David Bowens has played sparingly this season, but enjoyed the game of his life on Sunday.
T.J. Ward leaps into David Bowens' arms after Bowens' second interception Sunday sealed the Browns' 30-17 victory over the Saints.NEW ORLEANS, La. -- David Bowens walked up to the podium in the post-game press conference room, pumped his fist, and proclaimed, "this is first time ever in here. It feels good. Yes!"
If anyone deserved that trip following Sunday's 30-17 upset of the Saints, it was Bowens, who scored on two pick-sixes, a 30-yarder in the second quarter to make it 20-3 Browns and a 64-yarder in the fourth to make it 30-10 and settle the issue with 3:33 remaining.
"They say I got snow on the roof, but there's fire in the chimney that's still going," said the gray-haired 12-year veteran.
Bowens, who scored one other TD in his career in 2007, had half of the Browns' four interceptions against Drew Brees. He became the first Brown to return two INTs for TDs in the same game since Bob Franklin in 1960 against the Bears.
"You don't dream of games like this," he said. "It's unbelievable! Stuff just happened the way it did and I was thankful for the opportunity to play. [Defensive coordinator] Rob [Ryan] really had a lot of calls with me in the game and we had a heckuva pass rush. Everyone stayed after it."
Bowens' jubilation was a far cry from the frustration he felt on opening day in Tampa when he found out about 90 minutes before the game that he was inactive. The decision snapped his streak of playing in 100 consecutive games, which was fifth among active linebackers at the time.
Ever the team player, Bowens acknowledged his disappointment, but kept his chin up and continued to work hard. He played sparingly over the next few weeks, with his most extensive time coming in the Superdome.
"It's just been a long road," he said. "I've always been positive, no matter what the circumstances were. After I was inactive for the first game, I just said I was going to give them a reason to put me on the field. That's been my M.O. going out there and contributing anyway that I can -- staying positive, keeping everybody alive. Where ever I'm needed in the game plan, I'll fill in."
"I had 60 yards to decide what I was going to do. I can't dance," said David Bowens on his second interception. "All I can think about watching New Orleans highlights with Reggie Bush flipping over into the end zone. I said 'I'm going to do it,' but I can't do it as sweet as he does because I'm a little heavier than he is, a little older."Bowens' teammates razzed him in the locker room after the game and gave him grief for his ugly somersault into the end zone after the second pick.
"They said I'm the oldest guy to score 2 touchdowns since Larry Csonka," said Bowens, 33. "I've been hearing this for the last three years, so it's nothing new to me. It just shows the love they have for me and the respect they have for me.
"All the support and all the camaraderie we have in this locker room. We talk about it all the time, about our team being a big family. That's exactly what it is."
Cornerback Eric Wright called it a "spectacular day" for the defense's elder statesman and inspirational leader.
"He can make plays like that all the time," said Wright. "The ball just bounced in his hands a lot today. Surprisingly, he was able to run and score the touchdowns. We should've put him on the throwback [on the punt return] instead of me. He had more gas."
When a reporter observed that both picks were athletic plays, the good-natured Bowens quipped, "what are you trying to say?"
On the first one, after Matt Roth applied extreme pressure, Brees' pass bounced off Bowens hands, then off the backside of guard Jahri Evans, and back into Bowens' hands. He ran the 30 yards on a gimpy knee and leaped into the end zone.
"I was just staying with the ball," said Bowens. "We had a blitz on, I was blitzing and Drew had sprinted out so I read out of the blitz and he launched it. It hit me and it hit someone else and I just stayed with it. I scored, man."
On the second one, Bowens picked off a short pass over the middle, then loped 64 yards for the score. Benard had the pressure that time.
"It's like tunnel vision," said Bowens. "Everything just slows down. [Linebacker] Jason Trusnik was out there and he was telling me to pitch the ball to him. Whatever. It was kind of like playing Madden out there. You just see everybody and the quarterback just gives up on the play in the end. It's priceless."
On his forward roll, the former high school tight end and tailback said, "I had 60 yards to decide what I was going to do. I can't dance. All I can think about watching New Orleans highlights with Reggie Bush flipping over into the end zone. I said 'I'm going to do it,' but I can't do it as sweet as he does because I'm a little heavier than he is, a little older."
Bowens said the mantra all week was "don't give [Brees] a clean look. Because Drew by far is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. If he can read it, it's going to go and it's going to go deep."
So, was it the highlight game of his career?
"I don't know yet," he said with a smile. "It's not over. I'm still going."