True fans join in the failure
So inoffensive, it's offensive: Browns go down meekly, 14-0, in home finale to Bengals
by Tony Grossi/Plain Dealer Reporter Sunday December 21, 2008, 6:58 PM
John Kuntz/The Plain DealerFor a few hardy souls who sat in the stands throughout Sunday's 14-0 loss to the Bengals, some departing Browns provided targets for their postgame frustrations.
CLEVELAND -- Having played and coached here and dominated here as an opposing coach, Bill Cowher doesn't need anyone to sell him on the passion of the Browns' faithful. But even the No. 1 candidate on the Browns head coach list had to be impressed, watching from his comfy studio seat on CBS, that Cleveland Browns Stadium was about half-full on Sunday to witness another exercise in offensive futility.
Brutal, frigid wind gusts of 26 mph reduced wind-chill temperatures to around zero. It was a great day to slug back eggnog in a warm lounge chair. Yet about 40,000 showed up to say farewell to the most underachieving Browns team in recent memory.
Alas, the Browns did not meet the challenge of presenting one last victory in the home season, on the chance that someone was in attendance who'd never seen them win before. Or score a touchdown.
The Browns actually outdid themselves this time, failing to register a point in a 14-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, whose record is 3-11-1.
The loss was the Browns' fifth in a row and marked their fifth straight game without an offensive touchdown. They have lost eight of nine to sink to 4-11 and finished their home season with a 1-7 record -- the exact opposite of last season's 7-1 edition.
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Browns Insider: Edwards vs. Ndukwe could blossom into North rivalry
by Mary Kay Cabot and Dennis Manoloff/Plain Dealer Reportes Sunday December 21, 2008, 8:56 PM
John Kuntz/The Plain DealerBefore the Bengals and Browns lined up for the opening kickoff, the arctic chill was easy to see Sunday afternoon.
CLEVELAND -- Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe made Braylon Edwards pay for a hard block late in the third quarter -- and plans to make him keep paying next season. Edwards drilled Ndukwe, Brady Quinn's former Notre Dame teammate, on a 9-yard end-around by Josh Cribbs late in the quarter, knocking him to the ground. Afterwards, Edwards pumped his fist and was congratulated by teammates.
Four plays later, Ndukwe delivered a crunching blow after a third-down pass, which Edwards converted. Then, in the fourth quarter, Ndukwe lit up Edwards from behind after a pick by Leon Hall despite the fact Edwards wasn't in position to make the play at the time.
"We were playing hard football, that's it," said Ndukwe. "He got me pretty good on a crackback and he was proud of it. Hit a guy when he isn't looking? I guess he was excited about that. But that's part of football. I'm not complaining.
"The rest of the game, though, I wanted to make sure I let him know that I didn't appreciate it. I don't think it's over either. Every time we play, I'll make a point. I remember things like that."
Edwards said his block was clean.
"I was out there doing my job," he said. "My job is to block when Josh runs reverses. I got him. My block was legal nonetheless."
Asked if Ndukwe's post-pick blow was legal, Edwards said, "You watched it, you make your own opinion."
Did he overdo the revenge factor? "It's football, man," said Edwards. "You deal with it."
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Milestone provides little solace for Lewis
by Mary Kay Cabot/Plain Dealer Reporter Sunday December 21, 2008, 7:38 PM
Tracy Boulian/The Plain DealerJamal Lewis hurdles a Bengals defender during the second quarter of Sunday's game. Lewis finished with 76 yards, and passed 10,000 for his career.
CLEVELAND -- Not even joining the elite 10,000-yard club was enough to ease the sting of the worst season Jamal Lewis has endured in his nine-year career. "Oh yeah, it's the worst season that I've ever played in, honestly," said Lewis, who became the 24th player in NFL history to rush for 10,000 yards during the 14-0 loss to the Bengals. "It's the toughest season ever. Due to circumstances, this wasn't the season that everybody wanted. But we didn't come out here and throw games and just lay down. We fought hard, but it wasn't enough."
Lewis said he derives no real joy from reaching 10,000, which he accomplished on an 8-yard run in the third quarter.
"It doesn't mean anything to me, honestly," said Lewis. "My concern this year wasn't coming in to get 10,000 yards. It was to have a winning season. It's a great accomplishment, but I'm a winner. That's what I am and that's what I want to be. Hopefully we can get things together around here and put together some winning seasons."
The Browns' 4-11 record ensures that Lewis will finish with the worst record of his 9-year career. His previous worst was 6-10 with the Ravens in 2005. He's only been part of three losing seasons in his career.
Asked if it's taken a toll on him mentally, he said, "I don't care honestly about that. I still have a job to do. That's what I prepare for and come to work for -- to fight and give my all and do what I can do. I've just got to keep fighting until the end of the season and the season's not over with."
Lewis, who rushed for 76 yards and a 4.8-yard average against the Bengals, needs 92 yards to finish with at least 1,000 for the seventh time in his eight healthy seasons. But that will be hard to come by in Pittsburgh.
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Ill wind carries good fortune for Bengals' Hall, who collects three interceptions off Dorsey
by Dennis Manoloff/Plain Dealer Reporter Sunday December 21, 2008, 6:22 PM
John Kuntz/The Plain DealerWith a diving catch, Cincinnati's Leon Hall grabbed his third interception of the afternoon Sunday, a fourth-quarter pick of Browns QB Ken Dorsey. Braylon Edwards (right) never had much of a chance at the ball.
CLEVELAND -- Bengals cornerback Leon Hall was forced to wait 16 months for his shot at redemption in Cleveland. When the time came, he was more than ready.
Hall intercepted three passes, including one returned for a touchdown, in a 14-0 victory over the Browns on Sunday in Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Each of the picks occurred as Hall covered fellow Michigan product Braylon Edwards, the same Edwards who kept running past him in the Browns' 51-45 home victory Sept. 16, 2007.
Edwards caught eight passes for 146 yards and two TDs in the game last season. He caught four for 35 yards Sunday.
"I played a pretty bad game here last year," Hall said. "So it felt good to come back to the same stadium and get that taste out of my mouth. I think I redeemed myself."
Near the end of the game, Hall said Edwards had a question for him.
"He just said, 'Three picks?'" Hall said. "I was kind of like, 'The last time I was here I got scored on too many times.' It felt good to be on top this time."
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As the Browns sink out of sight, so does Dorsey's NFL reputation, says Bill Livingston
by Bill Livingston/Plain Dealer Columnist Sunday December 21, 2008, 6:00 PM
John Kuntz/The Plain DealerAfter three interceptions on Sunday --- and seven overall since he took over at quarterback following injuries to Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn --- Ken Dorsey has pretty well proven his limitations, says Bill Livingston.
CLEVELAND -- Trash floated in the shivering, surly gale Sunday as Cleveland Browns Stadium emptied for the last time this season. It was the team's seventh loss in eight home games. The hot-dog wrappers and napkins were a grotesque parody of confetti, a reminder of a championship parade that might never come. There are a lot of culprits in this season, but the most attention always goes to the player with the most chances to handle the ball and make plays. Looking at Ken Dorsey's illustrious career in college at Miami, he is proof of the way a great supporting cast can hide serious weakness for only so long.
Dorsey was at the controls of Hurricanes team that won 34 games in a row before Ohio State's front four overpowered his previously sturdy offensive line in a stunning Fiesta Bowl upset.
He was surrounded by talent everywhere. He could hand the ball off to Willis McGahee, who had hocus-pocus moves and great speed. He could throw glorified handoffs to elusive Kellen Winslow Jr., before the broken leg suffered with the Browns trying to recover the onside kick, before the ravages of the motorcycle injury here, before the surgeries and the staph infections. He had Andre Johnson and Roscoe Parrish as wide receivers. He could unleash inclement elements that were the figurative equal of the real ones on any given Sunday at the lakefront. He was the calm eye of a perfect storm.
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Pluto: Browns' collapse an indictment against a troubled franchise
by Terry Pluto/Plain Dealer Columnist Sunday December 21, 2008, 4:24 PM
Mark Duncan/Associated PressCan a single play in the first quarter determine a Browns game? It can when it's Leon Hall intercepting a Ken Dorsey pass and returning it past Braylon Edwards for a 50-yard touchdown Sunday.
In my worst Browns nightmare, I never expected this ... This is losing 14-0 to Cincinnati on the final home game of the season. This is a 1-7 record at home. This is snapping to attention when Bruce Gradkowski came in to play quarterback -- and promptly threw an interception.
This is a 4-11 record and five-game losing streak.
This is Romeo Crennel saying, "It was a tough loss today," adding that the Browns couldn't take advantage of "the wind when we had it." Yes, he added that the Browns' failure to score came down to "we couldn't make a play, we didn't execute."
I really don't want to listen to these press conferences any more.
This is feeling like the fan who came to the game with the sign: All I want 4 X-mas is a TD. He meant a touchdown on offense. It's now been five games, 20 quarters and 34 days since that happened.
I don't care how many games Ken Dorsey has started, the Browns are 1-7 at home and with 20 quarters (12 in Cleveland) with no touchdowns?
WTAM's Mike Snyder just walked by me and I said, "Didn't Doug Pederson win a home game?"
Snyder stopped, stared and said, "I don't think anyone ever asked me that."
He paused again.
"I think he did," said Snyder.
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NFBuck;1361592; said:
