Browns strike late to win

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CLEVELAND -- Seconds before the biggest play of Sunday's game, Browns wide receiver Antonio Bryant was feeling antsy.
"I try not to get into the quarterback's head -- he's got enough going on," Bryant said. "But when I saw what play we called, I said, 'I can beat [my defender] on that play.'
"I don't think [Trent Dilfer] was listening and I wasn't going to chase him."
He didn't need to. Dilfer was thinking the same thing.
Here's the situation: Trailing 10-6, the Browns had a first-and-10 at the Chicago 33 with just more than three minutes left in the fourth quarter. The play called for Bryant to run a hitch-and-go up the left sideline against man-to-man coverage.
Problem was, the Bears didn't run man coverage. They ran Cover 2, rolling safety Chris Harris over into coverage to protect against a deep throw.
"I saw the coverage, but 'AB' ran so hard off the ball, he got the safety flat-footed just enough," Dilfer said. "One of the things I've learned is there's no defense for a perfect throw. I just told myself, 'Make a perfect throw.' "
The game changed
Dilfer uncoiled a beautiful arching spiral that landed in Bryant's arms just a few feet from the back end line. Bryant caught it, got both feet in and, just like that, the game changed.
Minutes later, Dilfer and Bryant hooked up again -- this time from 28 yards out -- and the Browns held on for their first home victory of the season, beating Chicago 20-10.
"We just kept playing," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "At times, it looked a little bleak, especially on offense, but we found our rhythm and were able to make two big plays to win the game for us."
Dilfer completed 23 of 34 passes for 218 yards and two interceptions. He probably won't win his second AFC Offensive Player of the Week award, but considering how well the Browns' defense played, he didn't need to.
"I don't care if it's 9-8, it's a win," said cornerback Gary Baxter. "When they make out the W or L column, it's just a W."
Bryant agreed.
"If you get a million dollars in pennies, it's still a million dollars," Bryant said. "I don't mind winning ugly."
Browns' defense delivers
The Bears (1-3) had a chance to rally in the closing minutes after Bryant's first touchdown but then the Browns' defense made the game's second-biggest play.
On a first-and-10 at the Bears' 42 with 2:43 left, quarterback Kyle Orton dropped back to pass.
As he did, Browns safety Chris Crocker knifed in untouched through the middle of the Bears' line and Chicago running back Adrian Peterson dove forward to try and pick up him up.
As Peterson dove, his helmet collided with the ball, knocking it loose. Crocker jumped on Orton, then grabbed the fumble at the Chicago 29.
Two plays later, Dilfer hit Bryant for the touchdown -- this time on a hitch-and-go against man coverage -- to put the game out of reach.
The play called for Dilfer to throw a short pass into the flat to fullback Terrelle Smith, but the Bears' defense smothered Smith's route, forcing Dilfer to look at his second option: Bryant.
"We were actually trying to run clock," Dilfer said. "When I saw the coverage, I was licking my chops a little because I knew Bryant would have man coverage. I had to remind myself to go through my progressions."
Not so conservative
Dilfer made another perfect throw, Bryant made the catch and the Browns' conservative play call suddenly didn't look so conservative.
"We decided to take a shot," Crennel said, "and the shot worked."
Four years ago, the Bears rallied from a 21-7 deficit in the closing minutes and won in overtime, handing Cleveland one of the most disappointing losses in team history. There would be no such heroics on Sunday. The Bears couldn't pick up a first down in the closing minutes, giving the Browns the ball -- and the win -- with 1:15 left.
"We feel good about the win," Crennel said. "We feel good for the fans and we feel good for the city.
"Now we have to focus on the next one."
scalzo@vindy.com