September 2007

Cleveland 27, Baltimore 6
1 — Steve McNair looks old. Matt Stover misses two field goals. It would take a miracle for the Browns to lose this game.
2 — Braylon Edwards continues to play extremely well. The guy has lived up to his draft position, and to the vows he made in the offseason.
3 — Same [...]

Cleveland 14, Baltimore 0
1 — Nice opening drive by the Browns, sparked by Joshua Cribbs' return of the opening kickoff. Derek Anderson's ability to get rid of the ball was a key again.
2 — Go figure. Baltimore faces the 31st-ranked run defense in the league. And the Ravens open the game with four straight passes [...]

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Baltimore flip-flopped first-round picks with Cleveland in the 2006 draft to move up one spot and draft defensive tackle Haloti Ngata at No. 12. Cleveland preferred pass rusher Kamerion Wimbley and had no problem making a deal with a division rival. The Ravens also gave up a sixth-round pick, which the Browns [...]

Oakland 26, Cleveland 24 (3:33 left)
First — Easy to second-guess, but Joe Jurevicius was wide open on a third-down throw that Tim Carter dropped. Carter is a disappointment. Jurevicus catches everything. Hard to figure.
Second — Then again, it won't matter a bit if the Browns can't stop the run.
Third — What a pleasure it is [...]

Oakland 16, Cleveland 10
First — Not a good read or decision by Derek Anderson on Thomas Howard's interception. Threw it right to him, and Howard was in the short zone the entire time.
Second — Very early, but to this point the Raiders seem a little more into the game.
Third — Brodney Pool flagged for a [...]

Jamal Lewis wasn't bragging Wednesday after rushing for 216 yards on 27 carries and a 66-yard touchdown in Sunday's 51-45 victory over Cincinnati. When the 28-year-old free agent running back from Baltimore was asked what his third 200-yard game meant to him, he said, "We can go out there and put up points. I hadn't [...]

SCORE
First down — Before the play, I say I agree with the Browns decision to go for it on fourth-and-inches with more than 14 minutes left. Gotta keep scoring to win this game, and punting the ball does not let you score.
Second down — The Browns don't make it. Guess they should have punted.
Third down [...]

Browns 27, Bengals 21
First down — Browns cornerback Leigh Bodden is limping noticeably. He hurt a groin muscle during the week. That has to affect him covering Chad Johnson.
Second down — The defense forces a fumble, with Antwan Peek ripping the ball from Rudi Johnson. Big chance early in the second quarter for the Browns [...]

The Browns have not been able to bounce back on the field under coach Romeo Crennel, failing to post back-to-back victories in his two-plus seasons. But Thursday's mood in the locker room was surprisingly upbeat after Sunday's 34-7 loss to Pittsburgh and Tuesday's quarterback upheaval. It seemed Wednesday that players like Kellen Winslow and Braylon [...]