Four turnovers and some questionable coaching decisions doom the Browns to a 20-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, marking the ninth time in 12 years they've had 10 or more losses. Watch video
The Browns played for a field goal to end the first half, purposely using a slow pace and saving two timeouts to keep the Baltimore Ravens from getting the ball.
Then they opened the second half with a surprise onside kick while down by three points.
It failed, bounding out of bounds short of the required 10 yards and giving the Ravens charitable field position. The Ravens scored three plays later for the final points of a 20-10 win Sunday in Cleveland Browns Stadium.
That sequence might sum up the coaching era of Eric Mangini.
Play it safe. Be daring. Which will it be?
Turnovers were blamed for this loss -- the 10th in 15 games this year and 21st in 31 under Mangini. It's the ninth time in 12 years the Browns have had 10 or more losses. Colt McCoy tossed three interceptions in his worst NFL performance in seven games as a starter.
Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, the target for all of the passes intercepted -- two by Browns-killer Ed Reed -- also lost a fumble after a catch.
But the decisions wrapped around the halftime intermission couldn't have helped a coach readying for another post-season inquisition with his boss, President Mike Holmgren.
As usual, Mangini's explanations for the head-scratchers were steeped in reasoned coach-speak.
He said at the end of the first half he wanted to run the clock so that the Browns would score -- preferably a touchdown, but a field goal if need be -- without giving the Ravens time for a final possession.
"Get the points that are available from our perspective and not give their offense, which is a really good offense, a chance to go down and score," Mangini said.
In other words, they weren't confused as they let 45 seconds run off between with the ball on the Ravens' 24-yard line.
"That's what we wanted to do from the sideline," McCoy said. "We weren't trying to not score. We took some shots at the end zone. But these guys, they're very good when you get down tight. Taking care of the ball, getting three points going into halftime without giving them the ball back, we have the momentum at that point."
Left tackle Joe Thomas concurred, "It was good football."
Now to the onside kick. Last week in Cincinnati, Mangini overruled special teams coordinator Brad Seely and attempted an onside kick with more than two minutes left and the Browns behind, 19-17. On Sunday, Seely was gung-ho about surprising the Ravens with an onside kick to open the second half. They practiced it all week.
The Browns noticed the Ravens backtracked early on their right side to set up their kickoff return. So after confirming the trend during the game, kicker Phil Dawson was instructed to tap the ball to the left of the Browns' formation. Joe Haden was there all alone to cover it, but the ball bounced out of bounds two yards' short of the required 10 for a legal kick.
"I know that hurt Phil a lot," Haden said. "He was perfect in practice."
The Ravens were awarded possession at the Browns' 38-yard line. Three plays later, Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco connected in the end zone with Derrick Mason, who caught the ball after cornerback Sheldon Brown interfered.
The Browns couldn't make up the 10-point deficit.
Unlike recent games, the offense was excellent on extending drives. It was a robust 7-of-11 on third-down conversions. But the Browns couldn't score on their final four possessions.
They crossed mid-field twice, had to punt three times and finally had their hopes dashed when Reed intercepted McCoy a second time in the end zone.
McCoy also was intercepted on his first series by Lardarius Webb at the Baltimore four on an underthrown ball. Reed's two steals confirmed McCoy's mid-week assessment that one of the keys for him in his first test against the Ravens was to identify Reed's location at all times.
He didn't see Reed on the first INT intended for Massaquoi and overthrew his receiver on the last one.
Reed also injured running back Peyton Hillis' ribs with a hard hit to his back on the Browns' second play of the game. With Hillis a non-factor (12 carries for 35 yards, one catch for five), McCoy had the worst statistical game of his seven starts. He was 15 of 29 for 149 yards. He had no TDs and three INTs for a passer rating of 27.0.
Baltimore's Ed Reed intercepts a ball intended for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in the fourth quarter Sunday in Cleveland. Reed had two interceptions on the day. The Browns' lone touchdown was on a razzle-dazzle receiver option pass by Massaquoi to Brian Robiskie, who circled behind cornerback Chris Carr and cradled the ball while hitting the turf. The play survived a replay review.
If McCoy performed like a rookie quarterback playing against the voracious Ravens defense for the first time, he sounded like a seasoned veteran after the game.
"Turnovers killed us today and most of it is on me," said McCoy, whose record as a starter dropped to 2-5. "I've got to fix that. I've got to take care of the ball and I've got to know where Ed Reed is. He read my eyes the whole game and made plays. As a quarterback, you have to go back and watch it. I'm going to play these guys for a long time."
Baltimore's victory accomplished two things. It clinched the Ravens (11-4) an AFC wild-card berth. It also made the Browns' season finale against Pittsburgh a meaningful game for the Steelers (11-4). A Browns' victory, would knock the Steelers down to a wild card and help the Ravens claim the division title and first-round playoff bye.
But would an upset over the Steelers clinch a Mangini return in 2011? Only one man knows, and he's not talking.