Browns roll to victory
Published 4:00 am Monday, November 8, 2010
- Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy (12) runs for a 16-yard touchdown against the New England Patriots in the third quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday in Cleveland. The rookie quarterback led the Browns to a 34-14 win over New England.
CLEVELAND — When the scoreboard clock finally showed zeros, Bill Belichick walked slowly across the torn-up field to meet Cleveland’s coach, his protege and estranged friend, amid a swarm of players and photographers.
Belichick found Eric Mangini, looked him in the eye and offered his hand.
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It was time to concede defeat, one as thorough as any in recent memory.
“I congratulated him,” Belichick said.
It’s all he could do.
On this day, the Browns were better — a lot better.
Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy scrambled for a touchdown and didn’t make any mistakes, Peyton Hillis ran for a career-high 184 yards and two TDs and the vastly improved Browns, using a little trickery and a ton of offensive imagination, pounded the Patriots 34-14 on Sunday.
Two weeks after stunning New Orleans, the Browns (3-5) pulled off another shocker. Well rested after their bye week, they ended New England’s five-game winning streak and did it decisively, outplaying one of the NFL’s top teams for 60 minutes.
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This was no fluke. The Patriots (6-2) were battered, baffled and beaten badly.
“We know we can beat anybody,” Browns wide receiver Joshua Cribbs said. “If you beat these supposedly best two teams in the league, it gives us confidence there isn’t one team in this league that we don’t think we can beat.”
It was particularly satisfying for Mangini, whose relationship with Belichick was damaged years ago when he left New England’s staff to coach the Jets and by the infamous “Spygate” episode. The two men ignored each other during pregame warmups, but had to meet afterward.
Mangini was asked what his mentor said.
“ ‘Good game.’ We were making plans for the summer,” he joked.
Mangini had good reason to smile. He and his staff, many of whom worked in New England under Belichick, outschemed the Patriots in every facet. The Browns had an overwhelming advantage on offense, defense and special teams. Cleveland sprang a pop-up kickoff to set up its first touchdown and the Browns scored their second TD on a gadget play they knew would work.
But it wasn’t all smoke and mirrors. The Browns bullied the Patriots, using Hillis to run the ball down their throats and flustering quarterback Tom Brady with a variety of fronts and coverages.
“This sends a message that what happened last game against New Orleans was not a fluke,” said Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas, who opened holes as the Browns rushed for a season-high 230 yards. “We’re a good team. We’re starting to find our identity.”
Hillis, healthy at last after being slowed by a thigh injury, scored on a 2-yard run in the first, and then put the Patriots away with a 35-yard burst late to make it 34-14. He carried 29 times, picking up all 60 yards on Cleveland’s game-sealing drive.
Brady and the Patriots have had better days.
New England’s star went 19 of 36 for 224 yards and two TDs to rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez. However, Brady lost for the first time in five career starts against the Browns, who jumped to an early 10-0 lead and led by 17 entering the fourth.
Brady was hindered by several drops and a crucial fumble by tight end Rob Gronkowski just before halftime, when the Patriots, who came in averaging a league-leading 29 points per game, blew a chance to cut into Cleveland’s 10-point lead.
“We were out of sync all day,” Brady said. “It was not a good day at all. As an offense, we didn’t do much to advance the ball, and that includes the quarterback. If we play like we played today we are not going to beat anybody.”
The Patriots had other issues. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski suffered a thigh injury, forcing Belichick to use receiver Wes Welker to kick an extra point in the fourth. If it had been closer, Welker may have had to try a late field goal.
The Browns, though, never let the Patriots in it.
For Mangini, the lopsided win over a quality opponent was further proof his system may be taking hold in his second season with Cleveland. There were still more than two minutes left when he was showered with Gatorade. Soaked to the skin, he smiled as his players celebrated behind him.
“It feels great,” he said. “It’s special and it’s special because of our guys, because of our team, not because of their team, because of our team.”
McCoy, making his third straight start, had his best game. He completed 14 of 19 passes for 174 yards, and his TD run in the third gave the Browns a 24-7 lead. With no receivers open, McCoy tucked the ball and sprinted for the left corner.
“I felt real slow,” said McCoy, who covered the final few yards with a headfirst dive.
In other games on Sunday:
Vikings 27
Cardinals 24
MINNEAPOLIS — Brett Favre rallied the Vikings from 14 points down to tie it with 27 seconds to play, then drove them into position for Ryan Longwell’s 35-yard game-winning field goal. Favre threw for a career-high 446 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Vikings (3-5), who fought back cheers of “Fire Childress!” early in the game to pull out the win.
Raiders 23
Chiefs 20
OAKLAND, Calif. — Jason Campbell threw a 47-yard pass to rookie Jacoby Ford in overtime to set up a 33-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski that gave the Raiders their biggest win in eight years. Campbell and Ford hooked up on a 29-yard pass in the closing seconds of regulation to set up Janikowski’s tying 41-yard field goal. The Raiders (5-4) then won it in overtime for their most significant victory since winning the 2002 AFC championship.
Jets 23
Lions 20
DETROIT — Mark Sanchez threw a 52-yard pass to Santonio Holmes to set up Nick Folk’s game-winning 30-yard field goal 2:18 into overtime. Sanchez scored on a quarterback sneak with 2:46 left in regulation and led a nine-play drive that set up Folk’s 36-yard kick to send the game into OT.
Eagles 26
Colts 24
PHILADELPHIA — Michael Vick threw for 218 yards and one touchdown, ran for 74 yards and a score, and the Eagles beat Peyton Manning and the Colts. The Eagles (5-3) are 12-0 after a bye since Andy Reid became coach in 1999. They hadn’t beaten Manning in three previous tries.
Saints 34
Panthers 3
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Drew Brees threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns, Jabari Greer returned an interception for a touchdown and New Orleans became the latest team to shut down Carolina’s NFL-worst offense. The Saints (6-3) overcame the loss of tight end Jeremy Shockey to a rib injury after his touchdown catch to keep pace in the competitive NFC South. Rookie tight end Jimmy Graham caught his first NFL TD in Shockey’s absence and the Saints held Carolina to 195 yards.
Giants 41
Seahawks 7
SEATTLE — Eli Manning threw for three first-half touchdowns and Ahmad Bradshaw added a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Giants. Manning and the Giants (6-2) jumped to a 35-0 halftime lead, overwhelming the banged up Seahawks and staking claim as maybe the best team in the NFC halfway through the season.
Bears 22
Bills 19
TORONTO — Jay Cutler threw two touchdown passes, including one to Earl Bennett late in the fourth quarter to give Chicago a win and keep the Bills winless. Chester Taylor also scored on a 1-yard plunge for the Bears (5-3), who came out of their off week to end a two-game skid. Tim Jennings’ interception came early in the fourth quarter, and with Chicago trailing 19-14.
Falcons 27
Buccaneers 21
ATLANTA — Michael Turner scored two early touchdowns and Atlanta held off Tampa Bay with a gutty goal-line stand to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South. Turner rushed 24 times for 107 yards, including scoring plays of two and 10 yards that gave the Falcons (6-2) an early 14-0 lead. Atlanta was hanging on at the end against the Buccaneers (5-3), whose coach, Raheem Morris, had proclaimed his team the best in the NFC.
Chargers 29
Texans 23
HOUSTON — Philip Rivers threw four touchdown passes against the NFL’s worst pass defense, and San Diego earned its first road win of the season. Rivers completed 17 of 23 passes for 295 yards. He used eight different receivers in the absence of tight end Antonio Gates, who was out with a right foot injury.
Ravens 26
Dolphins 10
BALTIMORE — Billy Cundiff made four field goals, and Baltimore cranked up the defense after halftime to hand Miami its first road loss. Baltimore (6-2) won its seventh straight at home behind Cundiff and a defense that blanked Miami (4-4) in the second half. Cundiff connected from 26, 39, 20, 24 yards, and the Ravens held the Dolphins to 24 yards rushing over the final 30 minutes.
Packers 45
Cowboys 7
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns, Brandon Jackson scored twice and Green Bay beat disintegrating Dallas. James Jones caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown for the Packers (6-3), who have won three straight. Green Bay’s Clay Matthews added a final dose of embarrassment in the fourth quarter, picking off a pass from Jon Kitna and running it back 62 yards for a touchdown.