The Browns went to Atlanta to try and clip the Falcons’ wings.
Believe it or not, they succeeded and now have won two of
three to improve to 3-6. Meanwhile, the Falcons drop to 5-4.
The Browns scored two quick touchdowns early and were up
14-0. They were able to withstand a shaky second half, offensively and hang on
for a 17-13 win as Michael Vick fumbled inside the Browns 30 as the Falcons were
driving. Jereme Perry fell on the loose ball and the Browns were on their way to
their third win of the season.
The Browns got on the board first when Reuben Droughns
plowed in from one-yard out on fourth-and-goal to give the Browns a 7-0 lead
with 1:36 to play in the first quarter. The big play was a 40-yard pass from
Charlie Frye to Kellen Winslow which gave the Browns a first down on the
Falcons’ six. Instead of settling for a field goal, Romeo Crennel decided to go
for the touchdown and Droughns followed Cosey Coleman and Ryan Tucker into the
end zone.
The Browns increased their lead to 14-0 early in the second
quarter after Sean Jones intercepted Michael Vick on the first play of the
second quarter. A personal foul was tacked on after the play on the Falcons and
the Browns took over in Falcon’s territory. Frye hit Braylon Edwards for a
19-yard touchdown score with 11:59 to play. Edwards beat former Browns’ safety
Chris Crocker for the score.
Leading 14-0, the Browns had a chance to extend their lead
after Steve Heiden blocked a punt, but Droughns fumbled the ball away and the
Falcons went into the hurry up and moved down the field for their first score.
A personal foul by Orpheus Roye moved the Falcons to the
Browns’ 45. It was the first time the Falcons had been in Browns territory in
the first half. After converting a third down to Warrick Dunn, the Falcons moved
to the 26, but Ashley Lelie dropped a would-be touchdown on third down as Brian Russell hit him. Morten Anderson put the Falcons on the scoreboard with three
seconds to play as he hit a 44-yard field goal to make it 14-3 at the half.
Similar to the Chargers’ game, the Browns became
conservative in the second half as they refused to throw the ball on third down
and didn’t do much on offense in the third quarter and for most of the fourth.
The Falcons couldn’t take advantage of the Browns
ineffectiveness and went for a first down from the Browns’ 31 on fourth-and-one
with 3:48 to play. Brodney Pool intercepted Vick and the Browns took over on
their own one.
The Browns had a similar situation to last week’s game with
the Chargers when the Browns had the ball inside their own five late in the
third quarter, the Browns handed off to Terrelle Smith on first down and then
gave it to Droughns on second down. On third-and-four from their eight, Frye was
sacked on the one foot line. It appeared he was in the end zone for a sack but
the challenge was not upheld and the Browns had to punt from the one foot line.
Allen Rossum took Dave Zastudil’s punt and returned the
punt to the Browns’ 12. Vick hit Michael Jenkins for a 12-yard touchdown and the
Falcons pulled to within four at 14-10 with 1:06 to play in the third quarter.
Andersen pulled the Falcons to within one at 14-13 with
8:52 to play as he hit a 41-yard field goal. Vick had a 20-yard run on the drive
to set up the score.
The Browns made it 17-13 as Phil Dawson kicked a 43-yard
field goal with 5:35 to play in the game. The big play on the drive was a
36-yard pass from Frye to Kellen Winslow, who made an acrobatic catch and moved
the ball into field goal range.
After the field goal, Vick threw deep to Roddy White for 55
yards, which took the ball all the way to the Browns’ 17. White got behind
rookie Jereme Perry. However, Vick tried to run and Perry recovered the fumble
at the Browns’ 28 with 2:18 to play.
The Browns were able to hold the ball until the final 17
seconds of the game and the Falcons’ last ditch effort on a flea flicker was to
no avail and the Browns hung on.
Notebook
No Reversal Helps Falcons: The Falcons challenged that QB
Charlie Frye was sacked in the end zone for a safety, but the officials ruled he
was down inside the one. However, the Falcons scored a touchdown after the
Browns punt for a net of five plus points.
Good D: In the first half, the Falcons had seven
possessions. They punted five times, had an interception and kicked a field
goal. They punted on their first possession of the second half and Vick threw
his second interception on the second series.
No O: After getting two quick touchdowns early, the Browns
did little the rest of the game. The Browns punted on their first five
possessions of the second half. After the Falcons made it 14-13, the Browns
moved the ball and were able to kick a field goal.
Bad Move: TE Kellen Winslow picked up a personal foul and
put the Browns inside their own 10 in the fourth quarter. He hit former Browns S
Chris Crocker after the whistle. Winslow finished with five receptions for 90
yards.
Big Block: TE Steve Heiden got his hand on a punt with 2:32
to play in the first half and the Browns took over on the Falcons’ 36. The punt
from P Michael Koenen went just 12 yards. However, RB Reuben Droughns fumbled
the ball right back to the Falcons after the Browns had moved inside the 25.
Jones Continues to Shine: S Sean Jones intercepted QB
Michael Vick on the first play of the second quarter. Vick was trying to hit TE Alge Crumpler when Jones stepped in front of him and picked up his fifth
interception of the season. Jones played at Georgia. The Browns were able to
convert the turnover into a touchdown.
Frye Goes Deep: QB Charlie Frye tried to throw long twice
on the first offensive series. He overthrew WR Braylon Edwards and he also
overthrew WR Dennis Northcutt. Both were open. Frye was sacked in the first
quarter by T.J. Jackson. His first long completion was for 40 yards when he hit
TE Kellen Winslow to the Falcons’ six-yard-line. Frye was 9-of-11 for 108 yards
in the first half, including one touchdown and no interceptions. Frye also used
his legs as he started the second half with a 17-yard scramble. Frye was sacked
three times. He finished 16–of-22 for 165 yards with one touchdown. He was
sacked four times.
Zastudil Pinned: P Dave Zastudil pinned the Falcons inside
the ten at the five-yard line in the first quarter with a 52-yard boot. The
Browns were able to force a three-and-out and the Browns regained possession in
the Falcons’ territory and turned it into a touchdown. His first punt of the
second half placed the Falcons at their own nine. He had a 29-yard punt to start
the fourth quarter which gave the Falcons good field position.
Wimbley Sack: LB Kamerion Wimbley sacked QB Michael Vick in
the fourth quarter. It was his fifth sack of the season and the Browns only sack
of the game. He finished with five tackles.
Vick Scrambling: QB Michael Vick scrambled out of trouble
on several occasions after it appeared the Browns had him hemmed in. The Browns
sacked Vick once. He had runs of 30- and 20-yards and finished with 74 yards
rushing. However, he fumbled the ball and the game away in the final two
minutes. He was 15-of-39 for 185 yards, including one touchdown and two
interceptions.
Not Much Room: RB Reuben Droughns had 21 carries for just
54 yards. However, he did score a touchdown on fourth-and-one.