By Tom Withers
The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - This season-long soap opera of bizarre bounces, desperation passes and otherwise inexplicable football in Cleveland could be titled: "As the Helmet Rolls."

Almost since that infamous moment when linebacker Dwayne Rudd ripped off his helmet, flung it to the ground and cost them a win over Kansas City in Week 1, the Browns have had bad things happen to them.

Mostly at home.

"It's been one thing or another for us at home," Cleveland quarterback Tim Couch said. "I can't believe all that has gone on. I can't blame our fans for being upset."

Among the lowlights in 2002 at Cleveland Browns Stadium:

-Couch, dazed from a concussion, choked back tears after the game while criticizing Browns fans for first booing him and then cheering when he got hurt during a loss to Baltimore.

-The Browns blew leads in the second half and lost to Pittsburgh (23-20) and Indianapolis (28-23).

-Couch threw three interceptions in a 13-6 loss to Carolina, which snapped an eight-game losing streak.

-Cleveland's 2-5 home record (versus 6-2 on the road) is the result of wins against Cincinnati and Houston, two of the league's worst teams.

"There's no excuse," Couch said. "If you win six games on the road, you should win the division. You should probably have 11 or 12 wins under your belt. But we've played so poorly at home that it's something we've got to get over."

Quickly.

Despite their topsy-turvy season, the Browns (8-7) are getting one last chance to fix their problems at home on Sunday when they host the Atlanta Falcons.

Arguably, it's the Browns' most important game in four years. It's a big one for the Falcons, too.

Atlanta hasn't made the playoffs since 1998 and will qualify with a win. If the Falcons lose, they can still clinch the wild-card berth with a New Orleans Saints loss.

Coach Dan Reeves isn't taking any chances.

"We've got to be in that mindset where basically if you win you keep going and if you don't, there's a good chance that you could go home," Reeves said. "That's the type of atmosphere it's going to be from now on, and if we go up and do the job and get in the playoffs, then we can keep going. If not, then our season could possibly be over."

Cleveland's slim AFC playoff hopes hinge on some complicated scenarios, formulas and possibilities. And one very simple one: The Browns need to win.

Browns coach Butch Davis has spoken to his team about how a season-ending victory at home could help soothe this season of turmoil.

"I told them, 'Through all the bizarre ups and downs, you find yourselves after 15 games to be in position to do something that hasn't been done here since 1994,"' Davis said. "If people would have asked at the beginning of the season, 'How would you feel about playing the last game with a chance to go to the playoffs?' you certainly would have been excited."

The Browns are downright giddy at still having a playoff pulse - and at having another chance to get a defining win at home.

"This is another shot," said rookie wide receiver Andre' Davis. "Hopefully, we can get rid of whatever the problem at home has been. This is the most important time to do it."

Cleveland has had two chances to get a meaningful win at home and blown both of them.

Coming off two straight road wins, one a dramatic upset at New Orleans, the Browns were in position to move back into the AFC North race with first-place Pittsburgh on Dec. 1, but they unraveled against the Panthers.

Following that game, Davis asked his players and the media for any ideas on ending the home jinx.

He altered the pregame routine for his players, hoping it would change his team's luck at home. It seemed to work when the Browns bolted to a 16-point lead, only to give up 28 second-half points to the Colts.

Davis said he's still searching for an answer to why his team plays so poorly on its home field.

"I wish I knew," he said. "I don't even remember in my years in Dallas when we went to the Super Bowl whether we ever went 6-2 on road. Why we've struggled? Hopefully, we'll have the answer by this Sunday.

"Hopefully its just a matter of confidence and not putting too much pressure on themselves."

It's hard to imagine pressure affecting these Browns.

After all, this is a team that has played in 11 games decided in the final minute this season, and in 18 of the 31 games under Davis in two years.

"We don't like keeping it close," Andre' Davis said. "We'd like to be able to go out there and have everything hit on all cylinders. But when we're in a tough situation where other teams might crumble, we know we can go out there and do it."

Return to Bengals front page...