Former 49ers executive Policy enjoys return visit to 3Com Park

The Browns president won four Super Bowl rings with San Francisco.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
SAN FRANCISCO -- Despite the unseasonable sweltering heat, Carmen Policy's first visit to 3Com Park in seven NFL seasons was a sweet homecoming.
"Coming back here is so special because I love the Bay area," the Youngstown native and Browns president said Sunday after his team rallied for a victory over his former team.
"My greatest moments in life have been here, connected with the 49ers," said Policy, who won four Super Bowl rings when he was a 49ers executive from 1983-98. "So bringing a new franchise in here, an expansion franchise, and being able to compete and ultimately win, that's very special.
"This is my first time back at Candlestick Park since leaving the 49ers," the Ursuline High and Youngstown State University graduate said, "[so] walking out with a victory, especially [earned] in the last minute of the game, makes me feel like I may be about 45-years-old."
Joined Browns in 1998
Policy left the 49ers organization following the 1997 season to join Al Lerner's bid to win the expansion franchise for Cleveland.
Policy said he felt "very strange at the beginning, walking around and [greeting] security people that I've known. [But] it all worked out well. We needed a win and to do it against a team as good as the 49ers [means] a lot."
Defensive tackle Gerard Warren agreed, especially after last Sunday's blowout loss to the Ravens.
"Our pride was knocked down," Warren said. "Sometimes when you get knocked into the dirt, you have to pick it up and keep going. We stopped their run, that's what we wanted to accomplish."
The Browns limited the 49ers to 265 net yards, including just 75 rushing. They also held the Niners to four Owen Pochman field goals after stopping San Francisco twice at the 1 in the first quarter.
On their opening possession, the 49ers sent fullback Fred Beasley up the middle. Linebackers Andra Davis and Kevin Bentley stopped him on third down while defensive tackle Orpheus Roye stuffed him on the next surge.
San Francisco wide receiver Terrell Owens caught eight passes from quarterback Jeff Garcia for 90 yards, including one for 27.
"Look at our defense [against] these so-called big-time wide receivers -- the Cleveland Browns haven't given up a pass touchdown," said free safety Earl Little, referring to Colts wideout Marvin Harrison in the season-opening 9-6 loss.
Overcame obstacles
The Browns overcame several obstacles to generate their win.
Cleveland crossed midfield just once in the first half.
Trailing 9-0, kicker Phil Dawson missed a 48-yard field goal attempt.
Quarterback Kelly Holcomb was sacked three times and picked off once.
The game's momentum shifted after Pochman kicked his fourth field goal seconds into the fourth quarter. A roughing the passer penalty on rookie defensive tackle Anthony Adams and a pass interference call on cornerback Mike Rumph helped the Browns march 75 yards on eight plays.
On third-and-goal at the San Francisco 2, Holcomb tossed a screen pass to Davis who nudged the ball over the goal line while falling out of bounds.
Browns coach Butch Davis credited "protection adjustments" made at halftime for keeping the 49ers out of Holcomb's face in the second half.
However, offensive guard Ryan Tucker said the line did "nothing different. There might have been on the backs."
Whatever happened, the Niners didn't touch Holcomb, allowing him to complete 19-of-27 in the second half.
"Kelly made some outstanding plays, that's what it came down to," Tucker said. "And the defense, I can't say enough about them. They held them to hardly anything and when you can do that to San Francisco, you can do that to anybody in the league."