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Week 5 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 17, New England Patriots 34
What you need to know
| Cleveland Browns |
In a game in which the Browns had to play almost perfectly in order to have a chance to win, they did not. Four turnovers were too much to overcome, even though Cleveland gained over 350 yards of offense. Derek Anderson threw three interceptions along with two touchdown passes.
Jamal Lewis left the game with a foot injury after gaining 11 yards on his first carry. He was x-rayed in the locker room, returned to the bench where he appeared to get taped up, but did not return to the game. He was replaced by third year running back Jason Wright who filled in admirably. Wright ran hard inside and gained over 100 total yards. He is 30 pounds lighter than Lewis and seems quicker to the hole.
Joe Jurevicius also left the game in the first quarter with what was described as a knee injury and did not return to the game. Kellen Winslow caught one touchdown pass and Tim Carter, filling in for Jurevicius, caught the other. Braylon Edwards once again led all Cleveland receivers with six balls for 110 yards despite New England's attempts to limit his production.
The Browns were shut out in the first half and scored their two touchdowns in fourth quarter long after the outcome had been decided.
| New England Patriots |
Brady's three touchdown passes tied Steve Young's NFL record of throwing at least three TD passes in five straight games to begin a season. Brady had plenty of time to scan the field and spread the ball around to eight different receivers. He mixed in some no-huddle with traditional play calling while completing 22 of 38 passes for 265 yards.
Sammy Morris gained 102 yards while again filling in for the injured Laurence Maroney. Donte' Stallworth caught four passes and scored one touchdown, while TE Ben Watson caught six passes for 107 yards and two TDs. Randy Moss was relatively quiet, catching only three balls for 46 yards.
The third quarter was remarkably unproductive for New England. They seemed to lack intensity and punted on each of their three possessions, marking the first quarter this season in which they were shut out. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Cleveland scored a touchdown to make it 20--10, but Brady responded with his second touchdown pass to Watson. Late in the game, after the Browns took over on downs deep in their own, Randall Gay forced a Winslow fumble, recovered the loose ball, and scored the final New England touchdown.
All pro safety Rodney Harrison returned from his four game suspension for HGH. The Patriot's sacked Derek Anderson three times and also intercepted him three times on three tipped passes. Junior Seau grabbed two and Asante Samuel caught the other. New England scored 14 points off turnovers.
What you ought to know
| QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 22 - 43 - 287 - 2 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 3 - 7 - 0 |
Anderson completed 22 of 43 for 267 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw three costly interceptions. On the positive side, he has demonstrated real tenacity and the ability to get the ball to both Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow the way Charlie Frye could not. On the negative side, he forced his first interception into triple coverage on third and goal from the one yard line with Cleveland only down by a field goal.
| RB Jason Wright, Rush: 15 - 59 - 0, Rec: 4 - 43 - 0 (6 targets) |
Pressed into service when Lewis was injured, Wright ran hard and against the tough Patriots' defense. He totaled over 100 yards of offense and, if Lewis cannot play, showed that he is a capable replacement. He also was targeted six times and caught four passes.
| RB Lawrence Vickers, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) |
In limited play, Vickers caught two passes and had one carry. He is the backup fullback.
| RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0 |
Lewis was injured on his first carry of the game and was x-rayed in the locker room. He returned to the sideline, had his ankle taped, but did not return to the game.
| WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 6 - 110 - 0 (11 targets) |
Edwards has shown to be nearly unstoppable this year regardless of how defenses plot against him. He again led all Cleveland receivers with six balls for 110 yards and helps Winslow get open over the middle. Since Anderson became the starter in game two, Edwards has scored a total of four touchdowns and gained at least 83 yards per game.
| WR Tim Carter, Rec: 3 - 50 - 1 (6 targets) |
Carter caught three passes for 50 yards, and his diving 21 yard in the fourth quarter was the Browns' first touchdown of the game. He replaced Joe Jurevicius who left in the second quarter with a knee injury.
| WR Joe Jurevicius, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) |
Jurevicius caught one passes for 17 yards, but left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and was replaced by Tim Carter. Jurevicius had already scored three touchdowns this season.
| WR Josh Cribbs, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0 |
The former Kent State quarterback averaged 23.6 yards per kickoff return, and also lined up a wide receiver and ran a reverse for 11 yards.
| TE Kellen Winslow Jr, Rec: 4 - 49 - 1 (10 targets) |
Winslow had another big game against a formidable defense, catching four passes for 49 yards and one touchdown. He also had another potential TD pass near the end of the game called incomplete when he had stepped over the end line. Winslow also lost a fumble late in the fourth quarter that was returned for the last New England touhdown.
| TE Steve Heiden, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (3 targets) |
Primarily used in blocking situations, Heiden is also a capable receiver. He caught two passes for ten yards and was targeted in the first quarter when Anderson's pass was intercepted in the end zone.
| PK Phil Dawson 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points |
Dawson was perfect on both extra points and hit a 42 yard field goal.
| CLE Rush Defense |
New England rolled up 147 yards on the ground and averaged 4.6 per carry. Even with Maroney missing the game, the Patriots offensive line was able to carve holes in the Browns' defense.
| CLE Pass Defense |
Brady completed 57.9 percent of his passes and was not sacked or intercepted. The Patriots gained a total of 417 yards of offense.
| QB Tom Brady, Pass: 22 - 38 - 265 - 3 TD / 0 INT |
Brady's three touchdown passes tied Steve Young's record of throwing at least three TD passes in five straight games to begin a season. He spread the ball around to eight different receivers and had plenty of time to throw on practically every play. He ran some no-huddle offense mixed in with traditional play calling and completed 22 of 38 passes for 265 yards. He was not sacked nor did he throw an interception.
| RB Sammy Morris, Rush: 21 - 102 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) |
Morris started his second straight game as Maroney recovers from a groin injury. Morris ran for tough yards against a stubborn Cleveland defense, but still averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Even with Maroney in the lineup, Morris is more likely to get ball at the goal line.
| RB Kyle Eckel, Rush: 6 - 16 - 0 |
The former Navy midshipman saw action in the fourth quarter when New England was trying to run time off the clock. At 5'11" and 237, he teamed with the 250 pound Heath Evans to form a jumbo backfield with some success. He carried six times and averaged 2.6 yards per carry but had a long run of ten yards.
| RB Kevin Faulk, Rush: 3 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) |
Faulk was again the third down back but only caught one pass in this game. He also carried three times for six yards.
| RB Heath Evans (1 targets) |
Evans was primarily the blocking back and did not catch the one pass thrown to him.
| RB Laurence Maroney |
Maroney missed his second game because of a groin injury.
| WR Donte Stallworth, Rush: 1 - 12 - 0, Rec: 4 - 65 - 1 (7 targets) |
Stallworth had a big game, catching four balls for 65 yards and one touchdown. On his TD, he caught a short pass over the middle, broke one tackle, and followed a Sammy Morris block into the end zone. Stallworth also ran a reverse for 12 yards, but later dropped a third down pass that would have gained much more than a first down.
| WR Wes Welker, Rec: 4 - 19 - 0 (6 targets) |
Welker caught four passes 19 yards, and also returned two kickoffs for 51 yards.
| WR Randy Moss, Rec: 3 - 46 - 0 (8 targets) |
In an unusually quiet day for Moss, he caught three passes for 46 yards. Before this game, Moss had gained at least 100 yards per game and scored a total of seven touchdowns.
| WR Jabar Gaffney, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets) |
In limited action, Gaffney caught one pass for five yards.
| TE Ben Watson, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0, Rec: 6 - 107 - 2 (6 targets) |
The big tight end had a huge game as he caught every pass thrown to him for 107 yards and two touchdowns. He was not targeted until the second quarter, but was open every time Brady threw his way. Watson also ran a reverse for 11 yards.
| TE Kyle Brady, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Ironically, Kyle Brady was targeted on Tom Brady's first and last pass of the game. He caught the first one but he didn't catch the last.
| PK Stephen Gostkowski 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points |
Gostkowski was perfect on all four extra points and also hit field goals from 20 and 25 yards.
| NE Rush Defense |
Jason Wright filled in when Jamal Lewis left with a foot injury and averaged 3.9 for each of his 15 carries. As a team, the Browns were behind the entire game and only rushed for 92 yards.
| NE Pass Defense |
While Derek Alexander completed 22 of 43 for 287 yards, the Patriots intercepted him three times and also sacked him three times. Randall Gay also forced a Kellen Winslow fumble, recovered the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown.
