What a game! What a weekend! Alex and I each made the journey home so that we could watch the Browns in person. I even brought along a Bears fan out of the goodness of my heart (actually, so we could have someone to taunt/gloat at). We even had the opportunity to spend about half of the first quarter inside the Browns radio booth, with Jim Donovan, Doug Dieken and their crew (similar to what we did at Jacobs Field earlier this year). We'll be posting more about that later in the week (along with pictures from the experience), so stay tuned.

As for the game, it was a nail-biter for a while there, and a thriller at the end. Isn't it nice how the air smells sweeter during the week after a Browns victory? With their 20-10 win, the Browns and I are now on a 6-0 winning streak dating back to Week 17 of 2002. Just as most people predicted, it was a defensive battle--one in which the Bears offense simply sucked more.

Actually, the Bears were able to "establish the run", rushing for 176 yards, but it didn't help them any. This belies a trend that has long been highlighted by the folks at Football Outsiders--that rushing well does not lead to scoring more. That is, being able to "establish the run" early in a game does you no good. It is through the air that points are scored. When winning teams amass huge rushing totals, it is by amassing them at the end of the game when they are merely trying to run out the clock. Teams that rush well but don't pass well (like, say, the Bears... or next week's opponent, the Ravens) do not have good offenses. Yesterday's game is a perfect example of this, as the Browns were out-rushed, 176 to 76, but still owned the scoreboard thanks to their passing attack, which was far from stellar but still managed to out-gain Chicago, 218 to 117. The total yards gained are equal (Browns 294, Bears 293) but that does not tell the whole story.

Anyway, on to the regular items...

Play of the Week

Alex says: With three and a half minutes left in the game, the Browns' defense had played well, but the team still trailed 10-6, thanks to the offense doing its best Chicago Bears impression. Trent Dilfer and Antonio Bryant intervened, however, with the Play of a Week, a 33-yard toasting of Bears safety Chris Harris. That Dilfer and Bryant connected again later in the game further masked the inept offense--before this play it appeared that the Browns defense and special teams would have to do all the work for them.

Corey says: I hate to agree with Alex for fear that "Born and Raised" might sound repetetive, but Antonio Bryant's first TD catch was such a marvelous, heaven-sent play that I really have no choice. Against the best defense in the NFL, Dilfer and AB really made it look easy. The fans went banoodles! Here is a picture of me openly mocking our Bears fan friend Shannon right after the play in question:

Player of the Week

Alex says: Chris Crocker, who "forced" two fumbles and was second on the team in tackles. Late in the 3rd, Crocker knocked the ball loose from Bears RB Cedric Benson, which was recovered by Chaun Thompson. (This led to a comedy of errors on the following Browns drive: on a 3rd-and-12, WR/backup emergency QB Frisman Jackson had a hard pass fly betwixt his hands; fortunately for the Browns, LJ Shelton was flagged for holding. On 3rd-and-22, Trent Dilfer evaded the pass rush thanks to a violent hold by Joe Andruzzi and completed a first down to Dennis Northcutt on the right sideline--3rd-and-32. The team didn't come through with a 3rd-and-42, though.) As for Crocker, his other "forced fumble" was clearly dropped by Orton before anyone laid a finger on him, but Chris still deserves credit for a great rush and recovering the loose ball.

Corey says: Though I could go with Bryant, I feel the Player of the Week ought to be someone on the defense. How about Ben Taylor, who equalled a career second-best in total tackles, with 12 (to lead the team). And on only two of the plays in which Taylor made a tackle did the Bears gain more than 3 yards--one being a 6-yard run and the other being a 15-yard run. I'd say that's a pretty good day.

Quote of the Week

Alex says:

"I thought basically [Trent Dilfer] was inaccurate. You know, hey, if the guy's open and you don't hit him, that's not the defense." --Romeo Crennel

He just totally dissed the Bears' defense. Honestly, however, coach Crennel is right in his analysis of the offense: although Chicago has a good pass rush--their coverage never seemed to be extraordinary. On Dilfer's two interceptions especially, the blame has to be laid at the feet of the quarterback. Thank LeBron, it appears the days of the woes of the offensive line being the catch-all for the Browns' problems are over. Fortunately for Trent, though, he managed two highlight-reel touchdowns as a saving grace--and Clevelanders will likely soon forget the mistakes.

Corey says:

"[Romeo's] philosophy is that we've got to be the most conditioned team out there, and it definitely helped today. The [Bears'] pash rush wasn't as fierce as it was at the beginning of the game and we were able to keep our momentum. It comes back to conditioning. We run three times a week, and we made a mention of that on the field to some guys on the Bears and they thought we were crazy. But hey, it obviously showed in the fourth quarter." --Jeff Faine

I don't know if Faine's assertion that the Browns are in better physical condition than the Bears is true or not, but I have genuine doubts about whether that could have been the reason the Browns won the game. Remember, of the two touchdowns that came at the end, the first was set up by the special teams (Northcutt returned the punt to midfield) and was preceded by only four offensive plays, and the other was set up by Chris Crocker's fumble recovery and was preceded by only one offensive play. So it is hard for me to believe that the unwavering physical condition of the Browns offensive line was what got them the advantage in the fourth quarter.

Ryan Pontbriand Honorary Special Teams Moment of the Week

Alex says: Channelling Browns legend Chris Gardocki (and no doubt inspired by the #17 GARDOCKI jersey worn by the Official Dad of the Mistake by the Lake Sporting Times), Kyle Richardson, with 13:22 left in the fourth quarter, pinned the opposing team on their own 3-yard line with the help of Michael Lehan. This punt gave the terrible Chicago offense about no chance to score for the rest of the game--as they never crossed midfield again.

Corey says: This is as good a time as any to remind everyone that, just like last year, Human Phil Dawson has begun the season with an impressive field goal streak. The Bears were forced to use a replacement kicker (Robbie Gould) in yesterday's game, and for a moment it looked like his early missed field goal would loom large (as the Browns led by 3 after AB's first score). Dawson, on the other hamd, was perfect on the day, as is his wont. Time will tell how far into the season Human Phil will play before sending in his robot doppelgänger for a game or two.

Obscure Brown of the Week

Alex says: Kickoff returner Josh Cribbs, who returned from an injury he sustained on the first play of the regular season. Cribbs not only returned three kickoffs on the game for a decent average of 22 yards, he also managed to equal the defensive contributions of one Gerard Warren on the week (1 tackle), thus continuing a long Mistake by the Lake Sporting Times tradition of honoring those Obscure Browns talented enough to outplay the foxy Warren.

Corey says: Linebacker Orlando Ruff, who tackled rookie running back Cedric Benson for no gain on a 4th-and-2 in the second quarter, thus getting the Browns the ball back on a turnover by downs. At the time, the Browns led by 3, and Chicago was in field goal range, so Lovie Smith's reluctance to rely on his kicker, coupled with Orlando's great play on the ensuing conversion attempt were huge for the Browns.

Fashion of the Week

Alex says: I choose the #24 BAXTER, since the Browns have had their share of great defensive backs in the past, and it seems that Gary Baxter is the first of that ilk for the New Browns. Not to disrespect Daylon McCutcheon, who is a sure-handed tackler and has a cool name, but Baxter is a fantastic cover-man and I also like the name "Baxter". Plus the #24 is too cool for a loser like Robert Griffith, so it's nice to see Gary taking his spot.

Corey says: How about one of our all-time favorites, the truly classic #98 "BIG DAWG". Here is a picture of us and the Big Dawg himself, John Thompson, in our historic first meeting:

Idiot of the Week

Alex says: Bears running back Thomas Jones, for evading and breaking so many tackles. It is simpler to name one Chicago RB than all of the Browns defense, but likely more blame should be heaped on the defenders. Despite all the talk of a solid defensive performace and so on, the truth remains that the Bears' offense plain sucks. Really sucks. So to allow so many rushing yards is particularly embarassing. Meanwhile, these defensive deficiencies may be masked again next week as the Browns take on the offensively-challenged Baltimorons.

Corey says: My Idiot of the Week is Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, whose lame, Poochie-style, "hip", "fresh" new arena entertainment package has allegedly led to the firing of Mistake by the Lake favorite "Nasally Guy" as the Cavaliers PA announcer. Now the only place we'll be abale to hear NG's sweet, nasal voice is at Browns Stadium (where, I assure you, he put on a spectacular performance yesterday). As much as I enjoy hearing him say things like "William Green the ballcarrier; loss of twelve on the play", I will truly miss his classic catchphrase, "Timeout, Cavaliers. Cavaliers, timeout!"

Number of the Week

Alex says: 5/15, or 33%--the Bears' combined 3rd and 4th-down conversion rate for the game. The NFL average hovers somewhere around 40% for third down and 50% for fourth, so the Browns defense's success at preventing first downs was a major factor in the low-scoring nature of the game. Plus if you subtract the wrenching conversion of a 3rd-and-19 with a run up the middle by Adrian Peterson during the fourth quarter, things look even better.

Corey says: 3, the number of fumble recoveries the Browns had yesterday and also their turnover differential on the season, which ranks them 9th in the NFL. It has been shown statistically that fumble recoveries are not due to any sort of team skill or "nose for the ball", nor are they predictive of future fumble-recovering performance in any way, shape or form. In essence, which team recovers a fumble is random, so perhaps we should be thanking our lucky stars that the Browns came away with three of the Bears' five fumbles, since those turnovers led to 10 of the Browns' 20 points.

Next week: The Browns make the arduous journey to the land of evil and cheating, Baltimore, MD, where they will reel off a quick victory over the hapless Baltimorons before retreating to friendly lands. Join us once again as we count the many reasons why Ray Lewis is the Idiot of the Week, on another "Born and Raised on the Cleveland Browns"!