Comeback kings. Kardiac Kids.
Just don’t call them the same old Browns.
The Cleveland Browns scored 26 consecutive points en route to rallying from behind to stun the Tennessee Titans on the road on Sunday. The 29-28 Cleveland victory was a quintessential tale of two halves, with the Browns looking like one of the worst teams in the National Football League in the opening two quarters only to then put 16 points on the scoreboard in the contest’s final 11 minutes.
Make no mistake about the fact that the Browns were bailed out multiple times. What should have been two costly Cleveland turnovers were erased by Tennessee penalties, the second of which being an interception returned to the one-yard line of the Browns. Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt gave Cleveland a gift with three minutes left in the game, and Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer along with the rest of the Cleveland offense happily accepted the present.
Cleveland Browns beat Tennessee Titans: The game changed...
when Tennessee quarterback Jake Locker was forced out of the game due to an injury to his throwing wrist.
Locker had his way with a Cleveland defense that couldn’t cover targets, couldn’t make tackles and couldn’t make stops on third down plays. The Tennessee starting QB completed 8 of 11 attempts for 79 yards and two touchdowns (one passing and one throwing), and he appeared capable of blowing the visitors out.
His day came to an end midway through the second quarter. Browns cornerback Buster Skrine landed an illegal hit to the head of the quarterback, but it was Locker’s hand that was injured on the play. Charlie Whitehurst played well early on in relief, tossing touchdown passes of 11 and 75 yards in the second quarter. Whitehurst shrunk in the second half, however, and he was downright bad in the final period.
Odds are that the Titans would have rolled to a big win had Locker remained on the field.
Cleveland Browns beat Tennessee Titans: Hoyer
The Cleveland quarterback was again a mixed bag. Hoyer connected on a deep pass that would have been a touchdown had he hit his man in stride, and he made bad reads on back-to-back plays during a drive inside of the Tennessee five-yard line that saw the Browns earn zero points.
Hoyer showed up under the spotlight, though, making the Titans pay for not closing the Browns out when up 28-3. He took Cleveland down the field for two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, and he needed only 1:54 to drive the offense 42 yards for the game-winning score.
In all, Hoyer completed 21 of 37 attempts for 292 yards and 3 touchdowns. He tossed two interceptions, one of which was eliminated because of a defensive penalty.
Those waiting for rookie phenom Johnny Manziel to get his chance to lead the Cleveland offense will have to wait. Hoyer isn’t Peyton Manning or Drew Brees or even Tony Romo. Yes, his wins in 2014 have come against bad defenses (New Orleans Saints and Titans), but they are nevertheless wins.
Hoyer is the Cleveland starter for the now. The future will have to wait.
Cleveland Browns beat Tennessee Titans: The bad
It’s on first-year head coach Mike Pettine to make sure his players only celebrate this win so much over the next 24 hours. The Browns came out of the Bye week thoroughly flat, a side unable to make plays on either side of the football. Good teams, such as the Steelers, won’t lose to an opponent that only shows up for 30 minutes of football.
Pettine and his coaching staff must find ways to fix a defense that was abused by a starting quarterback who barely has any job security and by a career backup. Cornerback Joe Haden was again a liability in the Cleveland secondary, surrendering a touchdown to Kendall Wright when replays showed that the corner seemed to give up on the play.
Cleveland’s third down defense was abysmal in the first half, giving up first downs on four of five plays. Tennessee converted 8 of 14 third downs in total. That is unacceptable for any defense.
Cleveland Browns beat Tennessee Titans: Redemption
Travis Benjamin can no longer be allowed to return punts. The wide receiver with a history of mishandling punts couldn’t secure a kick in the third quarter, but Benjamin was saved by an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty.
Benjamin went on to atone for his sin. He made a leaping catch for a touchdown when he was left wide open in the end zone with 4:13 remaining in the game, and it was Benjamin who reeled in Hoyer’s six-yard catch to put the Browns up with 79 seconds left to play.
Benjamin will need to continue to make plays as a wide receiver. His days as a returner had better be over.
Cleveland Browns beat Tennessee Titans: Big mistake
The Titans were leading by six points with under five minutes left on the clock when their offense came up a yard shy of a first down at their own 42-yard line. Rather than pin the Browns deep in their own territory, Whisenhunt elected to put the football into the hands of his backup quarterback. Whitehurst couldn’t pick up the first down on a quarterback sneak, and the result of the coach’s decision was the Cleveland offense being given a short field and plenty of time with which to work.
Coaches are paid to get those big decisions right. Having a backup quarterback smash into his own offensive line with the game on the line was a curious choice, and it came back to bite Whisenhunt.
Cleveland Browns beat Tennessee Titans: Overall
This game had more twists and turns than a Sunday drive through the mountains. The Browns twice failed to convert on fourth down when makeable field goals were there to be kicked. Cleveland’s special teams caused a shift of momentum with a blocked punt that earned the Browns a safety four minutes into the fourth quarter.
What a wild ride.
The old adage teaches that bad teams find ways to lose, while good teams find ways to win. This same Browns team that couldn’t close the Steelers out in Week 1 found victory at Tennessee, and Cleveland will have plenty to prove when hosting Pittsburgh one week from today.
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