Monday, October 13, 2003
Browns 13, Raiders 7
It's ugly, but Cleveland will take it; 'We are not smart,' Gannon says, and penalties prove it
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Browns can always count on kicker Phil Dawson's right leg. On Sunday, they needed his left one, too.
Dawson scampered 14 yards on a fake field goal to set up William Green's go-ahead touchdown run in a rare and ugly home win for the Browns, 13-7 over the penalty-prone Oakland Raiders.
"Dawson looked like that guy Forrest Gump," said Browns defensive end Kenard Lang. "He didn't look all that pretty running, but the result was beautiful, man."
Not only did his run - if you want to call it that - catch the Raiders completely off guard, it even surprised Dawson, who isn't looking forward to his next one.
"I tried to change directions, but my belly was carrying me out of bounds," Dawson said.
Green ran right through Raider AbomiNation, picking up 145 yards as the Browns (3-3) won for the first time in three tries at home.
Cleveland is just 10-25 in front of its own fans since the Browns' NFL rebirth in 1999.
As the final seconds ticked off, a few of Cleveland's players sprinted to the Dawg Pound for one of their few postgame celebrations over the past five years.
"Had to," tackle Barry Stokes said. "The fans today were amazing. They were loud. They showed up."
The Raiders (2-4) didn't. At least not the same ones that made it to the Super Bowl last season.
Oakland committed an NFL season-high 19 penalties - five on consecutive plays in the third quarter - and looked nothing like defending AFC champions.
"We are not a smart football team," quarterback Rich Gannon said. "That is well documented. We talk about penalties every week, it's a lack of discipline and it's inexcusable."
Oakland's 19 penalties were just one shy of their team record set in 1996, and three short of the league mark.
During one comical stretch, the Raiders lost 29 yards without running an official play. Following a false start, tackle Langston Walker was called for holding and then tripping. After another false start, Gannon crossed the line of scrimmage on a pass.
Yet despite their abundance of sloppiness, the Raiders still had a chance to win in the final minute, driving to Cleveland's 24 with 33 seconds left.
However, Gannon's 2-yard pass to Jerry Rice on fourth-and-1 was ruled out of bounds with 23 seconds left.
The play was reviewed, but the call stood when referee Johnny Grier couldn't find sufficient replay evidence to overturn it.
| Oakland | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0-7 |
| Cleveland | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3-13 |
First Quarter
Oak-Teyo 10 pass from Gannon (Janikowski kick), 9:48.
Second Quarter
Cle-FG Dawson 52, 14:55.
Third Quarter
Cle-Green 5 run (Dawson kick), :14.
Fourth Quarter
Cle-FG Dawson 32, 2:29.
A-73,318.
| Oak | Cle |
| First downs | 12 | 20 |
| Total Net Yards | 254 | 284 |
| Rushes-yards | 21-90 | 32-171 |
| Passing | 164 | 113 |
| Punt Returns | 0-0 | 4-16 |
| Kickoff Returns | 4-91 | 2-45 |
| Interceptions Ret. | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 21-33-0 | 16-26-0 |
| Sacked-Yards Lost | 1-1 | 2-14 |
| Punts | 6-46.2 | 4-46.5 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-0 | 1-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 19-128 | 6-55 |
| Time of Possession | 28:45 | 31:15 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Oakland, Fargas 6-33, Garner 9-28, Wheatley 3-15, Whitted 1-10, Crockett 1-3, Gannon 1-1. Cleveland, Green 26-145, Dawson 1-14, Northcutt 1-8, Jackson 1-3, Couch 2-1, White 1-0.
PASSING-Oakland, Gannon 21-33-0-165. Cleveland, Couch 16-26-0-127.
RECEIVING-Oakland, Garner 9-51, Johnson 3-21, Jolley 3-20, Whitted 2-40, Rice 2-19, Brown 2-14. Cleveland, Northcutt 5-54, White 3-30, Morgan 3-14, Johnson 2-17, Andre Davis 1-17, Green 1-(minus 2), Couch 1-(minus 3).
MISSED FIELD GOALS-None.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Baltimore's win a loss for Bengals
Browns 13, Raiders 7
Chiefs 40, Packers 34
Roundup: other AFC games
Roundup: Interconference games
Roundup: NFC games
Injured shoulder sidelines Plummer
Reeves looking for No. 200 Monday night
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Reeling Bearcats welcome off week
Buckeyes run out of answers
Unbeatens control fate
ACC nabs Big East's Boston College
Oklahoma, Miami remain at top of polls
BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
NLCS: Marlins 4, Cubs 0
Brawling in Beantown
Playoffs notebook
PREP SPORTS
Today's schedule
MOTOR SPORTS
Victory gives Stewart, team a respite
Dixon captures IRL title
SOCCER
Germans prevail in overtime
WILLIE SHOEMAKER: 1931-2003
'Shoe' shone in victory and defeat
ON THE AIR
Sports on TV, radio
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
Sunday's sports report
Return to Bengals front page...