Defense and Special Teams Get Browns A 6-3 Win At Buffalo
You can credit defense and special teams for the Browns first win of the season. Despite an awful offensive performance, Cleveland earned a hard fought 6-3 victory at Buffalo. Dave Zastudil punted nine times for an average of 42.9 yards and pinned the Bills inside their own 20 yard line six times and inside the ten three times. Mike Adams had an excellant game covering punts and Blake Costanzo recovered a Buffalo fumble on the Bills 16 to set up the game winning field goal late in the 4th quarter.
Defensively, the Browns held Buffalo to 288 yards while recovering a fumble and getting an interception from Eric Wright. Wright is fast becoming one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. D’Qwell Jackson had 13 tackles and Kameron Wimbley recorded 10 tackles and a sack. Adams also played well. The Cleveland defense has played two solid games in a row.
Offensively, Cleveland is pathetic. Derek Anderson was 2 for 17 for 23 yards with an interception. How an NFL QB could post those kinds of numbers is beyond belief. To Anderson’s credit, and he needs all he can get, the Browns’ receivers dropped several passes. Still it was good enough for a win. Jamal Lewis carried 31 times for 117 yards and along with Josh Cribbs 31 yard run, were the only bright spots on offense. Cleveland’s play calling was very conservative, leading me to believe they have little confidence in Anderson. Eric Mangini needs to take a hard look at the offense and coordinator Brian Daboll. They need to get this thing fixed.
Cleveland is now 1-4 and travels to Pittsburg next week. The offense had better be working over time in practice this week.
the fact that anderson completed 2 passes and won the game is stunning! browns win ugly, but hey, it’s better than losing ugly. good article, i admrie your optimism.
Thanks Thomas. I’ll take an ugly win any day. When you’re a Browns fan you take um any way you can get um.
You forgot to mention some important facts. The wind was blowing with gust to 34 MPH. Also the drops were not several, IT WAS a “big nine”. I call leaving these facts out of you artical, LYING BY OMISSION !!!
Tom, both QB’s played in the same conditions and I believe Edwards had 16 completions. Nine drops? I doubt it. Maybe four that should have been caught. That’s several to me. You must be an Anderson fan?
http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2009/10/13/sports/nh1561873.txt
This article confirms the nine drops Derek Anderson had in the Bills game. I also rsead it in at least 10 other web sites.
And YES, I am an Anderson fan, also a Oregon State Beaver Fan.
Tom, I knew you were a DA fan, but Oregon State Beavers? I didn’t see that one coming. Really, I want DA to do well. However many drops the Browns receivers had, it was way too many. I saw four maybe five that absolutely should have been caught and the rest is a matter of opinion. DA throws everything hard and there are times when he needs to take a little off.