Derek Anderson
The Cleveland Browns built an early lead and held on for a 41-31 win Sunday that handed the Miami Dolphins a franchise-record ninth consecutive loss.
The Browns (3-3) scored on three of their first four possessions to go up 17-3 before Leigh Bodden intercepted a Cleo Lemon pass and quarterback Derek Anderson turned it into a 24-yard touchdown throw to Braylon Edwards on the very next play.
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Team Report
as of Tuesday, October 09, 2007 4:38 PM.
(Sports Network) - Although the outcome was to be expected playing against the early Super Bowl favorite, the Browns had a chance to make the game interesting in the first quarter against New England on Sunday.
The Patriots marched right down the field after the opening kickoff, and a Tom Brady pass to Donte Stallworth gave New England a 1st-and-goal on the Cleveland three-yard line. The Browns, however, responded with a strong goal line stand, almost picking off Brady's pass over the middle.
New England settled for a 20-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal, and the Browns went to work from there.
Jamal Lewis left the game with a right foot strain after running for 11 yards on Cleveland's first play from scrimmage, but the Browns kept moving the chains. Derek Anderson hooked up with Joe Jurevicius for a 17-yard gain on 3rd-and-4 before quickly finding Braylon Edwards for a 20-yard gain to the New England 12-yard line.
Jason Wright, filling in for Lewis, brought the Browns down to the one-yard line, but the Browns self-destructed from there. Anderson threw incomplete to Jurevicius and New England stopped Wright for no gain.
Then, on 3rd-and-goal, Anderson committed the quarterback cardinal sin by trying to force a throw to tight end Steve Heiden in the end zone. Asante Samuel deflected the pass and Junior Seau came up with the interception.
"I think that hurt us, not getting points on that drive," said Browns head coach Romeo Crennel on Monday. "Even if we had just ended up with a field goal, that would have been a big help. When you go play a good football team in their place, and you have a chance to put points on the board, you need to put points on the board and we didn't."
Still, the Browns had a chance to recover after the defense forced the potent Patriots offense to go three-and-out on their ensuing possession. After the punt, Cleveland took over on its own 32-yard line, but Anderson followed with his second straight pick --- officially killing any momentum the Browns generated in the first quarter.
On the next play, Brady hit Stallworth for a 34-yard catch-and-run touchdown that quickly put Cleveland in a 10-0. New England eventually took a 20-0 lead into the locker room and the Browns (2-3), despite 14 fourth quarter points, lost 34-17.
Anderson continued his up-and-down season, completing 22-of-43 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. For the season, Anderson, who was named the starting quarterback after Cleveland traded Charlie Frye to Seattle following Week 1, has thrown for 1,251 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions -- the highest INT total in the AFC.
"The biggest story of the game was turnovers," added Crennel. "If you turn the ball over against a good team, they usually take advantage of it, and it costs you."
UNHAPPY RETURN
The game marked a disappointing homecoming for Crennel and linebacker Willie McGinest to Foxborough, Massachusetts. Crennel was the Patriots' defensive coordinator on each of the Patriots' three championship teams, while the veteran McGinest spent 12 years in New England before signing with the Browns prior to the 2006 season.
Ironically, New England head coach Bill Belichick served in the same capacity with Cleveland from 1991-95 and led the Browns to their last playoff victory in 1994 -- a 20-13 win over the Patriots.
BRUISED BROWNS
Lewis wasn't the only Browns player to suffer an injury on Sunday.
Jurevicius left the game in the second quarter with swelling in his right knee. X-rays taken on both players Monday came back negative and the injuries will be evaluated this week.
Wright filled in nicely for Lewis, ending the game with 59 yards on 15 carries.
"I think (Lewis) wanted to come back in," said Crennel. "They tested him on the sideline, jogged him up and down. The medical people didn't feel like it was good enough. So we held them out."
Safety Brodney Pool also left the game with a thigh contusion, while tight end Darnell Dinkins suffered a hand injury.
CRIBBS SETS RETURN MARK
Joshua Cribbs broke the Browns' all-time record for kickoff return yards with his 23-yard return late in the opening quarter.
Cribbs, signed by Cleveland as a rookie free agent in 2005, broke Dino Hall's mark of 3,185 yards. The former Kent State quarterback finished the game with 3,255 yards for his career.
UP NEXT: DOLPHINS
The Browns return to Cleveland next Sunday to welcome the winless Miami Dolphins (0-5).
In their previous matchup two years ago, Cleveland blanked Miami at home, 22-0. Prior to that game, the Dolphins had won six straight contests with the Browns dating back to 1988.