Oct
6
Written by:
LarryMac
10/6/2009 11:25 AM
Despite their winless record, a rejuvenated Browns team took the field behind Derek Anderson, making his first start of the season after relieving Brady Quinn in the second half of last week's loss to Baltimore. Anderson provided just the spark that coach Eric Mangini was hoping he would the previous week.
Cincinnati dominated the first quarter and it appeared that the Browns were on their way to another miserable loss. The Browns ran only four plays from scrimmage in the quarter but, with a Shaun Rogers block of Shayne Graham's field goal on Cincinnati's first possession had Cleveland down just 7-0.
The second play of the second quarter looked like the Browns team of 2008. Jerome Harrison, starting for the injured Jamal Lewis, fumbled and Robert Geathers plucked it out of the air and ran 75 yards for the score and the 14-0 lead. That was the wake-up call for the Browns. Cincinnati would go seven straight possessions without a first down as the Browns came back. Derek Anderson hit Mohamed Massaquoi for what looked like a 30 yard touchdown. Review showed that Massaquoi was down at the 1 yard line and it looked like yet another disappointment for Cleveland. Undeterred, Anderson found Steve Heiden in the back of the end zone for the offense's first touchdown since their final possession of the first game and a 14-7 halftime deficit.
Cincinnati intercepted an Anderson touchdown pass to keep it 14-7 in the 3rd quarter only to put up another three and out possession. Anderson then led the team back down the field and scrambled into the end zone for the Browns' first rushing touchdown since last November to tie the game.
Two fourth quarter field goals gave the Browns a chance to win until Palmer found Chad Ochocinco for their second TD connection of the day with 2:00 left in the game. With another apparent last-minute victory in their sights, Cincinnati saw Shaun Rogers block the extra point to keep the game tied, eventually forcing overtime.
Neither team moved the ball well in the extra period. On 4th and 11 at Cleveland's 41 yard line, with just over a minute left, Cincinnati opted to go for it. Palmer, unable to find a receiver, scrambled for 15 yards, setting up the game winning field goal.
The Good: Mangini wanted a spark for the offense and he got it. Mohamed Massaquoi, who had two catches in the team's previous three games, led all receivers with eight receptions for 148 yards. Jerome Harrison led all rushers with 29 carries for 121 yards and topped 150 all-purpose yards. Josh Cribbs racked up over 220 return yards in the game.
The Bad: Braylon Edwards was held without a catch for the first time in 62 career games. This game, though, may signal the emergence as Massaquoi as a threat that defenses will have to contend with going forward, possibly opening up the field for Edwards. We'll see.
The Ugly: The Browns only turned the ball over twice, but those turnovers cost them dearly. A fumble was returned for one of Cincinnati's three touchdowns and the interception would have been six points. Eliminate those two and the Browns win this game handily.
Without a doubt the Browns' best performance of the year. They played like an NFL team and bounced back from both a pitiful performance last week and a handful of disappointments over the course of the game. If the team can continue to come together this well, they may be on their way to turning this thing around.
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