Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[osugrad21]

DDN

Anderson's scramble impresses teammates


By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Monday, December 04, 2006

CLEVELAND ? It was supposed to be a quick throw. Derek Anderson had taken a three-step drop on second-and-15 from the Kansas City 45.
With nobody open, the 6-foot-6, 229-pound quarterback did what never has come naturally since he began playing the position.
He took off running.
Thirty-three yards later, Anderson came to rest at the 12, and Phil Dawson completed the Cleveland Browns' 31-28 overtime victory Sunday with a 33-yard field goal.
Filling in for the injured Charlie Frye, Anderson completed 12-of-21 passes for 171 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Steve Heiden. But that scramble is what wowed his teammates.
"What I really liked was that he had those wolves chasing him and he didn't go out of bounds," tight end Kellen Winslow II said. "He spun off and kept going. That's really what won us the game right there."
Anderson, known as a pocket passer, broke one tackle by safety Greg Wesley, then took linebacker Kawika Mitchell for a ride down the sideline.
"D.A. brings a little bit of arrogance to the game," Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius said. "And that's arrogance in a positive sense. That guy deserves a game ball today. He absolutely came in there and led this football team."
Before Sunday, Anderson, a second-year player from Oregon State, had taken one NFL snap and had not completed a pass.
"It says a lot about the way he competes and prepares," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said.
The strong-armed Anderson had been productive in preseason, primarily against opponents' backups.
"It had been a while since I worked with the first unit," he said. "I was just trying to stay patient and not force anything. The plan was in. I just did what we had planned all week. Just pretended like I had been there before, I guess.
"This is huge after the slip-up (30-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals) we had last week. For the whole team, it's pretty big."

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Frye will know today if wrist is broken

By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Monday, December 04, 2006
CLEVELAND ? At least one of Charlie Frye's teammates thinks the quarterback is likely out for the season.
"He broke his wrist, man," tight end Kellen Winslow II said.


The Browns said only that an MRI will take place this morning at Cleveland Clinic.
"I don't know a lot about it, but I should find out (today) how serious it is," Frye said after his untested backup, Derek Anderson, led the Browns to 17 points and a 31-28 overtime win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
On the Browns' second series, Frye was knocked to the ground by Chiefs defensive tackle Ron Edwards after throwing incomplete to Dennis Northcutt. He used his right hand to break his fall.
Anderson came in for the next series but Frye returned ? with his wrist perhaps broken ? to inspire a touchdown drive that made it 14-14 at halftime.
During the halftime break, doctors ruled Frye out and placed his wrist in a soft cast. He had been enjoying one of his better games, completing 11-of-13 passes for 122 yards and a TD to Braylon Edwards.
Frye had a passer rating of 131.4.
Jurevicius leads Cleveland receivers
Kellen Winslow II was held to one catch in Sunday's game, but his presence opened avenues for receiver Joe Jurevicius, who led all Cleveland Browns receivers with six catches for 75 yards.
"KYR, man," Winslow said. "Know your role. My dad told me there are going to be days like this, when you're a decoy. Joe caught a couple balls because I cleared it out. I was proud that I helped Joe get the ball."
Fraser fills void
Simon Fraser, a second-year player from Ohio State, filled in at left defensive end for the Browns' Orpheus Roye (knee), who was not active for the game.
Playing well in his first career start, Fraser got to Chiefs quarterback Trent Green and forced a fumble near midfield with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Browns QB Derek Anderson promptly threw an interception, however.
Just staying away
Browns crowds, as a rule, generally are late-arriving. Sunday, it seemed many ticket holders just decided not to show up at all. Minutes before kickoff, at least a third of the seats were empty, and not just on the club level.
A 'special' treat
With the drama surrounding receiver Braylon Edwards during the week, the Browns figured this would be a good time to feature their special teams in pregame introductions. No use risking a negative reaction.
The special teams indeed have been special this season, particularly when compared to other areas.
End zones
? The Browns had a pre-game moment of silence for broadcaster Casey Coleman, who lost his brave battle with pancreatic cancer last week.
? Browns rookie linebacker D'Qwell Jackson had 13 tackles, giving him a two-week total of 29.
? Phil Dawson's game-winning field goal was the eighth of his career and fourth on the final play.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Browns bounce back with backup

With Derek Anderson at QB, Cleveland rallies for 14 points in the fourth quarter.

By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Monday, December 04, 2006
CLEVELAND ? Lose your starting quarterback, fall behind by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and prevail in overtime.
Hardly the usual recipe, but the Cleveland Browns happily accepted it Sunday after Phil Dawson's 33-yard field sailed true, stunning the playoff-hopeful Kansas City Chiefs, 31-28.
"I said last week these guys are competitors and they would bounce back," embattled Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "That's what they did."
With backup quarterback Derek Anderson directing the team in the second half after Charlie Frye injured his right wrist, the Browns not only overcame the Chiefs but rose above a week's worth of turmoil sparked by a 30-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
"It shows the kind of football team we have. When we don't get caught up in everything else, we can play," said receiver Braylon Edwards, around whom much of the controversy had swirled following his teammate-trashing sideline tantrum during last week's debacle.
Given the way the Browns offense generally moves, victory seemed unfathomable with 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after the Chiefs went up 28-14 on Trent Green's 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez.
No problem, though, as Anderson, who had taken one snap all season, twice steered the Browns to the end zone, hitting tight end Steve Heiden with TD strikes of 6 and 3 yards.
In OT, after the Chiefs won the toss and the Browns held, Anderson made the play of the day, scrambling 33 yards to the Kansas City 12, leaving Dawson a relative chip shot two plays later.
Anderson, a second-year player from Oregon State who had been with the Baltimore Ravens before the Browns claimed him off waivers last season, completed 7-of-12 for 104 yards in the fourth quarter. His longest play was a shovel pass that running back Jason Wright turned into a 54-yard gain to set up the first TD to Heiden.
And so the Browns, who had not scored an offensive TD in nearly 11 quarters but Sunday struck for a season-high four, are 4-8 instead of 3-9 heading into Thursday night's game in Pittsburgh. Yes, it makes a difference.
"A good team win," Crennel called it. "Good for the fans. Good for Cleveland. We needed it."
Next game
Who: Cleveland Browns (4-8)
at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7)
When: 8 p.m. Thursday
TV: NFL Network
Radio: WONE-AM (980

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

At last, Browns fans, a pleasant Monday

By Terry Pluto

CLEVELAND - Let's not do a lot of analysis. Just enjoy it.
Browns 31, Kansas City Chiefs 28.
In overtime.
It's not like the Browns win a game like this every week... or every month... or even every year.
The Browns won a game in which Derek Anderson not only supplied the greatest relief job since the guy who invented aspirin...
The Browns won a game with a quarterback who threw for two touchdown passes after not throwing a pass of any type all season...
The Browns won a game in which their backup quarterback, with a reputation of having a strong arm and slow legs, rambled for the Browns' longest run from scrimmage this season. Make it 33 yards in overtime -- ``My longest run -- ever, anywhere,'' said Anderson -- and that set up Phil Dawson's 33-yard winning field goal.
Browns 31, Chiefs 28.
This was a game where Browns fans could actually stay all the way to the end -- and leave happy. A game where they could chant ``Let's go, Browns, let's go, Browns,'' and not feel like what they really wanted to scream was, ``Let's go home!''
It was a game where they cheered DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE in the fourth quarter and overtime, and the team in orange and brown actually responded with some strong stands against one of the NFL's premier offenses.
It was a game ``for the die-hards who showed up today,'' Dawson said. ``We haven't given them a lot to cheer about.''
Browns 31, Chiefs 28.
Go figure.
The Browns came into this weekend after being embarrassed 30-0 by the Cincinnati Bengals. After losing a heartbreaker 24-20 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the controversy with Braylon Edwards, and after owner Randy Lerner fearing the ``wheels have come off.''
Give coach Romeo Crennel and his staff credit for putting that broken-down jalopy of an offense on the rack, adding some new tires and revving up the engine.
We had two flea-flicker plays, two shovel passes, one look at receiver Joshua Cribbs at quarterback and someone finally remembering that superb possession receiver Joe Jurevicius is still on the team.
Coming into the day with a 3-8 record and questions about Crennel's leadership, the coaches apparently decided to play this game boldly, with some aggressive play-calling against a very good Chiefs team that also has a rather passive defense.
Several players mentioned they wanted to win this game for Crennel, that they respect their head coach and that they believe in him. It was encouraging to see them actually play like they meant it.
Things may change Thursday in Pittsburgh, but at least the team has a Monday that isn't filled with regret and second guesses.
Browns 31, Chiefs 28.
Usually, a game like this is where the Browns lose. Where they talk about playing hard, just coming up short. Where they say progress is being made, even if it doesn't show in the standings.
Today, the Browns can just say they won, and did it for only the second time in 16 December home games since 1999.
They won with quarterback Charlie Frye having perhaps his best half as a pro -- 11-of-13 for 122 yards and a sensational pass-and-catch for a touchdown covering 23 yards to Edwards in the first quarter.
That was only the second touchdown in the first quarter for this team in 12 games. Frye was being pounded -- again. He wasn't sacked but was smashed after many of his throws. The result was a banged-up left ankle, an injured right wrist, and he would not play in the second half. He probably will be out the game against the Steelers.
The Browns won with Anderson throwing for 171 yards in the second half, two touchdown passes to Steve Heiden and a game ball as a reward. He also should see action at Pittsburgh, another good test for him and the Browns as they try to salvage something positive for this season.
For now, just remember: Browns 31, Chiefs 28.
Makes Monday seem just a little bit better.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Backup QB's run in OT is talk of the team

Many hours preparing showed in his play, Derek Anderson says

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Derek Anderson took a three-step drop for what was supposed to be a quick throw and found no one open. Then he defied logic.
Admittedly never a scrambler at Oregon State, the Browns' 6-foot-6 backup quarterback ``dashed'' around the right end and stumbled down the sideline for a 33-yard gain, breaking Kansas City Chiefs safety Greg Wesley's tackle along the way. Wearing size 17 shoes by the time he was 10 that forced his parents to order them from the Portland Trail Blazers, Anderson looked anything but graceful.
``I told him he looked like Forrest Gump,'' receiver Joe Jurevicius said.
``He needs some ball security, that's one thing. The ball was wobbling,'' said defensive end and neighbor Simon Fraser.
``D.A. doesn't move a lot,'' quarterback Charlie Frye said. ``He showed some wheels right there. He wants to play me in basketball in the offseason. I said, `You can't beat me.' I'm second-guessing now. He showed a little athleticism.''
Anderson's surprising run set up Phil Dawson's game-winning 33-yard field goal in overtime as the Browns pulled off a 31-28 upset victory.
``That's by the far the longest run I've had since high school,'' Anderson said. ``And everybody's going to give me a hard time about it, I know. I was going to keep going until they knocked me down. I felt one guy hit me and I just kind of nicked him.''
Going into Sunday, Anderson had played only one snap in his two-year career, that against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 22. The sixth-round draft choice of the Baltimore Ravens in 2005 was thrust into action when Frye suffered what might be a broken right wrist on the Browns' first series and was lifted for good at halftime.
The Browns trailed 28-14 with 12:27 remaining before Anderson rallied them to their first overtime victory since 2002.
``You don't ever dream it's going to be 14 points coming back,'' Anderson said. ``But since the season started, I've put a lot of hours in preparing. I think that preparation showed today.''
Playing one series in the second quarter and all of the second half, Anderson completed 12-of-21 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, good for a 95.5 quarterback rating. He also rushed twice for 44 yards.
The Browns had a chance to win it in regulation when Fraser forced Trent Green's fumble and linebacker Willie McGinest recovered at the Chiefs 42 with 15 seconds left. But Anderson's pass intended for Braylon Edwards was picked off by linebacker Kawika Mitchell. Anderson made up for that mistake in overtime.
``D.A. makes some mistakes in the huddle that he laughs about,'' Jurevicius said. ``There's an arrogance in the positive sense. `All right, I'm not doing that again' and he didn't do it. He took the bull by the horns and did some things today that led us to believe we've got a quality backup quarterback.
``He's not fazed. He's played in big games. When you play in the Pac-10 you're playing tough football games. What he did today showed he's not a deer in the headlights. He showed he belongs in the NFL.''
With the Browns visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, the odds of Frye playing seem slim. Anderson vowed he'll be ready. And so will the crowd at the Varsity Grill in Scappoose, Ore., the only sports bar in a hometown he said is about the size of Frye's Willard.
``I'm sure it filled up pretty fast,'' Anderson said. ``I'm sure (dad's) a mess right now.''

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

otebook

Kicker is very happy for self, fans, teammates

Beacon Journal staff report

CLEVELAND - Considering the condition of the chewed-up field at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Phil Dawson said, even an extra point was a 50-50 proposition Sunday.
And on this afternoon, a field goal at the Dawg Pound end seemed safer because of better footing, even against the wind.
``When you come (the other) way, you've got the wind helping you, you don't have to hit as perfect a ball,'' Dawson said. ``The plant is what made it tricky.''
But Dawson showed no hint of that anxiety, drilling a 33-yard field goal with the wind at his back with 8:12 remaining in overtime to give Cleveland a 31-28 victory over Kansas City.
It marked the eighth game-winner of Dawson's eight-year career and his fourth winning kick on the game's final play. He helped the Browns snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 4-8.
``I'm not thinking about my record, how bad we need it, how bad I need it personally. That will come,'' Dawson said. ``I'll fall apart when I get to dinner with my wife.''
Coming in, Dawson had scored just 68 points this season and had connected on 17 of 21 field goals. His misses were from 48, 26, 44 and 48 yards.
``I just want to make the kicks to help this team win, whether the first quarter or the fourth quarter,'' Dawson said. ``To see how happy these guys were in the locker room, guys were hugging each other and smiling, the adversity we've gone through, it feels great. And to do it here, the die-hards showed up today. We've got the greatest fans and we haven't given them a lot to cheer about. I hope the fans of the Browns have a good night.''
Frye headed to Clinic
Starting quarterback Charlie Frye wouldn't reveal results of X-rays on his right wrist, which knocked him out at halftime. It is suspected his wrist is broken. Frye said he would be examined at the Cleveland Clinic this morning.
``I think it happened in the first series,'' Frye said. ``I was able to fight it off for a while. The more I sat, the worse it would get. I came in at halftime and Doc pulled the plug on it. I wasn't able to throw the ball with the velocity I needed to have success.''
Frye also got his left ankle rolled when left tackle Kevin Shaffer was blocked into him on the game's fifth play.
``That was the least of my problems,'' Frye said.
Running game strong
Cleveland Browns running backs Jason Wright and Reuben Droughns showed Browns fans something that had been practically nonexistent in recent weeks -- an effective running game.
With a couple flea flickers, shovel passes and runs on misdirection, the Browns put up their best numbers of the season. They netted 438 yards on offense -- 293 yards in the air and 150 on the ground -- much of it due to some strong running and receiving by Droughns and Wright.
It was a conscious decision to get each of them substantial playing time, coach Romeo Crennel said.
``We had planned to play both guys. We have a package with different personnel groups--Hopefully they got equal playing time,'' he said.
Droughns rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown and grabbed five balls for 48 yards. Wright's rushing numbers -- 11 carries for 25 yards -- weren't as impressive, but his two receptions were instrumental in keeping drives alive.
Wright was quick to credit an offensive line that has received its share of criticism this year.
``Whenever we have a good running day, it comes down to the offensive line. It falls on those five guys' shoulders.''
Brownies
Defensive end Orpheus Roye (knee) was among the inactives as former Ohio State standout Simon Fraser got his first career start.... Former Kent State player Joshua Cribbs moved into third place on the Browns' all-time kickoff return list with 89 and broke his single-season mark from 2005. He returned four for 87 yards, giving him 1,173 yards. He also ran for 9 yards on a play on which he lined up at quarterback.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

View from Pluto

Don't be so eager for a switch at Browns quarterback

By Terry Pluto

Scribbles in my notebook as the Browns upset the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-28...
? Before handing the quarterback job to Derek Anderson, I'm reminded of something a top general manager from a Super Bowl team told me when fans were demanding Kelly Holcomb take over for Tim Couch. OK, I was one of those people, too. Anyway, the GM said you really can't begin to judge a quarterback until he plays about three games, and opposing coaches can put together some film on him. Then, they will take away his two or three favorite throws. The question will be if the quarterback has something else, or does he just have a couple of plays he can make.
? Remember how Ty Detmer would look sharp in a spot start or in relief -- just as Holcomb did? An opposing head coach told me that both guys are ``good relief pitchers.'' They can come in, organize a team, make some nice throws. But they just didn't have enough ability to consistently win over the course of a 16-game season.
? Which brings us to Anderson. Here's what we know about him: He has a strong arm. He's a big guy at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds. He is not afraid of contact. Given some time -- and the Chiefs rarely blitzed -- he can find open receivers. If nothing else, the Browns might have found a backup quarterback. Since Charlie Frye has a badly sprained wrist (at best) or perhaps something worse, it's a safe guess Anderson will start Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The Steelers will only have Sunday's game film to study him, unless they go back to his Oregon State days, as Anderson never threw a pass in the NFL until Sunday.
? Anderson was discovered by GM Phil Savage, who picked him for the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 draft out of Oregon State. When the Ravens cut him in September 2005, Savage claimed Anderson on waivers for the Browns. He had Anderson as the third quarterback behind Trent Dilfer and Charlie Frye last year. This season, he passed up Ken Dorsey to be the backup.
? For a while, Savage has been telling me that he thought Anderson was better than some backups and would be able to ``hold his own'' if he was forced to play. I tended to think Savage just said that because he didn't come up with a veteran quarterback, and he drafted Anderson in the first place. Well, maybe he was serious.
? Seeing Anderson play today made me wonder why coach Romeo Crennel didn't use him in the fourth quarter of the 30-0 embarrassment to the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Or in another game where it was clearly lost and Frye was taking a beating. The idea being to let Anderson get some experience -- and save Frye's body -- while getting through a lost cause.
? Crennel said after he watched special teamer Joshua Cribbs imitate quarterback Michael Vick in practice a few weeks ago preparing the Browns to face the Atlanta Falcons, the Browns began to consider a running play for him. They did it Sunday, as he took a snap from center and ran 9 yards. This should not be a surprise, Cribbs rushed for more than 1,000 in three of his four years as quarterback at Kent State. This guy is a great natural athlete, and he shows he can run on special teams. Why not use those skills as part of the offense? Why did it take them nearly two years to figure that out?
? Former University of Akron coach Lee Owens -- now at Ashland University -- used to say that if Cribbs was just put in the backfield full time, he would make the NFL as a running back. He said his biggest fear when preparing his Zips teams for Cribbs was Cribbs running the ball.
? Here's an amazing stat: This was the first time this season the Browns scored a touchdown on their first possession. It was only the second time in 11 games they have scored a touchdown in the first quarter of a game! Even bad teams tend to score early because they usually come up with a surprise or something to hit a weak spot in the defense.
? The Browns are encouraged by the play of rookie linebacker D'Qwell Jackson in recent weeks. He had 16 tackles in the 30-0 loss to the Bengals, and he followed it up with 13 tackles Sunday. He has joined Andra Davis and Kamerion Wimbley to give the Browns three young linebackers of the future. Veteran Willie McGinest might have had his best game of the year with nine tackles and fumble recovery.
? Did you notice that Ohio State's Simon Fraser forced a key fumble by Chiefs quarterback Trent Green? Fraser also had a sack, his fourth of the year. That's impressive, given that Fraser is a backup.
? It's nice to see the Browns finally remembered that wide receiver Joe Jurevicius is on the roster. He caught six passes, five for first downs. This season, 16 of his 24 catches have been for first downs. That's why it's so discouraging when the Browns seem to go weeks where they just ignore him. Last year, 37 of his 55 catches were for first downs with a Super Bowl team in the Seattle Seahawks. There have been times when Dennis Northcutt was on the field in third-down situations early in the season, and Jurevicius was not. That made no sense.
? Running back Reuben Droughns had one of his better games of the year with 70 yards rushing in 14 carries. He also caught five passes. This was one of the few times this season that Droughns had the same passion for the game as last year. Perhaps it's because he's finally healthy, or else he realizes that his starting job is not guaranteed for next year.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Anderson a perfect 10
Monday, December 4, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

CLEVELAND Good grief, Charlie Frye.
Before beating the Chiefs, 31-28, with an overtime field goal, kicker Phil Dawson hoped Lucy wasn?t yanking the ball away from the Browns again.
The last time Kansas City flew in, the Browns lost a victory because Dwayne Rudd threw his helmet in joy, drawing a flag. The penalty kept the game alive one more play ? a field goal that gave the Chiefs a 40-39 stunner.
In the general area of the Rudd infamy, Chiefs linebacker Kawika Mitchell was loose with an interception Sunday. The score was tied 28-all with just a few seconds left.
?I said to myself, ?Good grief, don?t let this be another crazy ending,? ? Dawson said.
Jason Wright tackled Mitchell. Cleveland?s defense began overtime with a stop. Quarterback Derek Anderson, replacing the injured Frye, passed 26 yards to Kellen Winslow Jr. and scrambled 33 yards.
Dawson drilled a 33-yard field goal. The Browns (4-8) had a win the likes of which, by their standards, was beyond belief.
The curse of Dwayne Rudd was dead for a day.
?This is a great town,? linebacker Willie McGinest said. ?These people bleed and sweat football.
?They deserve a lot more than what we?ve been giving ?em. Today could be a start.?
FRYE INJURED
Frye started at quarterback and put the Browns in a 14-14 halftime tie, playing much of the first half with a right wrist injury.
Why did Romeo Crennel play Anderson in the second half?
?Well, it hurt,? Crennel said of Frye?s throwing wrist. ?They told me at halftime he wouldn?t be able to play.?
The Browns seemed done Sunday when 36-year-old Trent Green quarterbacked the Chiefs to a 28-14 lead with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez with 12:19 left in regulation.
Previously, Anderson?s NFL career consisted of one handoff in two years.
His dream game was about to begin.
?You don?t even dream it?s gonna be coming back from 14 points down,? he said.
BIG PLAY TO WRIGHT
Frye, who threw for 11,049 yards at Akron, is an improviser with an average NFL arm. Anderson, who threw for 11,249 yards at Oregon State, is a 6-foot-6 pocket passer with a rocket arm.
?Sometimes you?ve got a Phil Niekro in there. Sometimes you?ve got a Bob Feller,? said wideout Joe Jurevicius, who caught four balls from Frye and two from Anderson. ?They both throw different stuff. Both can help you win.?
The play that helped most was a shovel pass to Wright. Anderson flicked the ball ahead a few yards. The running back raced 54 yards to the 6.
?That whole play is a testament to coaching,? Wright said.
The Chiefs stacked eight men close to the line of scrimmage on a third-and-4.
?They?ve done damage with that particular alignment,? Wright said. ?That same look destroyed people. ... They didn?t know what to do with it.
?(Coordinator) Jeff Davidson felt this play would beat that.
?He baited ?em into that defense with the formation we used. It worked perfectly. Even better than when we practiced it.?
Anderson?s 6-yard strike in the end zone to Steve Heiden made it 28-21 with 8:55 left.
The defense forced a punt, then Anderson drove the Browns 70 yards in nine plays. Another TD pass to Heiden, on first-and-goal with 35 seconds left, made it 28-all.
Winslow was sold on Anderson?s second play in relief of Frye.
?It was like ... a 5-yard route, and (Darnell) Dinkins caught it,? Winslow said. ?The thing about that pass was he knew exactly where to go. After that, I knew he?d be OK.?
FRYE GOOD EARLY
Coming off what Phil Savage called one of Frye?s worst games, Frye had arguably his finest half.
Despite getting his knee cut by a borderline late hit on his first drop-back, then missing a series while his dinged right wrist was examined, Frye led the Browns 62 yards for a touchdown that made it 14-14 at halftime.
?Charlie was on his Ps and Qs,? Jurevicius said. ?The guy?s beat up but gets up and leads us down the field.?
On Frye?s two other series, he drove the Browns for a touchdown and threatened to get another, almost getting a scrambling completion to Dennis Northcutt at the 15.
Even though Northcutt couldn?t finish the play, Frye was 11-of-13 for 122 yards and a 131.4 rating. He didn?t take a sack. He did take some hits.
Frye drove the Browns 63 yards for a touchdown off the opening kickoff.
Cleveland?s defense, though, couldn?t get heat on Green after an early sack by Kamerion Wimbley. Then, Green fell into a rhythm of quick strikes when the Browns blitzed, and downfield completions against regular rushes that weren?t getting anywhere.
Green led touchdown drives of 85, 80, 77 and 99 yards, interrupted only by a series that ended with a Daven Holly interception in the end zone.
?Green did some damage,? McGinest said. ?The offense bailed us out.?
Who knew Derek Anderson would be holding one of the buckets?
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
repository BOB ROSSITER
THERE HE GOES Backup quarterback Derek Anderson, in for the injured Charlie Frye, scrambles for 33 yards in overtime of Sunday?s game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The run set up Phil Dawson?s field goal and a 31-28 Cleveland victory.
LET?S
CELEBRATE Browns
place-kicker
Phil Dawson and holder Dave
Zastudil celebrate Dawson?s 33-yard game-winning
field goal in
overtime, giving Cleveland a
31-28 win over Kansas City
on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Anderson delivers debut of a lifetime
Monday, December 4, 2006
SPORTS SPOTLIGHT TODD PORTER

CLEVELAND - The one sports bar in the small mill town of Scappoose, Ore., was packed. Glen Anderson did what he does every Sunday ? go to the Varsity Grill to watch the Browns, hoping to catch a glimpse of his 6-foot-6 son on Cleveland?s sideline.
This time, the father watched as the son?s big clod-hoppers kicked up grass and dust on a 33-yard gallop.
Glen Anderson probably bought a round or two. Folks at the Varsity said it was packed Sunday with a lot of new Browns fans.
There?s certainly a lot of new Derek Anderson fans in Cleveland today.
Derek Anderson has spent the last two seasons with the NFL?s zaniest franchise. He?s the backup behind the guy who?s neither proven he can, nor can?t, start in the NFL.
The guy had taken just one snap in an NFL regular-season game, and had never even attempted a pass until starting QB Charlie Frye injured his right wrist.
?I don?t know if my dad bought any rounds today, but he?s probably a mess right now,? Anderson said after completing 12-of-21 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns in an improbable 31-28 overtime win. ?He?s probably getting on the first plane out here for the next game.?
Kansas City?s defense went into a passive pass rush and a game plan designed to make Anderson beat the Chiefs. He did, then shrugged his shoulders afterward like it was nothing.
He wore a plain white T-shirt and scraggling size 16 tennis shoes to his coming out party.
?That?s me,? he said.
With a backup quarterback, a fan base teetering on Prozac overdose and a team walking a fine line between disaster and rebuilding, the Browns defied logic Sunday. They put together maybe the most exciting win since coming back into the NFL, a week after the ugliest loss.
?They were going to make me beat them,? Anderson said of the Chiefs. ?There were a couple of times we caught them. It was like, ?OK, let?s make this guy beat us.? They didn?t think I could do it, and guys made plays.?
Lots of them.
When Phil Dawson?s 33-yard field goal split the uprights in overtime, it felt like a shower. The Browns beat a playoff-caliber team thanks to 17 unanswered points, Anderson?s rifle of a right arm, and his size 15 cleats.
When he was a kid, Anderson?s parents had to order his shoes from the Portland Trail Blazers. He used to wear Arvydas Sabonis? shoes.
So, there was little question whether he could fill Frye?s shoes.
Back home in Scappoose, population 4,900, they were saying, ?Told you so.? Anderson was a high school star in Oregon. He averaged 26 points and 10 rebounds a game as a senior at Scappoose High. He won a state title on the football field.
Then he went to Oregon State and threw for 11,249 yards and 79 touchdowns in three seasons.
Phil Savage was with the Ravens when they picked Anderson in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. When Baltimore cut him last year, Savage was on a scouting trip when he phoned in the waiver claim.
Anderson threw two perfect passes to Steve Heiden ? remember him? ? in the end zone. Both went for touchdowns. Both led the Browns back. The second one tied the game.
But Anderson earned the respect of his teammates in overtime. On Cleveland?s first possession, he hit Kellen Winslow Jr. for 26 yards to the Cleveland 48. On second-and-10, Anderson was pressured. The Chiefs were closing in on a sack that would have made it third-and-long.
Anderson flicked the ball to Reuben Droughns for 8 yards.
?It was the quickest way to get it there,? he said.
Then he made the play of his life. Kansas City sacked him for a 5-yard loss to force second-and-15. On a three-step drop, Anderson didn?t see anyone open. He took off.
He looked like a mule running from work. He broke a tackle, and 33 yards later, the Browns had the ball at the 12 and the win was in the bag.
?By far that?s the longest I?ve run since high school and everyone is going to give me a hard time about it,? Anderson said, laughing.
That?s the way he was in the huddle. He poked fun at himself. He acted like he?d been there before. He laughed his goofy laugh when veteran wide receiver Joe Jurevicius told him he looked like Forrest Gump on that 33-yard run.
?I was just going until they knocked me down,? Anderson said.
That?s what a backup quarterback does. He keeps going until they knock him down.
You don?t know how many times he sat in his apartment with teammate Simon Fraser and their wives and said he could play in this league. You don?t know how many times his father had to listen to it. He heard it again this week during a phone call.
?It?s frustrating sometimes,? Anderson said. ?You learn to roll with it. The biggest thing is getting out there and doing it. It?s one thing to say, ?Hey I can do it.? Then to get positive reinforcements .... you just keep rolling with it.?

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

BROWNS BREAKDOWN
Monday, December 4, 2006


First Quarter
BROWNS Edwards 23 pass from Frye (P.Dawson kick), 9:46.
Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 5:14.
Key plays: Frye 9 pass to Droughns; Frye 16 and 14 passes to Jurevicius. Cleveland 7, Kansas City 0.
Second Quarter
CHIEFS Kennison 22 pass from Green (Tynes kick), 14:19.
Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 4:23.
Key plays: Green 15 pass to Kennison on 3rd-and-10; L.Johnson 4 run on 3rd-and-1; L.Johnson 24 run. Cleveland 7, Kansas City 7.
CHIEFS Gonzalez 9 pass from Green (Tynes kick), 6:02.
Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 6:03.
Key plays: Green 10 pass to Parker; L.Johnson 5 run on 3rd-and-2; Green 12 pass to Bennett; Green 16 and 14 passes to Gonzalez. Kansas City 14, Cleveland 14.
BROWNS Droughns 1 run (P.Dawson kick), :19.
Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 5:43.
Key plays: Frye 9 pass to Heiden; Frye 11 pass to Jurevicius; Frye 2 run on 4th-and-1; Frye 16 pass to Wright. Cleveland 14, Kansas City 14.
Third Quarter
CHIEFS Wilson 6 pass from Green (Tynes kick), 10:08.
Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:52.
Key plays: Green 39 pass to Kennison; Green 9 pass to Bennet on 3rd-and 13; Green 12 pass to Gonzalez on 4th-and-4. Kansas City 21, Cleveland 14.
Fourth Quarter
CHIEFS Gonzalez 23 pass from Green (Tynes kick), 12:19.
Drive: 14 plays, 99 yards, 7:41.
Key plays: L.Johnson 16 run on 3rd-and6; Green 18 pass to L.Johnson; Green 8 pass to Gonzalez on 3rd-and-4. Kansas City 28, Cleveland 14.
BROWNS Heiden 6 pass from Anderson (Dawson kick), 8:55.
Drive: 8 plays, 81 yards, 3:24.
Key plays: Anderson 10 pass to Jurevicius on 3rd-and-5; Anderson 54 pass to Wright on 3rd-and-4. Kansas City 28, Cleveland 21.
BROWNS Heiden 3 pass from Anderson (Dawson kick), :35.
Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:42.
Key plays: Wright 14 run on 3rd-and-1; Anderson 11 run; Anderson 16 pass to Droughns. Kansas City 28, Cleveland 28.
Overtime
BROWNS FG Dawson 33, 7:25.
Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 5:38.
Key plays: Anderson 26 pass to Winslow; Droughns 4 run on 3rd-and-2; Anderson 33 run. Cleveland 31, Kansas City 28.
Team statistics
KC Cle
FIRST DOWNS 24 26
Rushing 6 9
Passing 17 17
Penalty 1 0
THIRD DOWN EFF 9-13 7-11
FOURTH DOWN EFF 1-1 1-1
TOTAL NET YARDS 417 438
Total Plays 66 64
Avg Gain 6.3 6.8
NET YARDS RUSHING 124 150
Rushes 32 29
Avg per rush 3.9 5.2
NET YARDS PASSING 293 288
Sacked-Yds lost 2-4 1-5
Gross-Yds passing 297 293
Completed-Att. 24-32 23-34
Had Intercepted 1 1
Yards-Pass Play 8.6 8.2
KICKOFFS-EndZone-TB 5-1-0 6-1-0
PUNTS-Avg. 3-45.0 3-38.0
Punts blocked 0 0
FGs-PATs blocked 0-0 0-0
TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE 92 107
Punt Returns 0-0 3-10
Kickoff Returns 6-69 5-107
Interceptions 1-23 1-0
PENALTIES-Yds 3-29 3-15
FUMBLES-Lost 1-1 1-1
TIME OF POSSESSION 32:41 34:54
Attendance: 71,927.
Time: 3:06
Officials
Referee Bill Carollo
Ump Bill Schuster
HL John Schleyer
LJ Byron Boston
FJ Eddy Powers
SJ James Coleman
BJ Bob Waggoner
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Kansas City No Yds
L.Johnson 28 110
Bennett 3 14
Green 1 0
Cleveland No Yds
Droughns 14 70
Anderson 2 44
Wright 11 25
Cribbs 1 9
Frye 1 2
PASSING
Kansas City Com Att Int Yds
Green 24 32 1 297
Cleveland Com Att Int Yds
Anderson 12 21 1 171
Frye 11 13 0 122
RECEIVING
Kansas City No Yds
Gonzalez 9 105
Kennison 7 117
Bennett 4 33
L.Johnson 2 26
Parker 1 10
Wilson 1 6
Cleveland No Yds
Jurevicius 6 75
Droughns 5 48
Heiden 5 27
Edwards 3 36
Wright 2 70
Winslow 1 26
Dinkins 1 11
PUNT RETURNS
Kansas City No Yds
None
Cleveland No Yds
Northcutt 3 10
KICKOFF RETURNS
Kansas City No Yds
D.Hall 5 69
Pollard 1 0
Cleveland No Yds
Cribbs 4 87
Dinkins 1 20
DEFENSE
Kansas City Tck Ast Sck
Knight 10 0 0
K.Mitchell 9 2 0
Fox 8 4 1
Allen 4 3 0
Surtain 4 1 0
Wilkerson 4 1 0
Wesley 3 1 0
Law 3 0 0
Bell 2 1 0
Brown 2 0 0
Grigsby 2 0 0
Ross 2 0 0
Hali 1 2 0
Walls 1 0 0
Edwards 0 2 0
Page 0 1 0
Sims 0 1 0
Cleveland Tck Ast Sck
Davis 8 4 0
McGinest 7 2 0
Jackson 6 7 0
Russell 6 2 0
S.Jones 4 3 0
Bodden 4 0 0
Holly 4 0 0
Washington 4 0 0
Pool 3 0 0
Wimbley 2 1 1
Eason 2 1 0
McMillan 2 0 0
McKinley 1 2 0
Williams 1 1 0
Fraser 1 0 1
Stewart 1 0 0
Thompson 1 0 0
Vickers 1 0 0
Wright 1 0 0
INTERCEPTIONS
Kansas City No Yds
K.Mitchell 1 23
Cleveland No Yds
Holly 1 0
MISSED FIELD GOALS
None
repository BOB ROSSITER
STEADY EDDIE Chiefs wide receiver Eddie Kennison hauls in a touchdown pass between Browns defenders Brodney Pool (21) and Sean Jones in the second quarter.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Winslow, Anderson key in OT
Monday, December 4, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

CLEVELAND The Chiefs won the toss. That meant trouble.
Behind Larry Johnson (110 rushing yards), Tony Gonzalez (105 receiving yards) and Trent Green (297 passing yards), the Chiefs had scored touchdowns on four of five drives in one stretch.
Now it was overtime. Green maneuevered to a third-and-four from the Cleveland 41. The Dawg Pound roared as he dropped back to pass.
?Our guys jammed the crap out of Tony,? said Gonzalez?s Cleveland counterpart, Kellen Winslow Jr. ?They weren?t gonna let him win it for them.?
Safety Brodney Pool hit Gonzalez at the snap. Then linebacker Willie McGinest moved in.
?If it?s not a run by Johnson, they?re trying to get it to Gonzalez,? McGinest said. ?I just jammed him. It looked like Green was goin? to throw there. Kam (Kamerion Wimbley) was rushing on the back side and forced Green out of there.
?He threw the ball away.?
Dustin Colquitt punted the ball a mile high into a stiff wind, with a 30-degree chill also factoring in for return man Dennis Northcutt.
?At that crucial point in the game,? Northcutt said, ?the No. 1 thing is catching the ball, then trying make something happen.
?The punter did a nice job getting the ball high.?
The Browns started on their own 22. Moments later, they were at midfield after a long completion to tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.
?Mostly today, I was a decoy,? Winslow said.
Maybe the Chiefs were lulled to sleep. It was Winslow?s only catch of the day.
Later, a sack set up a second-and-15 from the Kansas City 45. Offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson sent in a pass for replacement quarterback Derek Anderson.
?It was a quick throw,? Anderson said, ?a three-step drop.?
It was supposed to be, anyway. Anderson saw a huge opening to his right and took off running.
?He is slow, man,? Winslow said of the 6-foot-6 quarterback. ?He was running for his life.?
Winslow shook his head and smiled.
?He really won the game man ... that run.?
It went for 33 yards after Anderson made a stop-and-go move to break a tackle in front of the Browns? bench.
The delirious crowd realized that the Browns were about to pull the upset. They had the ball on the 12. Phil Dawson delivered a 33-yard field goal.
?This one is for the die-hards who showed up today,? Dawson said.
Winslow couldn?t stop thinking about the Anderson scramble.
?He didn?t go out of bounds,? Winslow said. ?He spun off and tried to keep going. That explains the Cleveland Browns right there.?
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk
at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
repository BOB ROSSITER
FLAG IN THE POOL Browns defender Brodney Pool was called for illegal contact on this touchdown reception by Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez in the second quarter Sunday. The score negated the penalty.
repository BOB ROSSITER
ONE BIG CATCH Kellen Winslow Jr.?s only catch of the day was huge, going for 26 yards in overtime as the Browns marched down the field for Phil Dawson?s game-winning field goal.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Travels with Charlie
Monday, December 4, 2006


This week?s rating of Browns QB Charlie Frye:
Positives Frye got his knees cut on the first play of the game and had to be helped up. He got hit three more times on the series and was limping badly but stayed composed. He threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to a high point where only Braylon Edwards could catch the ball. Frye showed his trademark toughness, somehow producing some of his best work of the season after suffering a wrist injury. His game rating for an 11-of-13 performance was 131.4. His previous best this year was 109.1 at Atlanta.
Negatives Frye was on the run when he underthrew Dennis Northcutt slightly around the 15-yard line on a pass that could have given the Browns a healthy early advantage. He faces a lousy December because of the wrist injury. If he?s out for the year, that will be a huge irony. He has been sacked 44 times this season, but just once Sunday.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

THEY WON IT HERE
Monday, December 4, 2006


A clumsy 6-foot-6 kid playing in his second NFL game vs. a Kansas City defense that knew its playoff hopes were on the line. It didn?t matter. Derek Anderson acted like he was playing Madden on PlayStation. First, he avoided a sack on second down and flicked the ball out to Reuben Droughns for 8 yards during Cleveland?s only overtime possession. Then, on second-and-15 from the Chiefs 45, Anderson saw nothing open on a three-step drop and took off running. He broke a tackle, refused to go out of bounds and surprised the KC defense when he didn?t. Anderson gained 33 yards to the 12. It set up Phil Dawson?s game-winner.
THEY said it
?I told him he looked like Forrest Gump.?
? WR Joe Jurevicius on Anderson?s 33-yard run.

?This game is week-to-week in the NFL. When you win, things are going good. When you lose, things are going bad. I know that. When I was questioned about my ability as a leader last week, I knew if we could win then I?d be a good leader this week.?
? Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel on his leadership skills being questioned last week and winning in overtime this week.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Backup QB Derek Anderson had zip on his throws despite never having thrown an NFL regular-season pass before. Anderson completed 12-of-21 passes for 171 yards. He was Cleveland?s second-leading rusher with 44 yards on two carries, including his 33-yard run that set up the game-winning field goal.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

BROWNS BRIEFS
Monday, December 4, 2006


EXTRA POINTS n The win was Cleveland?s first in OT since 2002 at Tennessee. It?s the first time the Browns won an OT game at home since returning to the NFL in 1999.
n The Browns scored on their opening drive of the game, the first time they?ve done that all season. Coming into the game, Cleveland scored 19 points in the first quarter.
n The Browns? 31 points is the most the team has scored under Romeo Crennel. It?s the most points Cleveland has scored in a win since getting 34 against Cincinnati in 2004.
n Cleveland had 438 yards of offense. It?s the most this season.
GRADING
THE OFFENSE
AIt?s hard to find fault with an offense that wins a game in OT with a backup QB and a 14-point deficit. Cleveland mixed in the running game enough that made play-action fakes effective. Cleveland QBs combined to complete 23-of-34 passes for 293 yards and a 111.5 passer rating. Derek Anderson?s TD passes to Steve Heiden were important. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. weren?t open. He didn?t force the ball. Instead, he hit Heiden in the middle of zone defense both times.
GRADING
THE DEFENSE
C-The Browns have given up 58 points in the last eight quarters. Those aren?t good numbers. The game plan Sunday was to keep Larry Johnson in check and not let Tony Gonzalez have a crazy day. Johnson finished with 110 yards, an amount that is easy to swallow with a Pro Bowler. In the second half, linebackers Willie McGinest and Kamerion Wimbley did a better job of jamming Gonzalez at the line of scrimmage and knocking him off routes. Kansas City had 417 yards and 24 first downs. The Browns get credit for stopping KC in overtime, otherwise they were having a D-plus-kind of day.
GRADING
THE COACHES
ARomeo Crennel has not lost this team, and get used to his mild-manner and even-keel style. He?s going to be around. Crennel told Offensive Coordinator Jeff Davidson to go back to the flea-flicker play in the second half. It worked for a first down again. Cleveland mixed in a shovel pass to Jason Wright for 54 yards in the fourth quarter. That was the start of a comeback. The Wright shovel pass came on third-and-4 and led to a score. The defense did enough to win the game. The offense made sure of it.
TODD PORTER

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

COMING ON & FALLING APART
Monday, December 4, 2006


n A week after General Manager Phil Savage said Charlie Frye was coming off his worst game, the Browns QB had one of his best halves of this season. Frye completed 11-of-13 passes for 122 yards and a TD in the first half. He did most of it with an injured right wrist.
n RB Reuben Droughns finished with 70 yards on 40 carries. He also caught five passes for 48 yards.
n TE Steve Heiden caught two TD passes. Coming into this game, he had not caught a TD pass all season.
n Rookie LB Kamerion Wimbley had another sack and has 71⁄2 this season.