So many times, we tend to pass judgment too harshly and too quickly. Each week, after we have had a chance to digest the game, here at DawgBones.com we will break down the Cleveland Browns game from the week before. Let us look at the top 5 good things, the top 5 bad things and the top 5 things that failed to impress us in this week’s game. The segment is called 20/20 Browns Hindsight we hope you enjoy it.



Top 5 Good Things: Bills Game

1. There will be much debate in the off-season as to who should be the MVP of the Browns, one player that will get many votes is RB Jamal Lewis. Lewis has said that November and December are months for running backs and he wasn't lying. In 4 of the past 5 games the Browns have gone over 100 yards rushing as a team, led by Lewis, and they have won all of those games. In a Lake Erie blizzard of epic proportions Lewis got the ball 33 times against the Bills and tallied 163 yards on the ground. Lewis went over the 1,000 yard mark against the Bills, becoming only the 2nd running back to do so for the Browns in the past 20 years.

2. The Browns defense has been much maligned throughout the 2007 season so no one expected them to post a shutout, but that's what they did against the Bills. They are a unit that is determined to not allow any more big plays over their head, something they were victimized by early in the year. The 8-0 win was the 1st shutout by the Browns since 2005 when they beat the Miami Dolphins 22-0.

3. Phil Dawson's 49 yard field goal to put the Brown up 8-0 was one of the greatest kicks you will ever see. With the Browns up 5-0 and having already kicked a 35 yard field goal Dawson went out on a field covered in snow with the wind blowing snow in his face at about 30 MPH. Dawson aimed left and well outside the left upright. The kick needed to be low to cut through the wind and it was. Thankfully Dawson aimed so far left or the kick could have easily been blocked. The wind grabbed the ball and worked it right back into the middle of the field goal posts, hitting the back extension bar or as many have begun to call it, the Dawson bar. Dawson has 110 points on the season, just 5 short of the club record and was voted as the 3rd alternate for the AFC Pro Bowl team this past week. Quite a bounce back year for Mr. Dawson.

4. LB Andra Davis had one of his best games of his 6 year NFL career against the Bills Sunday. Davis made multiple tackles in the Bills backfield for losses while tallying a team high 6 tackles. Davis also had 2 QB hurries of bills QB Trent Edwards on the day. The field conditions allowed for Davis to play on every down defensively and he made the most of it.

5. Head coach Romeo Crennel deserves a ton of credit for sending Phil Dawson out to kick the 49 yard field goal. Dawson told him it was a 50/50 proposition, but Crennel told him he could do it and to focus and get it done. Crennel also had a choice late in the game to go for it on 4th and 1. If the Browns converted they could have run out the clock, if they didn't the Bills would have the ball at their own 48 with 2:00 to play. Crennel showed faith in his defense and punted the ball away and though the Bills drove down to the Browns 10 yard line, the defense rewarded Crennel by stopping the Bills on 4th down to seal the victory. The call by Crennel to have his defense win the game could pay huge dividends as the Browns strive to lock up a playoff birth over the next 2 weeks.



Top 5 Bad Things: Bills Game

1. Is there any question what would top the list? The weather of course! Though we loved it seeing the snow we also believed that it was a great equalizer for the Bills. Due to the high winds the Browns passing game was basically non-existent. In fact QB Derek Anderson only attempted 6 passes in the 2nd half.

2. The Buffalo Bills offense had one chance to win the game and that was running the ball. With the weather as bad as it was, coming off a game the prior week that saw them run for 224 yards as a team and the Browns ranked lowly stopping the run the table was set for the Bills. They were only able to amass 108 total yards rushing on 32 carries in the snow and saw their shot at the playoffs in 2007 disappear.

3. The Browns special teams were very good Sunday, that is except their punt coverage team. Early in the 2nd quarter the Bills lined up on 4th and 3 to punt from their own 29. Punter Brian Moorman faked the punt and scrambled 4 yards to get the 1st down. The Browns were able to stop the drive a few plays later, but the fact that they were duped by a fake punt is alarming. On Thursday night the Steelers converted a fake punt, that led to a TD against the Rams. Many think the Browns may face the Steelers in the playoffs if they get there, hopefully they will shore things up before then.

4. The elements were horrible and we acknowledge that, but the Browns ability to convert 3rd downs was just as bad. They were and abysmal 4-14(29%) converting 3rd downs against the Bills. We don't want to seem like we are nit picking, but the Browns are going to play in some bad weather moving forward this season and converting 3rd downs is crucial to their success.

5. We don't know why, but for some reason halftime of the Browns and Bills game seemed lighting fast. Maybe the officials just wanted the game over with we don't know, but it seemed extremely fast to us. Yes we are now officially nit picking!



Top 5 things that failed to impress: Bills Game

1. Bills head coach Dick Jauron saw his team march down to the browns 10 yard line with 15 seconds to play and trailing by a Td and 2-point conversion. On 4th and 5 he decided to run a screen play the both LB Chaun Thompson and S Sean Jones sniffed out for no gain, ending the Bills chances to win. Why would you run a screen pass that entails a RB catching the ball at a dead stop, his linemen getting out in front of him to block as well, on a field that was covered with snow? Jauron has done a great job with the Bills this year, but his game day coaching still leaves much to be desired.

2. Te Kellen Winslow II has been solid as a rock for the Browns, at least until the past couple of weeks. With rain in New York against the Jets and Snow in Cleveland against the Bills, Winslow had grabbed just 6 balls over his past 2 games and had no TD's. Winslow admitted he wasn't crazy about the weather and it has shown in his performance. Browns fans are hoping for good weather and soon for K2.

3. Again we realize the weather was bad Sunday, but QB Derek Anderson looked off all day. Some of that can be attributed to his receivers running their routes differently and a lot to the weather, but when you see a QB throw the bal land hit his RB in the back on what appears to be a designed screen pass, that's on the QB. Thankfully the Browns and Anderson don't have to play in those conditions every week.

4. With the game being so meaningful to both the Bills and Browns chances for the playoffs we were surprised there was not more attention given to it. Instead the national media spent more time building up a game between a team that was 3-10 and one that was 13-0. Makes you wonder sometimes what the actual goal is. Is it really about winning games or TV ratings?

5. The snow really took a lot of the skill out of this game. It would have been very interesting to see how these teams would have played in good conditions. We think the outcome would have been the same none the less. Like the skill that was removed by the weather so to is our ability to bitch about anything else. The Browns won and can get back into the playoffs with a win against the Bengals this week. GO BROWNS!!!

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