yard field goal drive to take the early lead. Tennessee mired themselves in their own end courtesy of a good kickoff and a penalty, but was able to drive out of the shadow of their end zone before sputtering and failing in Browns territory. The Browns offense came up empty on their next drive, despite a huge pass interference call and punted away. Kerry Collins then threw a costly interception deep in Titans' territory. With the ball at the Tennessee 25 yard line, though, the Browns were completely ineffective and settled for yet another field goal to make their lead 6-0.
The Titans got the ball late in the first quarter and carried it to a 7-6 lead early in the second. Kerry Collins connected on 4th and 1 and, as has been the case so often this year, the Browns' tackling turned that dump-off pass into a 28-yard touchdown. The teams spent the bulk of the peiod trading punts until Tennessee, backed up to their own 7 yard line, marched the ball 93 yards, with the help of a roughing the passer call against the Browns, to push their lead to 14-6 by the half.
The third quarter was a comedy of errors as both quarterbacks were intercepted, leading to a missed field goal for the Browns and a touchdown for the Titans. Lendale White lost his first fumble of the season late in the period to give the Browns the ball at the end of the third, trailing 21-6.
As they've done all season, the Browns only managed to turn the turnoverinto afield goal in the fourth, cutting the leadto 21-9. The teams then traded punts until Tennessee's Chris Carr returned one to the Cleveland 25-yard line. The Titans used one play to turn that into the final 7 points of the game.
"Hapless" is probably the best word to describe the Browns at this point. They played possibly the best team in the league and still could have been in this game. All yearlong, the Titans have done a great job of protecting the ball. They turned it over three times against the Browns and only surrendered 6 points. The Browns turned it over once and gave up 7. Tennessee was penalized 13 times for over 130 yards, the most they've been hit up this season and it didn't matter. The Titans played one of their worst games of the season and it was still enough to rout the Browns.