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Cleveland 6, Buffalo 3 is enough to excite Browns
fans. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
If ever a game personified the phrase, “A win is a win,” then today’s victory would be it. The Browns snapped their 10-game losing streak with a recipe that included a pair of completions for 23 yards and zero touchdowns from Derek Anderson. Eight drops helped DA finish 2-17 but stellar defense and even better special teams were enough to defeat the Buffalo Bills, 6-3. The Browns now have won consecutive games in Buffalo and left the stadium as a road victor that heard mass boos. However, the boo birds were not angry at the Browns but irate at a Bills team that out-gained the Browns, 288-193.
It is easy to fret about the Browns dismal day on offense but I would prefer to focus on the afternoons many positives. After Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan ripped on Bills QB Trent Edwards earlier in the week, his defensive stepped up significantly. Edwards encountered frequent pressure and was sacked a pair of times by a Browns defense that played a solid game collectively. It’s difficult to pinpoint one particular player who really stood out but at the same time it’s even more difficult to find one player who really looked bad. Eric Wright made a nice interception. Shaun Rogers was his typical disruptive self and Kamerion Wimbley made his presence felt (he had one of the two sacks).
If an MVP award existed for today’s game, it would likely go to Cleveland native Dave Zastudil. Zastudil flat out torched Buffalo with a 42.9-yard average on nine punts with a ridiculous seven booted inside the 20. One traveled 57 yards and one bounced in and then out of the hands of Roscoe Parrish that resulted in a Browns recovery and eventual game-winning field goal. Hats off to Zastudil and all of the special units for a brilliant effort. It would also be unfair to forget Mike Adams who downed two of those seven at the one. Adams is an example of the type of hard-nosed contributor on both defense and special teams that makes this team worth watching.
Looking forward to next week, the Browns travel to Pittsburgh with some confidence after two hard-fought efforts in a row. Nevertheless, a plethora of concerns remain, namely the season-long struggle to move the ball through the air. The problem today would appear to be all on Anderson for his pitiful stats but the eight drops signify how unreliable the personnel is around him. Mohamed Massaquoi had a few drops and just one grab after his fine performance last week and Mike Furrey, Joshua Cribbs and Brian Robiskie were MIA today. Somehow the Brownies will have to make plays in the passing game next week to compete with the hated Steelers.
Fortunately, that is not an issue to worry about today or even tomorrow. The Browns have given their loyal fan base a happy Sunday for the first time this season and smiles should grace faces across Browns nation for another six days. It was far from pretty but it was indeed a win. Hallelujah!
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