CLEVELAND, OH - Two polar opposites faced off in Cleveland; the still undefeated Browns and the lacklustre Rams.
The results were as expected, with the Browns pulling their starters in the 4th quarter, after clearly giving up - as Colt McCoy's sack for a safety showed.
St. Louis Rams at Cleveland Browns
Nov 13, 2011
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
St. Louis Rams (2-6)
3
0
3
9
15
Cleveland Browns (8-0)
3
17
10
10
40
Team Stats Comparison
STL
CLE
Total Offense
291
402
Rushing Yards
45
158
Passing Yards
246
244
First Downs
12
23
Punt Return Yards
10
57
Kick Return Yards
139
35
Total Yards
440
494
Turnovers
4 (-4)
0 (+4)
3rd Down Converstion
2-14 (14%)
9-19 (47%)
4th Down Conversion
0-0 (0%)
1-1 (100%
2-Point Conversion
0-0 (0%)
0-0 (0%)
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals
0/1
2/3
Penalties
2-10
2-10
Posession Time
20:08
27:52
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING
STL
CLE
7:43
(CLE) P.Dawson, 43 yard FG
0
3
2:19
(STL) J.Brown, 24 yard FG
3
3
SECOND QUARTER SCORING
STL
CLE
8:05
(CLE) C.McCoy 17 yard pass to E.Moore (P.Dawson kick)
3
10
7:27
(CLE) D.Jackson, returned interception 29 yards (P.Dawson kick)
3
17
0:55
(CLE) P.Dawson, 25 yard FG
3
20
THIRD QUARTER SCORING
STL
CLE
6:34
(CLE) C.McCoy 3 yard pass to G.Little (P.Dawson kick)
3
27
3:03
(CLE) P.Dawson, 34 yard FG
3
30
0:02
(STL) J.Brown, 37 yard FG
6
30
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING
STL
CLE
11:55
(STL) C.McCoy sacked in the endzone for a safety
8
30
4:54
(CLE) P.Dawson, 32 yard FG
8
33
1:54
(CLE) J.Haden returned interception 28 yards for a TD (P.Dawson kick)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - It is said that when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, something has to give.
The opening play of the game would highlight this very belief. Colin Kaepernick, filling in for the injured Alex Smith, was flushed out of the pocket to the right and hit by , knocking the ball loose. Cornerback Leigh Bodden would scoop the ball up and score the first touchdown.
Any jitters for the 9ers and their fans would be quickly quelled however, as the San Francisco offensive line set their blocks and Gore headed 80 yards upfield.
Two offensive snaps by the 9ers had resulted in 14 points.
3 minutes later Gore would score on another 95 yard run, and Adrian Peterson's single-game yardage record was already under threat with three and a half quarters still left to play.
The remainder of the game would see Dawson and Maynard trade field goals, until a literal explosion of offensive production occurred spontaneously in the fourth quarter.
To kick it off and tie the scores at 20 each Colt McCoy found his number one receiver, Greg Little.
Gore responded with an easy drive upfield and the cherry on the top was a 13 yard touchdown.
With 4 minutes remaining the Browns would milk the clock before new signing Clinton Portis - added out of free agency after the injury to Peyton Hillis - would find the endzone with 90 seconds left on the clock on a drive where quarterback Colt McCoy completed six of seven passes.
Gore already had Peterson's record wrapped up, but his 83 yard run with 50 seconds left would make it advantage San Fran.
Somehow McCoy, whose 4th quarter comebacks are becoming renowned in the league, found his way upfield and tight end Evan Moore - elevated to starter after Ben Watson's injury - caught a pass to level the scores with 20 seconds left.
Kaepernick, who had only completed 1 of 6 passes so far in the game, would complete 1 of 3 passes on the ensuing possession. The game was heading to over-time.
The first play of OT would see Kaepernick throw an interception straight at Joe Haden who was downed in field goal range and after Portis carried the ball closer to the endzone, it was given to Dawson - who dutifully converted to continue the Browns' unlikely undefeated season.
Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers
Oct 30, 2011
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
OT
SCORE
Cleveland Browns (6-0)
10
0
3
21
3
37
San Francisco 49ers (4-2)
14
3
3
14
0
34
Team Stats Comparison
CLE
SFO
Total Offense
477
449
Rushing Yards
105
437
Passing Yards
372
12
First Downs
24
8
Punt Return Yards
25
15
Kick Return Yards
63
42
Total Yards
565
506
Turnovers
4 (-2)
2 (+2)
3rd Down Converstion
9-23 (39%)
2-11 (18%)
4th Down Conversion
4-4 (100%)
0-1 (0%)
2-Point Conversion
0-0 (0%)
0-0 (0%)
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals
3/0
1/2
Penalties
0-0
5-42
Posession Time
33:55
17:13
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING
CLE
SFO
11:51
(CLE) L.Bodden, returned fumble 22 yards for TD (P.Dawson kick)
7
0
11:36
(SFO) F.Gore, 80 yard run (D.Akers kick)
7
7
8:41
(SFO) F.Gore, 95 yard run (D.Akers kick)
7
14
1:25
(CLE) P.Dawson, 4 yard FG
10
14
SECOND QUARTER SCORING
CLE
SFO
10:53
(SFO) D.Akers 55 yard FG no good
10
14
1:03
(SFO) D.Akers, 23 yard FG
10
17
THIRD QUARTER SCORING
CLE
SFO
6:48
(SFO) D.Akers, 22 yard FG
10
20
2:26
(CLE) P.Dawson, 37 yard FG
13
20
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING
CLE
SFO
9:29
(CLE) C.McCoy 19 yard pass to G.Little (P.Dawson kick)
CLEVELAND, OH - Some say football is a game of inches, others say it is a game of luck. The Cleveland Browns have been accused of 'lucky' wins already this season as the team stretches its unbeaten run.
At 5-0 a playoff berth is already on the horizon for the first time since 2002.
The latest assailants on the dream run were Tavaris Jackson and Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks, who came to Ohio with a 2-3 record.
The Browns were probably quite confident of their chances against Lynch before kickoff. Which is probably why they were so shocked when Jackson scored on a 60 yard run - breaking the tackles of a left end and strong safety in the process - on the 6th play of the game.
Jackson was probably just lucky.
Peyton Hillis was looking to reclaim his rushing crown but while a 49 yard pass from Colt McCoy for a touchdown would have pleased his fantasy football owners and the team, it didn't help him much.
Neither did the handoff to fullback Lousaka Polite on 4th and 1 on the 1. Hillis needed those inches.
In the 3rd quarter Jackson would go to the well again on 3rd and 6 on Cleveland's 6. The Browns have only allowed 5 redzone touchdowns all season, but Jackson made sure he was number 6 as he managed to squeeze his way through the line.
The scores were now tied 17 apiece heading into the home stretch. If anything the Browns had been playing down to the Seahawks' level, they should have been demolishing them.
Their defense obviously got a hard word as it stiffened up somewhat in the second half, but there is no defense against luck.
Doug Baldwin's 72 yard touchdown gave the visitors a 7 point lead with 10 minutes remaining and though the defense held the Seahawks out from the 3 yard line, Hauschka's 20 yard field goal extended the lead to 10 with 6:30 left in the game.
Not only this, but Hillis was had been out of the game with a dislocated elbow since the third quarter.
It would be a vast exaggeration to say McCoy has shown flashes of excellence this season. Even flashes of brilliance would be a stretch. But somehow his rebuttal to the field goal was swift and accurate - A 10 play, 80 yard drive using 4 minutes of the clock.
On that drive, McCoy would go 6/7 - only missing the first pass of the series. Polite would seal it at the other end for his second touchdown of the game, and the Browns had a chance again with 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning pending.
They'd done it before, to greater teams.
Lynch came out and predictably took snap after snap. What was not so predictable was his continued success - especially once D'Qwell Jackson left the game with an injury.
On the third play of the drive Lynch ran 64 yards to the Browns' 6, and that was it. Game over. The Browns had two timeouts left, which still gave the Seahawks enough time to run the clock to 0. Unlucky, Cleveland.
Two plays later and the Seahawks were on the 5 yard line. The Browns had no timeouts. Victory was assured. But Jackson dropped back to pass, who knows why.
Grave mistake. He forgot he was in the redzone. He barely had time to look at his receivers before he was met by Scott Fujita, who was a human wrecking ball on the day.
Fujita's last tackle of the game was his most crucial, as it dislodged a ball Jayme Mitchell quickly pounced on like a live grenade.
With 1:03 remaining and no timeouts, the Browns had the ball on their own 13. They would have to trust in McCoy to lead them up field. They did not have tight end Ben Watson, they were without Hillis.
All McCoy knew was that for the majority of the game, despite Hillis getting carry after carry, the Seahawks had come out in cover 2. So on first down he sent his slot receiver Josh Cribbs on a long streak. He would be uncovered and catch a 25 yard throw to the 37.
On 3rd down on the next set, with 41 seconds on the clock, McCoy found a huge hole in the midfield to hit Little on a crossing route 10 yards upfield, with Little finally being brought down on the Seahawks' 43.
The clock ticked down to 26 seconds as McCoy audibled his receivers. He needed around 15 yards to get in range for a Dawson field goal. He needed some luck.
It was luck he got as, after simply flipping the previous play, he hit Mohamed Massaquoi in the middle of the field - 4 plays surrounding him, but none within 5 yards. He would head upfield and cross over for a touchdown with the clock still showing 21 seconds remaining.
Jackson's luck had run out, the football gods punishing his greed. His next series resulted in a 3-and-out to keep the Browns' unbeaten season alive.
Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns
Oct 23, 2011
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
Seattle Seahawks (2-3)
7
3
7
10
27
Cleveland Browns (5-0)
7
10
0
17
34
Team Stats Comparison
SEA
CLE
Total Offense
471
454
Rushing Yards
291
207
Passing Yards
180
247
First Downs
16
21
Punt Return Yards
25
27
Kick Return Yards
43
104
Total Yards
539
585
Turnovers
1 (0)
1 (0)
3rd Down Converstion
5-12 (41%)
41-18 (55%)
4th Down Conversion
0-1 (0%)
2-2 (100%)
2-Point Conversion
0-0 (0%)
0-0 (0%)
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals
1/2
2/2
Penalties
1-5
0-0
Posession Time
22:46
25:14
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING
SEA
CLE
9:43
(SEA) T.Jackson, 60 yard run (S.Hauschka kick)
7
0
3:51
(CLE) C.McCoy 49 yard pass to P.Hillis
7
7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING
SEA
CLE
8:06
(CLE) P.Dawson, 25 yard FG
7
10
0:26
(CLE) L.Polite, 1 yard run (P.Dawson kick)
7
17
0:02
(SEA) S.Hauschka, 20 yard FG
10
17
THIRD QUARTER SCORING
SEA
CLE
4:58
(SEA) T.Jackson, 6 yard run (S.Hauschka kick)
17
17
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING
SEA
CLE
10:42
(SEA) T.Jackson 72 yard pass to D.Baldwin (S.Hauschka kick)
OAKLAND, LA - One week on from the death of Oakland Raiders GM Al Davis, the team is still reeling. Of course, Al would have wanted the team to continue their season - not that there's any other choice - and 'just win, baby'.
The Raiders are a team built on promise which is yet to deliver. First round pick JaMarcus Russell is already out of the NFL, but wide receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jacoby Ford, along with Darren McFadden, form a core which you feel could be elite, if it was pushed the right ways.
Head coach Hue Jackson, the first African-American to be elevated to the position - and picked personally by Davis - is having a tough initiation into the league as his team came into the game with a 3-2 record.
Not only is his team losing, his quarterback, Carson Palmer, is injured.
The Cleveland Browns on the other hand are punching well above their weight. In fact, their elusive general manager let them spend their bye week in Los Angeles, a reward for their undefeated season.
Running back Peyton Hillis is head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the league in yardage, and projected to crack the 2,000 yard mark. The team would also see the return of three key players as it looked to remain untouchable - kick return specialist Josh Cribbs, linebacker Scott Fujita and defensive lineman Phil Taylor all coming back from injury.
Almost predictably the Browns won the toss and deferred. As the majority of NFL fans know, it has been tough to run against the Cleveland defense this year - even without two starters in Fujita and Taylor - but teams still try, the Raiders picking up 7 yards through 3 plays (including a 1 yard loss on second down) to go 3-and-out.
In fact, it would take 5 changes of possession before either side had a first down as the game became more a highly-paid game of forceback than football. When that first down did come, it was a 16 yard pass from Colt McCoy to Mohamed Massaquoi. On the new set of downs the Browns would again be forced to punt.
The Raiders then finally found some spark - a 14 yard rush by McFadden followed by 20, then 2, then a pass to Kevin Boss for 6 yards, only to have that negated by a -5 yard charge by Michael Bush, the Raiders thankfully though in position for a 43 yard field goal to open the scoring 11 minutes into the game.
The forceback would begin again until Shane Lechler pinned Cribbs on his 18 yard line with no chance of a return. The following play would see the 2nd-year McCoy make one of his characteristic mistakes.
Hills was supposed to run an out-route on a first down play action play - a play the Browns had spent the entire first quarter setting up through inside runs. For some reason unknown to even Hillis, McCoy overthrew the ball to an eager Michael Huff who returned it for the first TD of the match - just as well, as McFadden was now injured and the prognosis was that he could miss several games.
The Browns, whose get-out-of-jail nature has been well documented, would get upfield and resort to a desperation play - a wide receiver screen to rookie Greg Little on 3rd and 5 in the Raiders' red zone.
Little would score his first NFL touchdown in the unlikeliest of ways for a number one receiver.
After another 3-and-out by the Raiders and Browns respectively, an 8 yard sack on first down would prove the undoing of the Browns' defense - who knew all too well the range of Janikowski.
The Browns dogged Campbell for the remainder of the series, but time and again he would complete passes - the next time they caught him was for a 2 yard loss on 3rd and 10 with 40 seconds remaining in the half - but the ball was on the 34, and within Janikowski's range as he proved with a 53 yard strike.
The 3rd quarter saw Jankikowsi hammer another nail into the coffin to make the lead 16-7 after McCoy's second interception of the day gave the ball to the Raiders in the red zone, and he would score his fourth and final three-pointer early in the fourth.
The Browns now faced a 12 point deficit with slightly more than 11 minutes remaining, and yet their crowd remained confident. Where in previous years they would have left, the fans in orange and brown now wait - convinced their team will come back from the fiery jaws of defeat once more.
We cannot know is Cribbs cast his mind back to his opening game heroics as the kickoff sailed toward him, but we do know that when he emerged seconds later and 90 yards upfield on the Raiders 10 yard line, he was ecstatic.
When McCoy found his tight end safety valve Ben Watson one play later, Cribbs exploded off the bench, high fiving all of his offensive team-mates as they trotted back. "We can do this!" he yelled. "Five points!"
After halting the Raiders on their series, the Browns began a march upfield. On 1st and 10 on their 20, McCoy found Little for a 16 yard gain. On 1st and 10 on the 36, he passed to Lousaka Polite - added out of free agency in week four - for a 7 yard pickup. On 2nd and 3 on the 43, Hillis would rush for 12. Then 1 on 1st down. Then a 9 yard pass to Cribbs to pick up another 1st on the 35. Then a huge desperation grab by Massaquoi on 3rd and 10 on the 35 picked up 24 yards.
Then something happened. The Little Engine Who Could began to run out of steam as, in a series beginning on the 11, Hillis made 0 yards, then McCoy found Watson for 6 and Hardesty picked up 1.
On 4th and 2 with 2:45 left, Pat Shurmur could take an easy 3 points to narrow the gap and mean a field goal in his favour would win it, or he could go for it.
He went for it.
Hillis was pounded at the line for a 0 yard gain.
It was now down to the Browns' D once again - though a 14 yard run by Bush on 1st down from his own 3 did not inspire confidence.
Somehow, though, they did it and Lechler was punting on 4th and 4 from his own 23. Here he made a grave error, hitting the ball off the side of his boot and sending it out at halfway.
McCoy made two fast completions to Watson and another to Cribbs to have it inside the 10, but would throw two incompletions to sit on a 3rd and 9.
The gears in Shurmur's head could almost be seen as they grinded away. "With 52 left on the clock and no timeouts, surely the Raiders won't be defending a run". "But then again, Hillis has been stopped time and again".
Is there any doubt when it comes to Pat Shurmur? He went for it.
Hillis would not get the touchdown, but he would get it to the 1. Here, the Browns lined up like they were going for the QB sneak, only to audible to an inside handoff at the last second, with 30 ticks left on the game clock.
They would go for 2, but fail. The Browns' D would hold firm to see them extend their record to 5-0, at the expense of the health of tight end Benjamin Watson, whose dislocated hip will see him miss 10 weeks. The Raiders now sit 3-3.
NOTES: The Browns (5-0) and Patriots (6-0) remain the only unbeaten teams... The Jaguars (1-5) Maurice Jones-Drew is the new leading rusher with 745 yards. Peyton Hillis is 24 yards behind him after his team's early bye week... Raiders (2-4) running back Darren McFadden will miss 6 weeks after breaking his collarbone in his team's 20-19 loss to the Browns... The Patriots' Wes Welker is the league's leading WR, with 42 rec for 638 yards and 5 TDs. The Colts (4-2) Reggie Wayme (44/621/6) and Lions (4-2) Calvin Johnson (38/609/5) trail him... Tight end is a dangerous position this year, with the Patriots' Rob Gronkowski (Torn bicep, 2 weeks), Bengals' Jermaine Gresham (Dislocated kneecap, 2 weeks), Bills' Scott Chandler (Broken collarbone, 7 weeks), Jets' Dustin Keller (Fractured foot, 9 weeks) and Chiefs' Tony Moeaki (Complete ACL tear, injured reserve) all currently occupying the casualty ward.
Cleveland Browns at Oakland Raiders
Oct 16, 2011
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
Cleveland Browns (4-0)
0
7
0
13
20
Oakland Raiders (2-3)
3
10
3
3
19
Team Stats Comparison
CLE
OAK
Total Offense
294
198
Rushing Yards
102
135
Passing Yards
192
63
First Downs
14
9
Punt Return Yards
8
8
Kick Return Yards
106
26
Total Yards
408
232
Turnovers
2 (-2)
0 (+2)
3rd Down Converstion
4-17 (23%)
3-19 (15%)
4th Down Conversion
1-2 (50%)
0-1 (0%)
2-Point Conversion
0-1 (0%)
0-0 (0%)
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals
3/0
0/2
Penalties
0-0
4-25
Posession Time
24:27
23:33
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING
CLE
OAK
0:47
(OAK) S.Janikowski, 42 yard FG
0
3
SECOND QUARTER SCORING
CLE
OAK
8:53
(OAK) M.Huff, returned interception 25 yards for TD (S.Janikowski kick)
0
10
3:55
(CLE) G.Little 11 yard pass from C.McCoy (P.Dawson kick)
7
10
0:00
(OAK) S.Janikowski, 53 yard FG
7
13
THIRD QUARTER SCORING
CLE
OAK
5:30
(OAK) S.Janikowski, 34 yard FG
7
16
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING
CLE
OAK
11:21
(OAK) S.Janikowski, 40 yard FG
7
19
11:08
(CLE) B.Watson 10 yard pass from C.McCoy (P.Dawson kick)
14
19
0:27
(CLE) P.Hillis, 1 yard run (two-point conversion no good)
