In a season of odd games for the 2014 Browns, this one may have been the oddest. They won on the road against the first place Falcons, 26-24. The game was odd before it even started, as the first place Falcons were 4-6 in the NFC South and the Browns came in at 6-4 and in last place in the AFC North. The big news was the return of Josh Gordon, fresh off a 10 game suspension. The Browns, battling for their playoff lives, did all they could to win, then give the game away, then snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It was just a weird game, but the Browns won and the bottom line is that they are 7-4 and still in the thick of the playoff hunt.
The defense and the running game carried the day. It should have been much easier than it ended up being for the Browns. Between turnovers, missed opportunities, and shoddy clock management (by both teams), they certainly made it hard on themselves. But winning is hard as we've all seen around here for a long time, and the Browns keep winning, and that's what matters. They won consecutive road games for the first time since 2008, and are 7-4 for the first time since 2007. They also guarantee that they will not end the season with double digit losses for the first time in 6 years. That is ridiculous.
The defense played one of the best games they've played all season. They held the Falcons to 63 yards rushing and a 2.7 ypc average. That is outstanding. They generated consistent pressure on Matt Ryan, led by Paul Kruger who has been awesome this season. Kruger has 8 sacks on the season and 6 in the past 5 games. He's been playing phenomenally. Craig Robertson filled in admirably for the injured Karlos Dansby. The defense looked faster than Atlanta's offense. Joe Haden had another great game, and had his second consecutive game with an interception. Donte Whitner dropped a pick 6, and Buster Skrine dropped an interception. Those two plays could have made it easier, but the defense did their part, forcing two first half turnovers. Hell even Justin Gilbert made what may have been the play of the game when he batted down the ball on the 3rd and 2 at the end of the game before Atlanta's field goal attempt. That's how weird this game was. The loss of Tashaun Gipson will be a big one as he suffered what looked like a pretty bad knee injury. But the defense played well and that's encouraging after last week.
Offensively, welcome back Josh Gordon! Gordon had a big game in his return, and man it would have been nice to have him all season. He is big and fast and dominant when he wants to be. It was clear that Brian Hoyer forced some passes to him, and clear that there are some chemistry issues with all that time apart, but there are worse players to force the ball to. However two of Hoyer's interceptions came on passes to Gordon, the one in the end zone was clearly on Hoyer, and the second looked like a miscommunication but Gordon was wide open. Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West both ran hard, and ran effectively. This is the best situation for the Browns running game, having those two splitting carries. Two's a company and three's a crowd. The Browns probably should have run the ball more, they averaged 5.6 ypc on their 29 rushes. Brian Hoyer made some uncharacteristic, careless mistakes and again struggled with accuracy at times, but he got the job done when he needed to. That's 4 fourth quarter comebacks on the season for Hoyer. He's 10-4 as a starter. He's not going anywhere until the Browns are out of the playoff chase, the team is not going to dive into the unknown while still in the hunt. He had back to back 300 yard games, the first Browns player to do that since Brian Sipe. And after he tried to give the game away, he moved the Browns into field goal range in four passes, and the Browns won, and that's what matters. And I'm as tough on him as anybody, but the Browns are 7-4, and 6-2 in their last 8 games, and it's a bottom line business.
The follies before the half in the Jacksonville game appear to have broken Mike Pettine. Another game, another head scratching clock management issue at the end of a half. The Browns were sitting on timeouts and didn't use them. They cost themselves 20 seconds, and that forced them to attempt a 60 yard field goal. The problem with that is that Devin Hester was waiting in the endzone to return the kick if it was short. Cundiff kicked one and it was well short, but wait, Mike Smith called a timeout. Instead of doing the logical thing, and either kneeling or throwing a hail mary, Pettine and that idiot Chris Tabor send Cundiff out again. The kick was even shorter, and it took a hellava play by Joel Bitonio to save a touchdown after Hester returned the ball 60 yards. That was pure stupidity. Other than that Pettine was the better head coach on Sunday, as Mike Smith is in way over his head. Smith helped the Browns by calling a timeout and saving the Browns from having to use theirs in the final minute. He also was kind enough to sit back in a soft zone defense on the final Browns drive, allowing Hoyer to move down the field. Mike Smith had a rough game. Kyle Shanahan should have run the ball more.
This Browns team has found a way to win games that previous Browns teams would have lost. Brian Hoyer led the comeback. They should have won the game much more easily, but they won. They have Josh Gordon for the rest of the season. They have two rookie running backs who appear to be more than capable. They are in the thick of the playoff chase. It's going to be a fun ride the rest of the season. There has been too much losing around here to be mad about how they win. Yes it was an odd game, there have been many of them this season. But victory Monday always feels good, so let's enjoy it. Eat drink and be merry, the best holiday of the year is Thursday. There is plenty to be thankful for with these Browns.
Random gifs
They finally fed the Crow. Crowell runs farther on this one play than Ben Tate did in his last three games.
Lots going on here at Tennessee for a touchdown against Missouri. They haven't had anything to celebrate there since Alabama's last national championship though. #sec
OBJ. This is just amazing.
Bonus pic. Amazing.
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