Browns squander chances

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- Boy, this looked familiar.
The Browns' offense struggled, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning led a fourth-quarter comeback and Cleveland lost a close game in its home opener.
Again.
"I'm disappointed and a little bit angry," said Browns coach Butch Davis after the 9-6 loss to the Colts. "This was a winnable ball game."
Cleveland did little to lose Sunday's game, but it also did little to win it. The Browns wasted two golden opportunities to score touchdowns inside the red zone and it eventually cost them.
Manning made sure of it.
With the score tied at 6 with 2 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Manning drove the Colts 65 yards in 11 plays to set up a game-winning 45-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt with six seconds remaining.
"There is nobody I would rather have with six seconds on the clock than Mike," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "He is the best in those situations."
The Browns have lost three straight home openers by three points or less.
Different story
"I didn't think it would turn out like this," Browns quarterback Kelly Holcomb said. "If you had told me this would be a 9-6 game, I'd have said you were crazy."
The game was expected to be a shootout.
Manning, wideout Marvin Harrison and running back Edgerrin James form maybe the NFL's best offensive trio. The Browns' offense was unstoppable in the preseason, while the defense was unwatchable.
But instead of a tennis match, the fans got a soccer game.
"We have to make more plays on offense," Browns wideout Kevin Johnson said. "We need to win in these types of situations.
"You only get 16 opportunities, and today, I felt we let one slip away."
Missed opportunities
Cleveland's best chance to win came early in the fourth quarter.
Trailing 6-3, Holcomb drove the Browns 83 yards to set up a first-and-goal on the 3. But Indianapolis stuffed William Green on two inside runs and Holcomb missed Green on a sideline screen pass on third down.
Phil Dawson made a 20-yard field goal, but the damage was done.
"I didn't make the play," Holcomb said. "I hit [Green] on the hip and I've gotta get it out in front of him.
"When we get down there, we have to score. We can't kick field goals."
Holcomb finished 20-of-29 for 182 yards and two interceptions. Green added 86 yards on 21 carries, but was ineffective in the red zone.
The Browns also had a first-and-goal at the 1 early in the first quarter, but Green was stopped twice, Holcomb misfired on a pass to Steve Heiden and the Browns settled for a 19-yard field goal.
"The stops are huge," Dungy said. "We let them possess the ball a little too much, but we did keep them out of the end zone and that is something we preach."
Added Holcomb, "If we make just one of those [touchdowns], we win the football game."
Cleveland's defense shut down the Colts offense, holding Harrison to nine catches for just 44 yards and James to 67 yards on the ground.
Still, it wasn't enough.
"I was sitting next to [rookie center] Jeff Faine at the end of the game and I told him to get used to it," said Browns offensive lineman Ryan Tucker. "You play your tail off the whole game and it comes down to a field goal.
"You hate for it to be like that, but that's how it happens sometimes."
scalzo@vindy.com