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CLEVELAND BROWNS VS BALTIMORE RAVENS

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OSUBasketballJunkie

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12/28/05

Browns: Coaches are raving about Boller’s recent play

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk Repository sports writer [/FONT]



RAVENS AT BROWNS

1 p.m. Sunday
Cleveland Browns Stadium
Cleveland
TV CBS (Channel 19)
RADIO WHBC-AM 1480, WQKT-FM 104.5, WAKR-AM 1590, WMMS-FM 100.7, WTAM-AM 1100,
WJER-AM 1450


BEREA - From the dawn of last season to the midnight of this one, Kyle Boller crossed a bridge that almost seemed a waste to build.

Boller began 2004 by laying an egg in Cleveland.

His two interceptions and confused nature led to Baltimore’s 20-3 loss to the Browns. The Ravens regrouped, somewhat, behind a standout defense, but Boller posted a weak 70.9 passer rating in 16 starts.

His team went 9-7 and missed the playoffs.

By Thanksgiving 2005, Baltimore’s season had blown apart, and it was evident Boller was a 6-foot-3, 220-pound, 24-year-old bust.

After Baltimore spent Christmas Day beating up Minnesota, that has changed.

Boller heads into a season finale at Cleveland having thrown three touchdown passes in each of his last two games.

No one expected that Boller would make up for the deficiencies of his defense.

Against a Vikings team needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive, Boller went 24-of-34 for 289 yards.

“Everything is just clicking,” said Boller, whose team converted 10-of-15 third downs. “I see the field clearly now. ... When you get some momentum going, it feels really good.”

The Ravens have struggled with quarterback issues since the move from Cleveland. They hoped Boller would be the answer when they made him the third quarterback picked in the 2003 draft, at No. 19 overall. Carson Palmer went first overall to the Bengals, and Byron Leftwich went at No. 7 to the Jaguars.

Boller had a few moments. He threw for 303 yards against the Bengals midway through his rookie year. Last December, he delivered four touchdown passes against the Giants.

Too often, though, he has been indecisive, inaccurate and inadequate. The Ravens seemed a likely candidate to dip into the 2006 draft for a quarterback.

Not now.

While Head Coach Brian Billick’s future could hinge on Sunday’s game, Boller’s future suddenly looks bright.

Billick came away from the Christmas day win hoping Boller’s work reflects well on him.

“The staff did a great job working with Kyle in a short week,” Billick said of Boller, who was coming off a Monday win over the Packers. “We are doing the things we are confident in and giving him every opportunity to be successful and be in command of the game, and he did just that.”

Boller has thrown for 542 yards during the last two games. The Ravens have produced 78 points, their second-highest two-game total since leaving Cleveland.

One example of Boller’s growth came on a 47-yard touchdown pass. The Vikings blitzed, and Boller quickly spotted wideout Derrick Mason in a man-to-man matchup. Mason got open on a double move, and Boller delivered a long strike.

If Boller builds on his current play, he will be an example of how grooming a starting quarterback can be a slow process.

Palmer is having a big third season in Cincinnati, but it should be remembered he had severe growing pains in 2004. At the midway point, Cincinnati was 2-5, a game behind the Browns.

The Browns have to decide how much playing time to give rookie Charlie Frye before determining if he can be their long-term quarterback. Frye is coming off a game in which he fumbled four times.

“I don’t like that, and I don’t think he likes that,” Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. “We are not going to be able to win if that continues.”

Crennel became defensive coordinator in New England when Tom Brady was a second-year pro, forced into action after Drew Bledsoe got hurt. Brady still is on the job.

“When Brady came in, the team that surrounded him was somewhat established,” Crennel said. “He had some things that could help him grow and develop. ... Then, eventually, he got to the point where he ran the whole offense. But early on, he wasn’t given the whole offense. He was given stuff that he could do and have a chance to be successful at.

“I think you need to be careful about writing anybody off too soon. In my experience, by the guy’s third year, you know whether he’s a player or not.”

It’s Boller’s third year. After a few good games, it’s still too early to say he can be a star.

Crennel’s view of Boller’s hot streak: “I think it’s good for Baltimore. It’s not as good for us right now.”


HEIDEN ON IR Browns tight end Steve Heiden was placed on injured reserve with an injured ankle. Heiden limped off the field during Saturday’s 41-0 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and never returned after getting X-rays. The Browns did not release details about Heiden’s ankle, which was injured earlier this season. Heiden started 13 games this season, catching 43 passes for 401 yards and three touchdowns. His 43 receptions, second on the team this season, are the most by a Browns tight end since Ozzie Newsome caught 62 passes in 1985. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].

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12/29/05

What can win mean for 2006?

Thursday, December 29, 2005


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk Repository sports writer [/FONT]


<TABLE style="MARGIN: 10px -3px 15px 5px; POSITION: relative" width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Related Stories
Media honors Droughns, Faine

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BEREA - In assorted renderings of English, the Browns are embellishing Sunday’s season finale against Baltimore.

What version of, “It’s really big,” do you like?

“We want to get the bad taste of the Pittsburgh game out of our mouths,” defensive end Orpheus Roye said of Sunday’s season-ending foe.

“A win will make everybody feel a lot better going into the offseason,” quarterback Charlie Frye said.
“I can’t stress how important it is,” running back Reuben Droughns said.

Would it make a real difference if this was the battle cry: “Tags (Commissioner Paul Tagliabue) refused to cancel the game. Guess we gotta work?”

The Browns will attempt to win their fourth straight regular-season finale.

What did the previous three buy them?

In 2002, they clinched a playoff spot by beating Atlanta. In 2003, they got off to a 1-3 start on their way to 5-11.

In 2003, they stopped a five-game losing streak by winning the season finale at Cincinnati. The next season, they lost two of their first three on their way to 4-12.

In 2004, they lost two of their first three en route to the current 5-10 record.

It can be argued the wins did more harm than good. If the season ended now, the Browns would draft at No. 12 overall in the first round; a loss can put them in the top 10.

Had they lost season finales in:

2002, they might have landed Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu rather than center Jeff Faine in the 2003 draft.

2003, they could have landed tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. without having to trade a second-round pick to move up one spot.

2004, they might have extorted extra picks via trade for the right to move up to No. 2 overall. Instead, they fell to No. 3 and drafted Braylon Edwards.

Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick’s team has only a 7-9 finish to play for. Yet, he sees reasons a win can help.

“If you’re a playoff team and you don’t win the Super Bowl,” Billick said, “you’re (tick)ed off. When you’re not in the playoffs, you have the opportunity to finish the season, oddly enough, feeling good about yourself.”

Billick took over the Ravens in 1999. He had a chance for a winning season by beating New England in a season finale.
The Ravens laid an egg, losing 20-3, but won a Super Bowl the next year.

“If you win the last game and it leads to a playoff season but you don’t win the Super Bowl, you’re just another slappy team that made the playoffs,” he said. Billick wasn’t all that slap-happy Wednesday, even though the club essentially announced he won’t be fired even if the Ravens lose to Cleveland. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected]

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12/30/05

Posted on Fri, Dec. 30, 2005
Defenses, injury slowing Droughns

Browns running back faces more pressure after early success

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->BEREA - It's been more than a month since Browns running back Reuben Droughns topped the 100-yard mark.
Since Droughns rambled for 166 yards against the Miami Dolphins, he's gained 73, 88, 74, 53 and 36 yards in the past five games.
In that time, Droughns' per-carry average has been 3.3 yards. That has dropped his per-carry average for the season from 4.5 yards to 4.1.
Some of this has coincided with Droughns hurting his knee. He strained the knee against the Jacksonville Jaguars when Marcus Stroud fell on him.
Droughns has played through the injury, but it's clearly affected him.
Droughns also has been the victim of his earlier success.
As he succeeded, teams realized Droughns needed to be stopped.
``They have put more emphasis on (the Browns running game), particularly after he got his 1,000 yards and people realized who he is and what he is as a runner,'' coach Romeo Crennel said.
Not coincidentally, rookie Charlie Frye also has started the past four games, so defenses have put more focus on Droughns. Their thinking: Pack the middle, stop the run and make the rookie win the game.
``They are packing the box out there,'' fullback Terrelle Smith said. ``A lot of teams are doing a lot of line stunts with their fronts. Also, they're loading up the box with eight sometimes. They may put another safety down lower.
``That's what you have to do to stop the run. I think that's what a lot of defenses look forward to. That's the answer to a good running game.''
The Pittsburgh Steelers are both the perfect example and the exception to the example.
They're the example because they set out to stop the run against the Browns, but they're not the example because they take that approach every week.
No matter, their approach was the blueprint for stopping the Browns' offense -- and not just because it worked.
The Steelers set out to not let Droughns run, then used a variety of confusing fronts and pass-rushes to perplex Frye.
The Steelers' approach was perfect, as the shutout attested, but it was not that much different from what other teams tried.
``When you bring those fronts, they have a lot of blitzes that come as well,'' Smith said. ``That's another thing that slows (Frye) down. So if the running game can't get going it's really tough on the quarterback as well because the running game opens up the play-action.
``It also opens up the whole game plan pretty much, especially with a team that runs the ball as well as we know we can.''
How much has it hampered the offense?
``That's probably the whole big deal that's holding us up,'' Smith said.
It also has raised some eyebrows about Frye's arm strength. At this point, teams do not fear the deep ball from Frye so they are compressing the field on him, which slows the running game and makes the short throw more difficult.
Sunday the Browns face the Baltimore Ravens in the season finale.
They rank 10th in the league in rushing defense, and Crennel knows what Frye can expect.
``They'll mix things up quite a bit,'' Crennel said. ``They give you different fronts and pressures, and they pressure from a lot of fronts. They try to confuse people and get guys free.''
It helps that that's the very approach that slowed down the Browns.
``Until we prove we can fix it... '' Smith said. ``That's how this league is. It's a copycat league. If one team can do it, the other team will try to do it a little more effectively. They think they can do it better than any other team.''
Will that be a challenge for Frye? ``I hope not,'' Crennel said, ``but it could be.''
The solution?
``Generally if you can run the ball against some of these defenses,'' Crennel said, ``their variety doesn't affect you as much.''
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12/31/05

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>A Question of Trust

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff>
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</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>By Barry McBride

Date: Dec 30, 2005

Some random thoughts as the media relentlessly forages for the truth. Opinions expressed by this writer are strictly his own not necessarily shared by Bernie Kosar, Jr, or other staff members of BerniesInsiders.com.
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All I want to do is write that glowing and happy story after we win the Super Bowl. I want to share good times among happy friends and site visitors, and hopefully sell enough subscriptions to stay out of the poorhouse.

I want to splatter the vindication of all our waiting and faith across every page of the website and magazine. I want to laugh at our inept and frustrated AFC North rivals in the forums and on the radio.

Not this. This isn't what I want to do.
<HR width="75%" color=#ff6600>Here's how some fans on our forums responded to Mr. Collins' remarks today on the team's "flagship" radio station. They were not kind:

"John Collins is about a big a weasel as one can find."

"Collins says things without saying them. "

"This sounds like (--------) to me. There is NO WAY that things rumors / stories like this spring from thin air."

"This scare had to come from somewhere. I just hope that Collins is not the liar I think he has been."

"John Collins is a poisonous snake"

"I wouldn't trust Collins' word for nothing."

"Who else...is tired of his slimy attempts for the past few years of covering his moves?"
<HR width="75%" color=#ff6600>"Although it is our policy not to respond to rumors, in fairness to our fans, we felt it necessary to dispel them. It was unfortunate and very unfair to the organization and especially to our fans, but we are happy to put this behind us and focus on our game this Sunday and the busy offseason ahead."

This is what John Collins said via Cleveland Browns.com, the team's official web site.

It made me angry, and sad.
<HR width="75%" color=#ff6600>There is no reaction without action, no effect without cause.

Just as Friday's big story likely started with a seed of truth, Collins' problems started long before his polished shoes walked the corridors of Berea.

You remember Art Modell? He's the football team owner and face of the team who said he would never move the Browns from Cleveland, and did. The guy who said he would sell the team if Bill Belichick wasn't the last coach he ever hired. He lied to us, clumsily, and with the inelegance of a desperate man and the success of a convicted thief.

In his place, after three years, came ultra-slick Carmen Policy, a glib lawyer who made his name defending mobsters. He won the trust of a Youngstown shopping mall developer who bought a football team and danced circles around salary cap rules to build a dynasty in San Francisco. Carmen saw the truth in shades of gray, and could paint pictures which would mesmerize his audience. He was rewarded greatly for his talent, but not trusted.

John Collins reaps the harvest seeded by these two men as he steps in for them. After what we've been through, I don't think Sister Theresa would be trusted in his role.

We know it's not fair, and it's certainly not fortunate, but it's your situation, John. Good luck.
<HR width="75%" color=#ff6600>Sports teams like the Browns used and manipulated the media on the way up, encouraging fanatical coverage of the sport to help drive demand. Franchises are now valued at a billion dollars or more.

This popularity results in an intense demand for information about each franchise. That demand for information grows every month, every year.

Moreover, fans have become discriminating over time. Where the daily newspaper once ruled as the primary outlet of news, today's consumer is media-savvy and able to discern the opinions behind the stories. Many don't place a lot of faith in team-owned or co-opted media, and they understand the conflict of interest which comes from being a "flagship" radio station, or a team-owned TV show.

Therefore, we have a continuing thirst for "real" news, produced by independent and objective journalists, reporting things that approved outlets would never report.

Paradoxically, while demand grows, supply of "real news" is getting choked off.

Practices are closed to the traditional media. Doors and offices which were once open to reporters are now patrolled by security. Writers are locked into windowless rooms while the team practices, allowed out for pre-defined times where they can put together what their limited access allows them to write, foraging for news with the clock ticking, their stories forced into a sameness through lack of opportunity.

These are the journalists who do their job responsibily and with a strong focus on accuracy, but they're monitored, throttled, and kept behind the ropes.

The slack is picked up by a million web sites and blogs, who do not have the same code of conduct as the traditional media.

Information isn't like gold, it isn't like diamonds. It's not physical or tangible. Information can be created out of thin air, with no raw materials and no byproducts. All you need is a website, or a blog, and the nerve to throw something out into the digital stream.

Websites can swing and miss at rumor after rumor, but fans will still read them because, well, at least there's something different there. Chris Mortensen can hear something from somebody and have it on the Internet in minutes. He can get it wrong time and again, but it doesn't matter. The demand for information will still be there tomorrow, and he will fill it.

Maybe ESPN's sources were accurate. Maybe they weren't. Maybe Bernie's Insiders, Casey Coleman, Hanford Dixon, WBAL and others are also wrong. Maybe I'm wrong.
We don't know who to trust. We're left floundering, with some pieces to the puzzle, and with a dozen scenarios which make it all work, but no way to track down the truth.

We can't trust the team because of what happened before, and we can't learn to trust the team because we're not allowed to get close.

No one is around to take the team's side, or confirm the team's words. If the team's version of events is the truth, then they would be greatly helped if there were local, reliable, and trustworthy journalists who had enough access to confirm it. By keeping them (and us) distant, you give these rumors more power.

I've tried to help this media outlet become a trustworthy source of Browns news. We've come a long way in seven years, I hope.

I think I've seen all sides of how this new media thing plays, and this is something I've learned: When you hobble media outlets we know we can trust, you enable those we shouldn't.

It's unfortunate and very unfair, John.

The whole system is unfortunate and very unfair.

Of all people, you should know.

You helped make it.
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1/1/06


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Baltimore (6-9) at Cleveland (5-10)</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Preview - Box Score - Recap

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=ysptblclbg3 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=5><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="1"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD> Game Info: 1:00 pm EST Sun Jan 1, 2006
TV: CBS </TD><TD noWrap align=right>Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2 colSpan=2 height=1><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="1"></TD></TR><TR class=yspwhitebg><TD colSpan=2 height=15><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
The Baltimore Ravens haven't made the playoffs in two years, but that won't stop them from committing to coach Brian Billick for another season.
Billick looks to lead the Ravens to their first three-game winning streak in over a year when they face the Cleveland Browns in the season finale Sunday.

It won't be an easy task for the Ravens, who are 0-7 on the road this season and have lost 10 straight road games overall. Baltimore beat Cleveland 16-3 in Week 6, holding the Browns to 186 yards.
Rumors about Billick's future were prevalent after the Ravens went 9-7, missed the playoffs last year and started this season 2-7. However, all the speculation ended Wednesday when team owner Steve Bisciotti informed players at a team meeting that Billick will return for an eighth season.

"We have an ongoing and extensive process to find ways to win," Bisciotti said. "This included a thorough evaluation of Brian Billick. Collectively, we concluded that continuing with Brian as head coach gives us the best opportunity to win."


Billick, tied for fourth in NFL coaching seniority with Philadelphia's Andy Reid, is 67-51 overall, including leading the Ravens to their first Super Bowl victory in 2000.

"As I have always said, I'm very thankful and appreciative to be part of an organization and a group of people that we have here," Billick said. "The ability to deal and go through the difficulties that a team and an organization does, and to deal with it the way that we have, is very important to me. That's why I covet being here."

Those difficulties were lessened with Baltimore's 30-23 victory last Sunday over Minnesota as the Ravens won consecutive games for the first time this season.

Kyle Boller went 24-for-34 for 289 yards and threw three touchdowns for the second straight week as Baltimore improved to 4-2 its last six games and knocked Minnesota out of playoff contention.

"We tried to frame it as a playoff-caliber game because it was for them, and therefore it was for us," Billick said. "The whole team -- and Kyle -- stepped up to the challenge."

Boller has thrown 10 TD passes his last five games, topping the 200-yard mark four times. In 25 starts prior to this season, he passed for 200-plus yards just six times and had only four games of multiple touchdown passes.
"I haven't made bad decisions the past two games," Boller said. "That's given us a chance to win."

Jamal Lewis rushed for 74 yards and needs 183 against the Browns for his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season. He has dominated Cleveland in his career, rushing for 1,240 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games, including an NFL-record 295-yard effort Sept. 14, 2003.

Lewis, though, has averaged just 65.7 yards the last three meetings.
The Browns' offensive struggles continued in a 41-0 loss last Sunday to Pittsburgh.

Rookie quarterback Charlie Frye was pressured relentlessly by a Steelers defense that registered eight sacks and allowed 178 total yards.

"We didn't do anything good or right," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "I'm embarrassed getting beat like that."

The Browns haven't scored a touchdown in 10 quarters and totaled just nine points their last two games.

Since Frye was named starter in Week 13, Cleveland has scored 43 points and gone 1-3. Frye has been sacked 17 times over that span and thrown for 200 yards just once.

He finished 20-for-39 for 183 yards against the Steelers, but Pittsburgh held a 196-1 advantage in yards in the first quarter, including 162 passing yards to the Browns' minus-2.

"It's definitely the most embarrassing loss of my career," Browns cornerback Daylon McCutcheon said. "This is way worse than '99 (when the Browns lost to the Steelers 43-0 in their return to the NFL as an expansion team). In '99, we didn't have a good team, now we got talent. But from the opening kickoff, we played bad football. (Sunday) we stunk."

Baltimore holds a 9-4 advantage in the all-time series, including a 4-2 mark in Cleveland.
Updated on Friday, Dec 30, 2005 8:34 pm EST​
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1/1/06


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=750 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=560>Cleveland 20, Baltimore 16

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="1"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Cleveland 20, Baltimore 16</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Preview - Box Score - Recap </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
January 1, 2006

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Dennis Northcutt bowed when he reached the end zone, then peeked over his shoulder to make sure he deserved the applause.
Finally, he and the Cleveland Browns could soak it in.

Northcutt's 62-yard punt return for a touchdown helped the Browns close a tumultuous final weekend and season on Sunday with a 20-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens, who finished 0-8 on the road.


Earlier this season, Northcutt twice brought back punts for TDs only to have them nullified by penalties. But after his third-quarter jaunt, when he reversed field and picked up some blocks, Northcutt checked to be certain there were no penalty flags and waved his arms like an official.

The Browns (6-10), who were embarrassed 41-0 by Pittsburgh a week ago, ended the season with their first win in the AFC North. They finished with two more victories under first-year coach Romeo Crennel than they had in 2004.

Rookie quarterback Charlie Frye survived a beating in the first half and went 22-of-38 for 199 yards and a TD.

Cleveland's Reuben Droughns had 19 carries for 40 yards and broke Jim Brown's club record for most rushing attempts in a season. Browns wide receiver Antonio Bryant had nine catches for 123 yards and a 6-yard TD.

The Ravens (6-10) have lost 11 straight on the road dating to last season and had their worst record since Brian Billick took over as coach in 1999. Earlier in the week, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti ended speculation over Billick's future by saying his coach would be back in 2006.

Deion Sanders' future isn't so clear. Baltimore's fleet-footed "Prime Time" cornerback may retire at the age of 38, ending his career as one the game's most gifted and flamboyant personalities.

Cleveland's season finale came two days after a report surfaced that the Browns were planning to fire general manager Phil Savage, Baltimore's former personnel director who has been with the club for less than one year.

Team president John Collins denied the move was even considered and said the young management team has worked out its differences.

Savage refused to address his situation before the game.

"Happy New Year," Savage said as he walked through the media dining area. "I've really got nothing to say."

Savage spent about 15 minutes talking with Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome before watching the game in owner Randy Lerner's suite.

Lerner was not available for comment.

With the Ravens leading 13-6, Ed Reed picked off a pass by Frye at Baltimore's 23 and returned it to the 50, where he lateralled to Samari Rolle, who went a few yards before tossing it back to Chad Williams.

With Sanders behind him, Williams attempted yet another pitch as he was going down and fumbled. However, officials ruled he was down and the Ravens got a 31-yard field goal from Matt Stover, his third, to go up 10.

Following a long kickoff return, Frye's TD pass to Bryant got Cleveland within 16-13.

That's when Northcutt came through.

Fielding Dave Zastudil's kick near midfield, Northcutt started left, spun right out of a tackle and picked up a wall of blockers down the right sideline. Wide receiver Frisman Jackson dived to knock off the final Ravens tackler.

Phil Dawson kicked two field goals for Cleveland. Stover's 21-yard field goal in the first quarter gave him 1,587 points, moving him into eighth place on the NFL's career scoring list ahead of Al Del Greco. In the second quarter, Stover kicked a 43-yarder to make it 6-0.
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I'm bad.. I was hoping we wouldn't have won the last two games... cuz we're picking at much as seven spots further back than we would have if we tanked 'em both
 
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1/2/06

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>Browns Finish Season on Positive Note

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</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>By Fred Greetham

Date: Jan 1, 2006

The Browns finished up their season this afternoon in Cleveland Browns stadium with a terrific 20-16 come-from-behind performance. Sparked by the offensive combination of Charlie Frye to Antonio Bryant, as well as a tough defensive effort, the Browns erased the memories of last week's loss, and got their first win against a division rival.
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CLEVELAND - So far so good in 2006, as the Browns are undefeated in the New Year.
With a lot more going on off of the field than the game, the Browns were able to overcome a slow start and finish the season on a positive note with a come from behind 20-16 win over the Ravens to close out Romeo Crennel's first season at the helm at 6-10.
“I told the team this was the last game of the 2005 season, but we won our first game in 2006,” Crennel said. “That's what we're working for and I feel we're heading in the right direction.”
With rumors swirling of the departure of General Manager Phil Savage, the Browns were able to overcome a 13-0 deficit and rally for a 20-16 win and avoid a winless record within the division.
Brian Russell's second interception of the game with a minute to play sealed the win as the Browns held off the Ravens.
The Ravens put 13 points up in the second quarter before the Browns were able to get on the board on a 21-yard field goal by Phil Dawson.
The Ravens got on the board first on a 21-yard field goal by former Browns kicker Matt Stover with 14:21 to make it 3-0. The big play was a 31-yard pass from Kyle Boller to Derrick Mason that took the ball to the Browns' five.
After the kickoff, Terrell Suggs beat Paul Irons and hit Charlie Frye's arm as he was trying to throw and Tommy Polley intercepted the ball at the Browns' nine. The Ravens couldn't get a touchdown and settled for a field goal try, but a bad snap aborted the attempt and the Browns dodged a bullet.
The Ravens got the ball back and added another field goal, this time from 43-yards out by Stover to make it 6-0 with 8:16 left in the second quarter.
Frye was sacked by Chad Williams and Adalius Thomas picked it up and ran it in from 10-yards out to give the Ravens a 13-0 lead with 7:05 left.
The Browns finally got a little offense going late in the first half but settled for a 21-yard field goal by Phil Dawson to make it 13-3 with 2:43 to play. The Browns got their first first downs as they went nine plays and 66 yards in 4:18. Frye was 5-of-7 for 64 yards on the drive and he hit Antonio Bryant on two passes for 37 yards, including a 26-yarder.
Near the end of the first half, Russell made his third interception of the season and returned it 37 yards to the Browns' 42 to thwart a possible Ravens' score. Frye moved the team down to the 21 and Dawson kicked a 39-yard field goal to end the first half and make it 13-6 at the half.
Stover added another field goal from 31-yards out to make it 16-6 at 8:35 of the third quarter after an Ed Reed interception.
The turning point of the game might have been when Joshua Cribbs returned the ensuing kickoff 54 yards after the kickoff, but fumbled it and Sean Jones picked it up and advanced the ball 11 more yards to the Ravens' 24. After Frye hit Bryant on an 18-yard slant, Frye found Bryant for the touchdown from six-yards out for the score to make it 16-13 with 7:27 left in the third quarter.
After an intentional grounding by Kyle Boller on pressure from Kenard Lang, the Ravens punted and Dennis Northcutt returned it 62-yards for a touchdown to give the Browns their first lead of the game at 20-13 with 6:05 left in the third quarter. Northcutt appeared to be trapped, but reversed his field and had good blocks by several Browns to spring him.
Quick Hits
Phil's Century Mark: K Phil Dawson hit 100 points on the season with two field goals and two PAT's to tie his career high. He had 100 points in two other seasons.
Return Day: Two of the big plays that brought the Browns back were returns by Cribbs and Northcutt. Cribbs had a 54-yard return on a kickoff that set up a touchdown and Northcutt had a 62-yard return for a touchdown. Cribbs had five returns for a 25.6 average and Northcutt had six returns for a 15.2 avergae. Northcutt's touchdown was the third of his career on punts.
Frye Day: QB Charlie Frye was 22-of-38 for 199 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked four times. He had a 16-yard scramble for a first down on the Browns scoring drive just prior to the half.
Go to Guy: RB Reuben Droughns came into the game needing 15 carries to match Jim Brown for the most rushing attempts in a season at 305. Droughns had 19 rushes for 40 yards and finished the season with 1,232 yards on 306 carries.
Antonio's Day: WR Antonio Bryant needed 114 yards receiving to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He had nine receptions for 123 yards, including a touchdown. He finished with 69 receptions for 1,009 yards. He is the fifth receiver in Browns' history to reach 1,000 yards. RB Reuben Droughns and Bryant teamed to be only the third pair in team history to accomplish the feat. RB Leroy Kelly and WR Paul Warfield accomplished the feat as did TE Ozzie Newsome and RB Mike Pruitt. It was Bryant's fourth career 100-yard game.
Not a Challenge: Crennel hasn't been very successful on challenging replays. In essence, the Browns lost two timeouts on one play on a pass ruled incomplete to Bryant. Crennel called timeout and then challenged the call. The officials upheld the call and the Browns were charged with their second timeout. The Browns had just one timeout left with over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Some Play: With the Browns driving in the third quarter, Frye overthrew Dennis Northcutt and S Ed Reed picked it off. On the return, Reed tossed the ball to CB Samari Rolle, who it turn pitched it to S Chad Williams, who looked as though he fumbled the ball and OL Joe Andruzzi recovered it for the Browns. However, the official ruled that Williams was down by contact and Crennel's challenge was negated.
Iron Man: Rookie TE Paul Irons caught his first NFL pass in the first quarter for a two-yard gain. Irons caught a 14-yard reception later.
Mash Unit: S Chris Crocker injured his shoulder and did not return. Northcutt was injured, but returned. TE Todd Heap was taken to the locker room in the fourth quarter.
Thompson Attack: LB Chaun Thompson had a big sack on Boller on a blitz up the middle. Thompson had nine tackles, including the sack. LB Andra Davis led the team with 11 tackles. DL Orpheus Roye had the Browns other sack.
Back to the Future: The Browns looked as though they were picking up where they left off last week against Pittsburgh in their ineptitude on offense. Against the Steelers, the Browns had one yard in the first quarter. They had minus two yards late in the first quarter against the Ravens and ended up with nine for the quarter. They did not have a first down until 6:54 to play in the first half when Frye hit Bryant for 11 yards.
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1/2/06

A fresh start at season’s end

Monday, January 2, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk Repository sports writer [/FONT]


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Repository Bob Rossiter TURNING THING AROUND Dennis Northcutt cuts back to the right during a punt return Sunday on his way to a 62-yard touchdown. Northcutt’s return gave the Browns the lead for the first time Sunday, and Cleveland would hold on to beat the Baltimore Ravens, 20-16, to finish the 2005-06 season 6-10.
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CLEVELAND - That there was any chance at all to turn around Sunday’s game might owe to the fact there were enough fans left to care.
It did turn. Cleveland Browns Stadium got happy-loud. A 6-10 season ended with the Browns joining their customers in a novel concept:
Fun.
Beating the hated Baltimore Ravens, 20-16, was so much fun that the Browns could giddy-spin the season finale with a straight face.
Namely:
They’re unbeaten in 2006. That 5-10 record during the last four months of 2005? Flush and forget.
The 41-0 Christmas Eve home loss to the Steelers? Amnesia.
“We wanted to get that nasty taste out of our mouths,” cornerback Daylon McCutcheon said. “It felt good to see the crowd into the game.”
Or to see the crowd there, period. About half the seats were empty at kickoff. By the time the hung over and other stragglers pushed the crowd to about 75 percent of capacity, the Ravens seemed on their way to a New Year’s Day demolition.
Maybe it turned on Charlie Frye’s laser shot over the middle to Antonio Bryant. Before that, the offense was as bad as any expansion-era slop you can think of.
The Browns netted minus-7 yards though 1 1/2 quarters. The Ravens led, 13-0, and seemed a bicep flex away from winning for the fifth time in seven games.
Then, out of the blue, the rookie got hot.
The first big cheer of the day was pure sarcasm, coming after an 11-yard gain that finally produced a Cleveland first down midway through the second quarter.
But then came that Frye laser shot. He hit Bryant for 26 yards. It led to a field goal.
The buzz began to build.
Safety Brian Russell returned an interception 37 yards, setting up another field goal on the last play of the first half. In the third quarter, though, the Ravens nudged their lead to 16-6 with a field goal.
The kickoff went to Josh Cribbs. He remembers thinking, “We’ve gotta get this thing started. Our defense is bringing it. Gotta get a jump start.”
Cribbs broke a 54-yard kick return, but the ball squirted out.
“I was blocking my man, and I saw Josh breaking through,” Sean Jones said. “Coaches always say, ‘Keep running. You never know what’s gonna happen.’
“The ball came out. I tried to scoop and score.”
Jones scooped and got to the Baltimore 24.
On a second down from the 6, Frye was flushed by the rush and thought of running, but he saw Bryant sneak open in the back of the end zone. A cross-body touchdown pass made it 16-13 midway through the third quarter.
“Guys just kept playing,” Frye said.
By then, everything in orange seemed plugged in. Coverage men flew into and over Ravens kick returner Jamel White, who got buried at the 11.
The defense forced a quick punt. Dave Zastudil out-kicked the coverage, booming one 58 yards to veteran return man Dennis Northcutt.
Northcutt ran 62 yards for a touchdown.
“They had me walled, trying to not let me get to the left sideline,” he said. “When I spun around, I knew I needed to get to the other sideline.
“When I saw all those blockers, I thought of nothing but the end zone ... ‘I have to get there.’ ”
He got there with 6:05 left in the third quarter.
The Browns led, 20-16, and the crowd sounded loudly oblivious to the franchise’s deep pockets of trouble.
A while later, linebacker Chaun Thompson added an exclamation point by knocking quarterback Kyle Boller silly with a sack off a zone blitz.
“Coach saw something on the sideline we could take advantage of,” Thompson said. “The first time we called it, it was me who came free.”
Thompson blew through an unblocked hole up the middle and freed Boller of his senses. Boller had been on a roll, with six touchdown passes during his last two games. In this one, he was 15-of-36 for 151 yards, with two interceptions by Russell and a Boller-of-old 31.1 rating.
“This was a little setback,” said Boller, who will find out in the coming months if it was enough of one for Baltimore to pursue another No. 1 passer.
Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel isn’t saying if Frye — who went 2-3 as a starter — will be his man in 2006.
The Browns’ offense looked inept, the Ravens’ barely better, as the teams scrummed to a scoreless tie after one quarter.
Finally, a blown coverage allowed a 31-completion to Ravens wideout Derrick Mason. Matt Stover, the last of the 1995 Browns still with the Ravens, kicked a 21-yard field for a 3-0 lead.
The Browns’ next play worse than anything from the feeble first quarter. Frye began to throw under pressure, but his arm was whacked by rusher Terrell Suggs. The ball squirted to linebacker Tommy Polley.
Cleveland’s offense kept delivering bad field position. The Ravens needed only a 16-yard drive to set up a field goal and a 6-0 lead.
It got worse.
Frye fumbled as he was smothered by three Ravens. Linebacker Adalius Thomas scooped up the ball and ran 9 yards for a touchdown and the 13-0 lead.
“Charlie stayed composed,” Browns right tackle Ryan Tucker said. “He didn’t let them rattle him.
“Charlie had a lot on his plate in the last month. They threw a lot at him. I think he passed the test.”
Frye drove the Browns to two field goals to pull the Browns to within 13-6 at halftime. The drives covered 103 yards, featuring five completions for 63 yards to Bryant.
The crowd started paying attention.
“You couldn’t ask for a better ending,” Tucker said. “I hope we can remember the feeling.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected]
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