Control of Their Own Destiny

They never make it easy but the Browns topped the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, 24-18, to improve to 8-5 on the 2007 season. That win combined with the Tennessee Titans' loss to San Diego puts the Browns in sole possession of the final playoff spot in the AFC. It also puts the Browns in control of their own destiny. If they win out over the last 3 games of the season, they will secure their first playoff birth since 2002. One more victory also ensures them of their first winning season since 2002, a proposition that looked grim after Opening weekend. At worst the Browns are assured of a non-losing season at 8-8... (insert Carnegie Mellon Football joke here).

The difference in this game was Jamal Lewis. Looking healthy and hungry, J-Lew once again ran with authority and power as he physically wore down the Jets Defense. His 31 yard run at the end of the 4th Quarter, where he broke a minimum 5 tackles, helped close a game that looked in great peril after it appeared the Browns Defense was going to break at the end of the game one more time. The offensive line manhandled the Jets while piling up 152 yards rushing, at a 5.2 yard per carry clip, and yielded no sacks again. Oh yes, and no false starts in an away game. Well played Joe T, Steiny, Fat Hank, Tuck and HPC. Well played, indeed.

Derek Anderson was solid, yet unspectacular, as he suffered another dumb 1st Quarter interception and started slowly, again. The Browns did not score until 1:15 left in the 2nd Quarter due to a number of stalled drives and missed opportunities. Also disconcerting was that once it started to rain in the 4th Quarter Anderson seemed to have trouble making a play and looked bad on a critical drive where the Browns needed to run time off the clock. Anderson went 0-2 with 2 bad throws and the Browns went 3 and Out and let the Jets back into the game. But a win is a win and DA did throw 2 perfect balls on TD passes to Jamal Lewis and Braylon Edwards.

The Defense did a great job, for their standards, overall on the day but once again faded down the stretch to keep things interesting. They tallied 4 sacks on the day, including a sack/forced fumble combo by Kamerion Wimbley and a cameo by West Texas A&M's own Chaun Thompson. Brandon McDonald played another solid game and added an interception. At this point of the season he looks much better than Daven Holly, who gave up a number of key catches on the day. Sean Jones made a key play picking off a pass in the endzone after Anderson's 1st Quarter interception to prevent New York from getting on the board first. The Jets were only 2-12 on 3rd Down and 2-2 on 4th down, including a couple of obvious QB sneaks that the Browns Defense should have been prepared for. Overall the Jets actually out gained the Browns 387-337.

Some other good nuggets... Only 4 Browns penalties for 29 yards. Phil Dawson muscling up to drill a 49 yard field goal. The appearance of Josh Cribbs both in the passing and running game. Good use of Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison in order to keep Jamal Lewis fresh. Steve Heiden finally seeing a few balls thrown his way. D'Qwell Jackson with double digit tackles once again. Leon Williams with 1 1/2 sacks. The Browns special teams neutralizing dangerous KR Leon Washington.

Some things to improve on... Joe J and K2 both with key drops. Daven Holly leading with 11 tackles, which tells you just how rough his day was. Two touchbacks on punt by Dave Zastudil. Bad punt coverage by the Browns special teams. The continued infatuation with Lawrence Vickers on 3rd Down, although they did convert both times. Kellen Winslow being silent most of the game.

So the Browns come home to face the 7-6 Buffalo Bills. It is basically an elimination game for the Bills. If the Browns win they have a 2 game advantage over Buffalo with 2 games to play and the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Bills are surging behind rookie QB Trent Edwards who has developed a bond with WR Lee Evans. Rookie stud RB Marshawn Lynch has been injured but may be back for the Bills. If he is look out. The Bills have played a ton of close games this season, just like the Browns, but have come up on the short end of the stick most of the time. So I fully expect another heart stopper. But the game is at home and the Browns have thrived there in 2007 winning 5 in a row. Meaningful football in Cleveland in December... it's been a while. It's great to have it back.

Go Browns!

No Show in Arizona

In what was their worst performance of the year since the Opening Weekend debacle, the Browns fell to the lowly Arizona Cardinals, 27-21, to fall to 7-5 on the 2007 campaign. It was Christmas come early for the Cardinals as the Browns basically handed them the game from the opening series and were unable to overcome their numerous mistakes over the course of the game.

Overall, the Browns committed 4 turnover, 3 by Derek Anderson, which handed the ball to Arizona deep in Browns territory and gave they 21 points with minimal effort. The turnover fest started on the opening series as the Browns were driving into Cardinals territory were Anderson threw a gift Pick 6 TD to Roderick Hood. On the subsequent possession, DA fumbled the snap deep in Browns territory and Arizona cashed in again to make it 14-0 after 2 series. A second DA interception was rendered moot by the defense by a costly fumble on a punt return by Josh Cribbs handed the Cardinals the ball deep in the Browns end again and the Cards cashed it in for their 3rd TD off a turnover in the game.

Penalties also killed the Browns as many of them were via the stupid variety. DA was called for pass interference on the first play of the game. Leign Bodden got flagged for a personal foul for playfully kicking the football after stopping the Cardinals on 3rd down. Sean Jones got called for a Horse Collar and Brodney Pool got called on a late hit on different scoring drives. Simon Frasier was called for a personal foul on the last kick return of the game that cost the Browns 15 yards they sorely needed. Overall the Brownies were tagged for 10 penalties for 77 yards.

The Browns never looked interested or got into a groove throughout the game. DA had a great stat line but was forcing the ball into bad spots especially early in the game. He made a number of bad decisions and poor throws that he is capable of making. The defense was handed very bad situations for 21 of the 27 points but the penalties killed them. They got no pressure (and no QB sacks) on an aging Kurt Warner playing behind a below average NFL offensive line. Edgerrin James ran for 114 yards when he hadn't cracked 80 in the last 4 games. The Browns were outplayed on special teams as Arizona successfully kept the ball out of Josh Cribbs' hands by pooch kicking all afternoon while the Browns gave up quite a few big returns to Steve Breaston.

Very disappointing as Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow and Jamal Lewis all came to play big time today. Lewis looked rejuvenated again as he pounded and ran his way through the Arizona D all day. Edwards made a ton of big catches especially on 3rd down and looked focused and determined. And Kellen Winslow was simply Kellen Winslow making plays for the Browns time and time again, nearly stealing a win for the Browns on the final play of the game when he caught a pass in the end zone but was ruled out of bounds rather than forced out by the Side Judge.

It was obvious the Browns were the better more talented team throughout the day, they just could not get out of their own way long enough to make something happen. A huge step back for the team after an impressive victory over the Texans last week. Now they must travel to Jersey for another 4:15 game against the improving Jets, who beat up on win less Miami today, 40-13. The Jets, despite their 3-9 record are improving and have weapons in Kellen Clemens, Thomas Jones and Laverneus Coles. The Browns have learned to win at home, now they must learn to win on the road if they want to be a serious playoff contender. The Jets are a team that the Browns are superior to and should beat... but so were the Arizona Cardinals.

Do it!

The Texans game was amazing. The fans, the atmosphere, the pride. All missing for a long, long time from the shores of Lake Erie. The Browns, despite being a little out of sync in the first half, rallied in the second and provided a beat down in the second half.

The D is starting to step up. The O is still delivering 30 points a game. The Browns have won 5 out of 6 games. Now they face a two game road trip starting with a trip to the desert.

Arizona is banged up. Their D is missing two of three starters in the D backfield. They don't get a ton of pass rush. Kurt Warner is still nursing a strained elbow. Larry Fitzgerald is nursing a sore hammy.

But this still is a dangerous game. The Browns historically are poor in West Coast games (see: Raiders game, Week 3). Eric Wright is still out and the Cards have a very dangerous compliment of receivers even if Larry Fitzgerald doesn't play. It's a featured late 4:15 game and the attention level paid to the Browns continues to grow, as does the pressure.

The Browns are a superior team to Arizona in almost all facets. All they have to do is shake off the distractions and prove it. Just do it, boys, just do it.

Reversal of Fortune?

Phil Dawson said it best after the game, the Cleveland Browns have been waiting for 9 years to get a call and they finally did. The no good field goal that was good after hitting the left upright and then hitting the arched post that supports the goal posts before bouncing back out in front of the goal posts allowed the Browns to survive a truly awful performance and somehow escape Baltimore with a 33-30 OT win. That win puts them at 6-4 a game behind Pittsburgh who no showed and lost versus the putrid New York Jets. It was a game that the Browns have become habitually good at losing on a consistent basis, but no matter how ugly it was they won and that all that matters. It was a stunning reversal of fortune that could hopefully spring the Browns onto a path of relevance and send the hated Ravens into a long period of suck-i-tude.

The Browns were not good today. DA and Braylon look completely off today, making mental mistakes and not making many plays when needed. Braylon had a fumble which DA threw a perfect pass right to Ray Ray Lewis for a Pick 6. The O disappeared in the second half for the second game in a row. The Browns had penalty problems, especially on the offensive line, resulting in a 1st and 30 at one point. Phil Dawson missed an easy 35 yard field goal early in the game and Ryan Pontbriand had his first bad snap I can remember on a botched FG attempt. The D allowed an awful Ravens offense and Kyle Boller to come back from a 13 point deficit. But somehow the Browns overcame it and won.

There were some positives. Jamal Lewis looked like he still had a pep in his step playing against his old team. Jason Wright again had more success as a nice change of pace back. K2 continues to make big catches when needed. Sean Jones looked like the playmaker he was last year and Brodney Pool finally stepped up when he was needed. Robaire Smith provided the Browns with a pass rush they have sorely needed. Mike Adams and Brandon McDonald stepped up after Eric Wright left early with a sprained knee. Josh Cribbs continues to amaze on kick and punt returns and even forced a fumble on kick coverage. Phil Dawson shook of an early shank to give the Browns the win. Romeo Crennel even won a replay challenge.

The Browns have 6 games to go against the opponents with the weakest remaining schedule in the NFL (lowest combined winning percentage of opponents). Who would have thought the Week 11 meeting with the Texans would have playoff implications? The Browns have plenty of problems that need fixing but they finally have returned to national prominence. When is the last time they were on the front page of ESPN.com or NFL.com? They are a constant topic on all the major pre and post game shows. That hasn't been the case since left were stolen in 1995. They may very well be the feel good story of the NFL. They seem to have some karma on their side for the first time in years with a fateful bounce. Let's see if the can turn that karma into a serious playoff push and reverse the fortunes of a once proud franchise.

Bounce Back

Wipe off the stink from the loss to Pittspuke it's off to Balti-whore for a date with the Ravens and their imperial leader, Lord Billick.

The Ravens managed only 7 points last week against the porous Cincinnati defense that allowed the Browns to drop 51 points on them in Week 2. They have switched from Steve McNair to Kyle Boller due to "injury". Many insiders think it has more to do with McNair doing his best Charlie Frye impersonation as a 60 minute sack and turnover machine. They have a young, inexperience offensive line. They don't have a lot of explosive weapons on offense. They're defensive backfield is far less than healthy. Ray Ray Lewis and the boys have lost a step on D and the team is arguing internally. Despite that, the Ravens are still a dangerous team especially at home.

The Browns made some mistakes last week that haunted them. A bad challenge that resulted in a double time-out, shaky QB play, a crucial turnover and not coming up big when they had the chance to. The Ravens are not a good team but they are not a bad team either. Any one or, god forbid, combination of them will give the Ravens a chance at victory. They do posses a quality RB which always gives the Browns fits and they D, despite their age and injury, does still posses a number of play makers who can change the game if given the opportunity.

The Browns couldn't take the next step last week by beating an elite team on the road. That time will come. Now it's time to grow up and rebound from a heartbreaking loss to a rival by beating a rival that they are better than. The Browns have always matched-up well against the Ravens. They need to be aggressive and take chances like they did in the first half against the Steelers. They need to play with the tenacity that they displayed in the first Ravens game. And they need to do this on the road. The Browns have turned it around at home but now they need to beat teams they are better than on the road.

They don't need another Oakland game. That game has left them at 5-4 instead of 6-3. A huge difference. Another misstep will make their prospects for the first play-off birth since 2002 grim. They have seven games remaining against teams they are better then, but four are on the road. They are only 1-3 on the road. They need to finish at .500 or better away from home to have a shot at the playoffs. They are done playing the dredges of the league like Miami and St. Louis. They don't have juggernauts like New England or Pittspuke left on the schedule. They have 7 average, run of the mill teams that they are better than. It time to start to run the gauntlet towards the playoffs and the first stop is Baltimore.

This game will tell us as much about the Browns as the Pittspuke game did. They hung tough took some punches but faded at the end and couldn't seal the deal. They have a Balit-whore team teetering on the brink of implosion up next. The Browns have better talent. They have better schemes. They are better people. But the Browns have to believe it before they can do it. Can they bounce back and get back on track for something that seemed like a pipe dream at the beginning of the season? Browns fans want to believe they can but it only matters if the Browns themselves do.

Close, But So Far

In the end, the Browns came up just short. A few inches short on Phil Dawson's potential game winning 53 yard field goal and 3 points short of the Steelers in a 31-28 loss at Heinz Field. As brilliantly as they played in the first half, they just could not sustain it in the second half, allowing the Steelers to overcome a 21-9 Browns lead at halftime.

After forcing the Steelers to go 3 and out on the opening series the Browns drove the field on a 16 play 8 minute drive that ending in a DA touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow. 7-0 Browns.

Willie Parker drove the Steelers down the field on the ensuing possession but the Browns D held the to 3. Josh Cribbs responded with a 90 yard KO return to the Steelers 4 and after a Lawrence Vickers TD reception i t was 14-3 Browns.

The Steelers drove down the field again but the Browns D held again to keep the Browns up 14-6. After a short drive Browns punt on the next possession Brodney Pool intercepted Ben Roethlisberger and Braylon Edwards pulled in an amazing TD catch that needed a Romeo Crennel challenge to make it true and it was 21-6 Browns.

The Steelers drove the field again but yet again the Browns D held to finish the first half with the score Browns 21, Steelers 9.

In the first half the Browns O looked great and was firing on all cylinders. The Browns D stepped up and looked stout when it needed to be. But some key mistakes by the Browns int he second half turned the tide for the Steelers.

After both teams went 3 and out twice to start the half, the Steelers got the big break they needed when James Harrison forced Jamal Lewis to fumble in their own end and the Steelers turned it into an easy Hines Ward TD, 21-16 Browns.

The Browns and Steelers traded 3 and outs again as the third quarter ended, mercifully. The Browns finished the quarter with no first downs and DA was definitely frazzled by the Steelers D who obviously made the necessary adjustments needed at halftime.

The Browns went 3 and out... again, and again the Steelers made them pay. On the arm of Roethlisberger the Steelers drove down the field effortlessly and Roethlisberger then ran, almost untouched, for a 30 yard TD. Add the 2 point conversion by Ward and it was 24-21 Steelers.

With the Browns O struggling, Josh Cribbs answered as he corralled a squib kick at the goal line juked one man, tip toed up the sideline and somehow stayed inbounds and found a convoy to the endzone for a Browns 28-24 lead. The play withstood a Mike Tomlin challenge as the Browns finally caught a break in the game.

But the Browns D couldn't come up with the big stop it had in the previous weeks. The Steelers converted third downs of 7, 18 and 8 yards (many on Roethlisberger scrambles) to set up a 2 yard TD catch by Heath Miller to go up 31-28.

Romeo Crennel then made his only coaching mistake of the game calling a timeout before challenging the play, which he lost, ultimately costing the Browns 2 timeout on one play. It would come back to be a factor.

The Browns went 3 and out again but forced the Steelers to go 3 and out and punt. Josh Cribbs returned the punt to the Steelers 33 but a holding penalty moved the ball back to the Browns 39. DA managed to drive the Browns to the Steelers 36 but was forced to spike the ball with 7 seconds left on 3rd and 2, because they had used their final timeout previously, and on 4th and 2, Phil Dawson's 53 yard field goal attempt into the windy, open end on Heinz Field was dead on the money... but came up just inched short. Ballgame. Steelers 31, Browns 28.

In the end the Steelers showed the resolve of a time tested veteran team expecting to win while the Browns looked like an improving team not yet ready to make the next step to an elite challenger. Instead of coming out int he second half ready to step on the opponents' neck the Browns came out flat with poor QB play, a costly fumble, a poor coaching challenge and a an inability to make a play when needed. Josh Cribbs out gained the Browns offense on the day but they still came within inches of sending the game to overtime.

A frustrating loss but the best effort the Browns have shown against the Steelers in four years. An exciting, exhilarating game that Browns fans haven't seen in a long time. We learned the Browns are not in the Steelers class yet, but we knew that already. What we didn't know is that the gap isn't as wide as we thought. With a few pieces on D the Browns may become a contender in the AFC sooner than expected. Despite it's struggles the O put up 28 points on the the #1 D in the NFL and a D that was giving up about 6 points per game at home.

So the Browns sit alone in 2nd in the AFC North at 5-4. Seven games to go. Seven games against opponent they can beat. Seven games against teams that they ARE better then. The Browns have had an amazing run so far. They have proved all their doubters wrong. They continue to get better every game. They came up short against the Steelers but they didn't back down and traded punches all day.

In the end the Steelers took the game from the Browns. The Browns have a great chance to take what they and their fans want. To taste something they haven't since 2002. The Browns control their own destiny, all they have to do it take it. Let's shake off the Pittspuke hangover and take what is ours.