Browns Win Big Game
Oct 16, 2008
Author: Ryan Lewis

The greatest site of Monday night wasn’t Derek Anderson running off the field, hugging Hank Fraley. It wasn’t Braylon Edwards dunking the ball over the crossbar after his second touchdown of the season, nor was it the beautiful sight (nearly brought a tear to your eye) of Anderson and Edwards hooking up for a 70-yard pass and catch. It wasn’t even the scoreboard that read Browns: 35 Giants 14.

It was in the split second Eric Wright slipped by Eli Manning after the interception, with only him and green grass in front him - the sight of the night was the crowd behind him: half of it literally jumping up and down, fist pumps all around, beer being spilt (this time we can allow it), high fives for everyone – a selection of Browns fans finally getting their turn.

That says it all. Finally.

Every single Browns fan – from the most optimistic of fan to the pessimistic guy who inherited season tickets and just goes because they’re free – thought the Giants would score two touchdowns and win by one point. Just admit it, there was always that little thought in the back of your mind. It’s undeniable; it had happened so many times – that thought was basically looming over the stadium.

And then just like that – things turned around. Just like that, Eric Wright took the pass the other way and scored a touchdown – and that was it. Just like that everything was reversed – finally.

Derek Anderson looked fantastic – finally - Steve Young even went as far to say “Tom Brady like” – ok that’s a stretch, but the throws Anderson was completing are only throws the elite quarterbacks can make (especially the touchdown to Dinkins). 18-29, 310 yards, two touchdowns, no picks – that is called a pro-bowl performance, and that is why he was brought back even with Brady Quinn lurking in the shadows.

He took what the defense gave him, went down the field and spread the ball around beautifully. He showed his leadership and ability in all one haymaker right hook to the jaw. He went after every possible pass, he played his position fearlessly – dare I say as a fearless leader – just like the Quinn supporters were afraid to see.

Braylon Edwards looked fantastic – finally – 5 catches, 154 yards and a touchdown. He finally showed his potential with Anderson, he finally showed what he could do. He finally showed why he made that infamous bet with Michael Phelps, why he can be as dangerous as any wide receiver in the AFC.

Throw away all the highlights of last year – I’ll take the expression on Braylon’s face after he scored, fist pumping and jumping around with D.A. on the sidelines.

But it’s the secondary that gets the nod on this night. Three interceptions against a QB who just got his star wide receiver back and had thrown all of one pick coming into the night – Pool showed the athleticism we’ve all known was there, Brandon McDonald played tough defense all night and was rewarded with a gift interception to open the second half (make no mistake – that was the statement the Browns needed coming out of the locker room…finally the Browns made a defensive statement), and of course Eric Wright’s “Pick Six” to seal the deal. Finally – the big play when it was needed.

Shaun Rogers did what he needed to, and even made a couple of one armed tackles (let’s be honest – he struggled with Jacobs in the game but a Semi-Truck could hit that man and he still wouldn’t go down easily), as well as the rest of the defensive line without Shaun Smith available, who certainly did their job, namely Louis Leonard who stepped in.

Here was something that stood out – coaching! Yes, that’s right – coaching. Finally, coaching.

Pool, Adams, Sorensen, Wright – all blitzed and blitzed often. The Browns finally brought the house, and they brought it down – with the secondary. The pressure was constant, it was refreshing to see and even though for a while in the third quarter Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin caught on to it, Romeo Crennel finally was a step ahead of his coaching counterpart.

And quite possibly the most overlooked play of the night – Eric Wright blitzing from the corner and making the tackle for a two yard loss – beautiful play call, and even better execution, especially coming from a guy not known as a strong tackler.

Cleveland also finally spread the defense with the long ball early on, the big statement coming on a 70 yard bomb (pass wasn’t perfect, but Anderson got it done – let’s be happy), and by moving Stallworth around to help clear up some space.

And finally – direct snaps to Cribbs, the offensive playbook was finally opened.

Finally Anderson, finally the secondary, finally the playbook and finally the big win.

Finally.

It’s quite simple and now very clear – when everyone does their job, we use Cribbs, establish the run and go vertical – this offense is as lethal as any in the NFL.

Here’s a stat for you – the Browns scored 35 points on 454 yards of total offense - didn’t turn the ball over…or punt.

And Cleveland did this while playing a Giants team that won by five touchdowns a week ago, and while being without Kellen Winslow, without Sean Jones, without Shaun Smith, without J.J (if you’re keeping score at home, that’s about two-thirds of the passing game and our most established defensive back).

This team is still extremely banged up, but Cleveland showed what several others and I have preached about for weeks.

Pride, attitude, energy, fire, passion and aggression

Shaun Rogers getting into the face of what seemed like every Giant several times in the first quarter, Braylon Edwards’ barking after a possible personal foul wasn’t called, and quite simply – the Cleveland defense finally (finally, finally, finally) using the crowd and making the big play. We finally played with the true home field advantage that should be in Cleveland (Believeland), and finally – the Dawg Pound came alive. The one thing we as fans needed to happen.

And let’s not forget Darnell Dinkins, Jerome Harrison and Jason Wright. Dinkins with the huge touchdown catch up the middle, Harrison on the end-around along with a couple of runs, Wright getting every inch he needed for a crucial third down conversion that led to a touchdown and over and over again.

Small time players made big time plays.

Finally.

However there won’t be any momentum. There won’t be any easy wins either. Cleveland won one game, and next week a tough (and ticked after losing to the Rams) Redskins team that won’t give an inch. Enjoy this for one day, and move on. The Browns are still 2-3 while Pittsburgh is 4-1 (And if there’s ever a year to get a playoff birth, it’s this year with Tom Brady’s absence leaving a searing hole in New England).

Take it one game at a time and play hard.

But celebrate today. Bask in it. We finally played with a “true” home field advantage – the Dawg Pound was fantastically loud, the atmosphere was electric – and no, it wasn’t 1980. Yes, I repeated that statement about the crowd – but it’s worth it, they earned it.

The Cleveland Browns are here – finally. (They won’t be here for long until the penalties disappear).

And we won the right way – with leadership, from Crennel showing confidence in the secondary to send blitzes all night, to Anderson being the true gun-slinger we all know he can be, to Jamal Lewis pounding lanes all night, to Edwards picking up the slack while Kellen Winslow was out, and to the second and third and fourth stringers making the big play.

And I’d like to take this time to one again give props to Darnell Dinkins – I’ve been downplaying him since his penalty in last years’ Pittsburgh game – but my oh my did he come up big tonight.

Let’s not forget – this is one win – this won’t mean much if three losses follow it. That’s the one thing that must be made clear – the Browns won a huge game while banged up against a great team on national television via Monday Night Football. But it still only counts as one W in the box score.

That’s also something worth repeating.

At the same time, several statements were made on this night – the biggest one being that even while banged up, the Browns won in a game no one thought they could win – and in doing so proved they can beat anyone in the NFL on any given Sunday. What’s going to happen once the offense plays in sync with Kellen Winslow, and the defensive secondary finally becomes healthy.
Finally, Cleveland won the big game, came out in top, got the W.

Finally, getting tired of that word yet?

Make no mistake - Eric Wright high-stepping into the end-zone on Monday Night Football to seal the deal against the undefeated defending Super Bowl Champions with the hometown Cleveland crowd going absolutely insane – that is an image that will live on for a long, long time.

Cleveland Rocks. Finally.

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