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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
CLEVELAND (AP) -- For one more Sunday, Cleveland Browns fans got
to scream, curse, mock and second-guess Bill Belichick. And for the
first time they enjoyed every minute of it.
|  | | Drew Bledsoe was sacked by Cleveland's Keith McKenzie for an 11-yard loss in the first quarter, one of three sacks for the Browns. |
Phil Dawson kicked a career-high four field goals, and
quarterback Doug Pederson efficiently moved the ball as the Browns
snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 19-11 victory over
Belichick and the Patriots.
With the victory, the Browns (3-8) surpassed their win total of
1999, and as far as their fans are concerned, they couldn't have
done it against a better guy than Belichick.
"This a double bonus for our fans," said Browns president
Carmen Policy. "It seems they don't have a particular fondness for
coach Belichick."
Belichick, who coached the Browns from 1991-95, made his first
appearance in Cleveland since the franchise moved to Baltimore
nearly five years ago.
While he was here, Belichick was as unpopular as any coach in
Browns history, and Cleveland fans didn't miss a chance to taunt
him Sunday. They booed him during pregame introductions and
reprised the chant "Bill Must Go!", which became a weekly ritual
during home games in his Browns tenure.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question on the Patriots: Should the Patriots have played Drew Bledsoe, who had a bad
thumb?
Donahoe: Bledsoe started despite reports all week that he was very
questionable, but he must have felt OK in the pregame (at least OK enough to
play). The Patriots' problem today wasn't so much Bledsoe -- they just can't
seem to find a way to win a football game. The Patriots played pretty good
defense again today, but they have shown all season a lack of playmakers on
both sides of the ball. So you can't pin today's loss on Drew Bledsoe.
Question on the Browns: How did Cleveland score 19 points after
managing just 16 in their previous four games?
Donahoe: Since the injury to Tim Couch, the Browns have had a
tough time scoring. But today they featured a controlled passing game, with
Doug Pederson throwing
high-percentage passes and Jamel
White doing some good running. Any time you can put 19 points on the
board and come away with a win in this league, it's encouraging to the
entire team.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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Belichick was typically stoic after the game. If he was
moved by the homecoming, he didn't show it.
"This is a place where I spent a good chunk of my coaching
career," Belichick said. "The drive around the stadium and seeing
the place that I coached at for five years was a little
nostalgic."
Cleveland's defense recovered three fumbles and intercepted a
pass from New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who was
questionable until game time after jamming his right thumb last
week.
"I'm sure he was less than 100 percent," said Belichick, who
decided to stick with his QB after watching him in warmups. "I
thought he was good enough to play. I'm not saying he was perfect,
but I thought he had pretty good velocity on the ball."
Bledsoe, who was sacked three times, didn't seem comfortable in
the pocket and finished 21-of-35 for 212 yards and one TD. He said
he never had any doubt he would play.
"And you can expect me to continue to play unless something
else happens," he said.
Pederson, completing 11 passes to his running backs, went
20-for-37 for 138 yards for the Browns. Cleveland was ranked last
in the NFL in total offense, but didn't make a turnover or the same
mistakes that have plagued it all season.
Dawson kicked field goals of 39, 43, 35 and 35 yards. The Browns
also scored their first touchdown in nearly 15 quarters and scored
more points than they had in the last four games combined.
"My eyes lit up when I saw the end zone," said rookie tight
end Aaron Shea, who scored on a 9-yard pass from Pederson. "I was
just so happy to break that drought. For anyone to score, I was
going to be happy."
The Patriots (2-8) lost their fourth in a row and again couldn't
win a close one. Seven of New England's eight losses this season
have been by eight points or less.
Bledsoe's 2-yard scoring pass to tight end Rod Rutledge with
5:48 remaining cut the Browns' lead to 19-9, and the Patriots
converted the 2-point conversion.
But after the teams traded punts, the Browns ran out the final
3:09 to secure just their second home win in two seasons.
"We have one more win than last year," cornerback Corey Fuller said. "That's what it's all about, getting better every year.
We're still a young team, but it's all going to come together."
Finally given a short field to work with after defensive tackle
Darius Holland picked off Bledsoe, the Browns made a rare trip into
the end zone with 4:09 remaining in the first half on Pederson pass
to Shea.
The score gave the Browns a 10-3 lead and gave Cleveland its
first touchdown in nearly a month.
The Browns, held to six points in their last three games, went
231 minutes, 45 seconds between TDs, since scoring in their Oct. 15
game at Denver.
"I felt more pressure getting the ball in the end zone than
getting the win," Pederson said. "The win was a team effort.
Getting the TD was almost more gratifying."
Game notes
Cleveland leads the all-time series 12-5. ... Browns guard
Jim Bundren broke his right ankle in the third quarter. Bundren,
who will have surgery on Monday, is Cleveland's fifth offensive
starter to suffer a season-ending injury. The club also lost backup
QB Ty Detmer for the year. ... The four takeaways were a season
high for the Browns. ... Patriots nose tackle Henry Thomas'
unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the first quarter was explained
by referee Gerry Austin as "calling the offensive signals."
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ALSO SEE
New England Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
Week 11 wrap-ups
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