Browns starters have short night in 24-20 loss

By TONY GROSSI

CLEVELAND — Lightning and heavy rain deprived the Browns’ first teams of a full quarter’s work in Thursday’s exhibition opener against the New York Jets.

Each unit got in one series apiece and held a 7-0 lead before play was suspended with 4:11 to go in the first quarter. It was enough to declare the evening a mild success.

After play resumed one hour later, the backups blew the lead and lost, 24-20.

The second- and third-team defenses were victimized for two long touchdown passes off play-fakes. Brett Ratliff — the other Jets quarterback named Brett — connected both times with David Clowney for 71 and 70 yards.

The Jets pulled ahead in the fourth quarter on a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown by Dwight Lowery.

By then, Cleveland Browns Stadium was nearly empty.

With Brett Favre watching from the Jets’ sideline, the new-look Browns defense had a fourth-down stand to end its only series. It stopped quarterback Kellen Clemens on a fourth-and-1 keeper.

Then the Browns’ offense promptly went 62 yards for a touchdown, the score coming on a renewal of the lethal Derek Anderson-to-Braylon Edwards connection. It was one of the niftiest two-yard catches you’ll see.