It was a great season for the Cleveland Browns, one almost no one saw coming (including most of the people in the Browns organization). However, despite going 10-6, the Browns will find themselves home for the playoffs.
Cleveland went into yesterday needing a win and a Tennessee Titans loss to clinch a post-season berth. They took care of their end by beating the pitiful Niners 20-7, then settled in to watch Tennessee's match-up with the Indianapolis Colts. Indy, having nothing to play for themselves, removed Peyton Manning after the first series of the second quarter, leaving Cleveland's fate in the hands of back-up Jim Sorgi. The Titans' performance was far from scintillating, but it was enough to defeat Sorgi and the Colts' second-string, giving them a playoff spot and leaving Cleveland's faithful sobbing in their beverages of choice.
The season didn't have to come down to the final weekend for the Browns - they had a chance to take control in week 16 against Cincinnati, but QB Derek Anderson played his worst game of the year, throwing four picks in helping his team lose to the Bungles. The home stretch was often frustrating for Anderson whose insertion in the line-up after the early season release of Charlie Frye set the team's unlikely run in motion, but whose performance tapered off as the weather worsened and the pressure grew.
It was a fantastic season for Cleveland in spite of the bitter ending. Their offense developed into one of the most dynamic in the league: Braylon Edwards emerged as a true #1 receiver, and Kellen Winslow II shook off years of (sometimes self-inflicted) injury problems to finally live up to his draft-day hype. Left tackle Joe Thomas, a top pick this year, was one of the league's best rookies; and Jamal Lewis showed he still has plenty in the tank by rushing for over 1300 yards.
No one is happier about Cleveland's turn-around year than Romeo Crennel, who began the season on the hot-seat, but now finds himself being lauded as the architect of the franchise's resurgence. Crennel is such a hot commodity that his name is even coming up in connection to the Miami Dolphins, who will need a new coach as soon as Bill Parcells gets around to axing Cam Cameron.
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Cleveland Browns
Tags: braylon edwards, cleveland browns, derek anderson, kellen winslow, romeo crennel
