Whenever the Browns win, it's good day. But this game drove me nuts!
View full sizeAs it turned out, the difference in Sunday's game was Phil Dawson being able to make his field goal before John Kasay missed his, says a relieved (and befuddled) Terry Pluto.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's a win.
That's what the standings will reveal after the Browns' agonizing 24-23 victory over Carolina at Browns Stadium Sunday.
Whenever the Browns win, it's good day. But this game drove me nuts!
I loved how Phil Dawson drilled that 41-yard field goal with 2:41 left to put the Browns ahead to stay. Dawson did miss two field goals at Jacksonville last week, but both were from more than 50 yards.
One of the most under-appreciated Browns ever, Dawson is 16-of-17 on kicks from inside the 50. When the Browns needed someone to make that 41-yard field goal, no one -- absolutely no one -- is better suited to take that kick than Dawson.
But I'll say it again ... this game drove me nuts!
I was really upset with the Browns' offense until the final Carolina drive of the game. That's when the Panthers drove from their 5 to the Browns 24. That march began with 59 seconds left, Carolina with no timeouts and a struggling rookie quarterback in Jimmy Clausen.
How can the defense allow Clausen and the one-win Panthers move down the field with such ease?
And just how did John Kasay miss that 42-yard field goal on the final play? The veteran had connected from 42, 43 and 43 yards earlier. He had missed only one field goal inside the 50 all season -- until Sunday, when he failed twice, including from 46 yards in the third quarter.
This game really drove me nuts!
The Browns had a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter. They were at home. They were facing a team with a lame-duck coach, far too many rookies and no reason to really want to win this game. But the Panthers nearly did.
The Browns did some things very well.
Peyton Hillis may be the most entertaining and effective running back since the Browns returned in 1999. He bulled his way to three touchdowns. He rambled and rushed and stiff-armed and high-kicked his way to 131 yards in 26 carries. Don't even begin to guess where the Browns would be without Hillis this season.
After the game, coach Eric Mangini kept saying, "This should not happen." He meant the final kick. He meant how the Browns allowed Carolina to get back into the game. He meant two interceptions from Jake Delhomme, one returned for a touchdown.
Which really drove me nuts. The 36-year-old veteran quarterback keeps putting up question marks at the end of his distinguished career.
Browns president Mike Holmgren invested $7 million in a gut feeling that Delhomme's 2009 nightmarish season of 18 interceptions and eight touchdowns was an aberration. He was hoping that he saw something in Delhomme that could be fixed, something that the Panthers didn't think could be repaired when they paid $12 million in cutting Delhomme.
The reason is games like this, games where it seems Delhomme has it together ... for a while.
When he has a chance to make the throw to his primary receiver, Delhomme is effective. He can deliver the ball downfield. He can use a variety of receivers. But when that first option is in trouble, so is Delhomme. He can't move very well. He tends to rush and throw into double coverage. There is a sense that his confidence is shaken.
Someone should tell Delhomme that the next time he tries to pass when being dragged to the ground by a defender, it's a $100,000 fine -- or something. A veteran must know better than even to consider such a risky play.
A timeout for a moment: Was it necessary to throw the ball 35 times with Delhomme when the Browns were averaging 4.8 yards per carry? Yes, he completed 24, but putting the game in his hands is a little like heading to the casino with $300 when you need to make $500 to pay the mortgage. Nearly every time he dropped back to throw, I held my breath.
I do give Delhomme credit for putting together that drive from the Browns' 30 to the Carolina 24. The veteran was 5-of-5 passing. He threw two to Brian Robiskie and two more to Hillis. Mohamed Massaquoi had a nice catch. Then Dawson booted what became the game-winner.
But even this drove me nuts as the Browns needed only one yard and had two plays to do it -- but failed to convert before Dawson saved the day. Robiskie had a very strong day with seven catches -- he had only nine entering the game. Joe Haden picked off his fourth pass.
And the Browns raised their record to 4-7.
But it was still maddening to watch.