Browns show guts in gusts

Cleveland snapped a three-game losing streak with a 20-14 win over the Tennesee Titans.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns discovered a way to offset their recent offensive woes -- play a team having even more titanic struggles moving the ball.
The Browns produced 13 points in the first 17 minutes of the second half, then hung on against the Tennessee Titans for a 20-14 victory that wasn't sealed until the final play of the game.
"It was brutal out there today," said Browns quarterback Trent Dilfer of the extremely windy conditions (and not the mood of the hometown fans who had watched the Browns score just 29 points in their last three games).
"Everybody is making it out to be the end of the world and this group of guys really hung in there and kept their heads high," Dilfer said. "The guys stepped up and played in very hard conditions, the hardest I have ever played in."
Dilfer completed 18-of-34 passes for 272 yards and engineered four scoring drives as the Browns (3-5) snapped a three-game losing streak.
The keys on three of those possessions were completions that covered 58, 51 and 49 yards.
Strong running
Running back Reuben Droughns caught four passes for 73 yards, including the 51 he gained on a third-quarter screen pass that set up the Browns' second touchdown for a 17-7 lead.
Two plays later, Jason Wright, a free agent signed off the practice squad Thursday to replace the injured William Green (ankle) and Lee Suggs (thumb), scored on a 6-yard run. It was the Browns' first rushing touchdown of the season.
"Jason Wright has been working hard ever since he has been with us," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "He has some quickness. It is a credit to him that he was able to come in here, get the game plan and run the ball into the end zone."
Wright, who played for Northwestern in college, said his two-game experience with Atlanta in 2004 helped.
"Last year, I had a similar situation when I was with the Falcons," said Wright, who spelled Droughns by carrying the ball eight times for 19 yards. "The exact same thing happened at the end of the season when we needed two wins to clinch the division.
"I had been in this situation before and I think it really made me prepared," Wright said.
Linebacker Andra Davis wasn't surprised to see Wright break loose for the touchdown.
"He's been doing it against us out on the practice field for the past three-four weeks, so we had a lot of confidence in him," Davis said.
Early lead
Another big play came midway through the first quarter when Dilfer hit wide receiver Dennis Northcutt at the Tennessee 23 and Northcutt avoided Titans cornerback Reynoldo Hill and ran into the end zone for a 58-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, Phil Dawson's 19-yard field goal, his second, put the Browns ahead, 20-7.
That's when the Titans offense led by Steve McNair's veteran presence, finally got rolling.
With 7:18 to play, Titans running back Chris Brown scored a 15-yard touchdown, capping an eight-play, 73-yard march.
The Browns generated two first downs before Kyle Richardson's punt pinned the Titans at their own 7 with 3:24 to go.
Just after the two-minute warning, Davis sacked McNair on fourth down at the Tennessee 18.
Still, the Titans weren't finished.
Dawson kicked a 29-yard field goal that was wiped out by a holding call against Steve Heiden. After a 10-yard penalty, Crennel kept Dawson out. This time, his 39-yard attempt into the wind was wide right, giving McNair one last chance.
With no timeouts, McNair hit wide receivers Roydell Williams and Courtney Roby for gains of 13 and 29 yards. But on the final play, a falling McNair threw up a lame-duck pass that was intercepted by safety Brodney Pool.
McNair completed 18-of-41 for 235 yards. Eight of those completions came after the Browns led 20-7 and covered 111 yards.
Davis credited the Browns linemen for hassling McNair into so many incompletions.
"Our D line put most of the pressure on him on their own," Davis said. "They were hungry and they just said, 'let's go eat.'
Browns free safety Brian Russell said, "We're happy that we only gave up 14 points and we're happy for the W."
williams@vindy.com