In many ways, the Browns' 13-10 victory at Miami was how Eric Mangini hoped to win.
View full sizeEric Barton celebrated Shaun Rogers' block of a field goal attempt by Miami's Dan Carpenter in the first quarter on Sunday. The Browns were able to celebrate getting a lot of the little things right in defeating the Dolphins, says Terry Pluto.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- "People like progress," said Eric Mangini. "But they don't like change, and the pain that comes along the way."
The Browns coach smiled as he said those words following his team's 13-10 victory at Miami.
Change is how the Browns won this game as they forced Miami into three turnovers, while making none themselves. Change is how Miami entered the day determined to run the ball, but the Browns stopped them when it meant the most.
Change is how a Browns team with no chance of the playoffs went on the road against a team needing to win to at least dream about the postseason -- and the Browns proved to be mentally and physically stronger.
Suddenly, the Browns are 5-7, having won four of their last six. Suddenly, they have a two-game winning streak, both victories coming on the final play. Suddenly, the Browns are a team that no one wants to play -- just ask contenders New Orleans, New England and the New York Jets.
You can argue that the Browns were lucky to beat Carolina, 24-23, last week when a Panthers' field-goal attempt kissed the upright.
You can try to make the case that the Browns were fortunate Sunday, when it appeared Miami's Nolan Carroll would intercept a Jake Delhomme fourth-quarter pass and return it for a touchdown -- but he dropped it.
You can say someone from the football heavens must have been wearing orange and brown when David Bowens deflected Chad Henne's pass. That was with 65 seconds left in a 10-10 game. The ball banged off Bowens' hand and found its way into Mike Adams' arms. He returned it to the Miami 2, setting up the game-winning field goal.
But the fact is the Browns have been putting themselves in position to win games nearly every week. They are sticking to Mangini's gospel of intense practice preparation. Bowens mentioned how Henne has had a dozen passes deflected in his last four games, so the Browns rushers were determined to keep their hands high in hopes of putting at least a finger on the ball.
Which Bowens did.
He was one of the veteran players and former Jets imported by Mangini to help change the losing and lax culture that had its claws in the Cleveland clubhouse. The man who caught the deflection was Adams. He is a holdover from the Phil Savage/Romeo Crennel regime who has bought into the discipline installed by Mangini and his coaching staff.
"Two years ago, or even last year, you can remember us losing a game like that," said Adams.
How about earlier this season, when the Browns lost three games by four or fewer points?
"Resiliency is learned," said Mangini. "We've been in a lot of games, it nice to win some close ones. We keep telling the guys to win each game that is in front of us, to keep getting better."
That's not an easy sell when it's December and a team is out of the playoff hunt. Hurting players want to sit out, others don't feel like putting in the extra work required to prevail in tight games.
If you dial back to the 4-game winning streak at the conclusion of 2009, the Browns are 9-7 in their last 16 games, which is the length of an NFL season. That is progress.
While you can say that this was ugly football, perfect for those who love the days of leather helmets and no face masks, the Browns needed some clutch late-game passes from Delhomme to win.
"We knew this would be game of attrition, because they are so big, physical and strong," said Delhomme, who was handed a conservative game plan and handled it well by completing 24 of 34 passes for 217 yards.
Delhomme, 36, talked about how "it never gets old to win in the NFL," and he meant no matter how it happens.
Victory-starved Browns fans sure know that's true, which is why what they have been watching lately is so refreshing.