BRONCOS FALL TO BROWNS FOR SECOND TIME, 24-17
Culpepper Looks Good, But Flacco Looks Better

This was not a game for the Browns to overlook. Although they won the first
meeting in week six by a deceptive 21-point margin (scoring twice on returns
in the final 1:12 to break open a close game), the Browns knew the Broncos
would throw everything at them they could, and then some.  

The Broncos did. The Browns kicked it all to the curb and won again, but this
time by a closer 24-17 score. 

The Browns fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter but then scored 24 unanswered
points to effectively salt the game away - or so they thought. But after two
scores by the Broncos in the final three minutes, the Browns had to recover a
Broncos onside kick attempt with one minute left to actually seal their win.  

The Broncos had rallied back on a short (24-yard) drive with a field goal by
Mason Crosby with 2:33 left in the contest to cut the Browns lead to 24-10.
They then held Cleveland to a three-and-out (with backup QB Brady Quinn
falling on the ball twice in the possession) and took possession at their own
20 following the Browns punt. It took the Bronocs only five plays to score
their second touchdown of the contest, with Dante Culpepper hitting Nate
Washington on a bomb down the middle of the field for 56 yards and the
touchdown to cut the Cleveland lead to just seven at 24-17.  

But it was too little, too late, as rookie wide out Earl Bennett recovered
the Broncos onside kick and the Browns ran out the clock.  

The game started with the Broncos getting on the scoreboard first, taking
advantage of a interception by rookie cornerback Tracy Porter (playing in his
first game back after a MCL suffered in week one). Porter picked off the
Flacco pass and returned it 25 yards to the Cleveland 19 yard line. It took
Denver only one play to get on the board, as veteran QB Culpepper looked at
primary receiver Dwayne Bowe on a short slant, then dropped a pass off to
second choice Nate Washington on an out route for the touchdown.  

The Browns wasted no time in matching that score. Shut out in the first
quarter, they put a touchdown up on the board on their first possession of
round two, with Jerious Norwood taking in over from six yards out to close
out the nine play, 64-yard drive that tied the game at 7-7. Norwood was
bottled up for most of the game, rushing for just seven yards on his other 8
carries. 

The Browns made it 10-7 shortly before the half with Neil Rackers 48-yard
field goal to conclude a six play, 25-yard drive following a Denver punt.
They made it 17-7 on their first possession of the second half, stopping
Denver's initial possession, then ripping off a 51-yard drive to paydirt in
eight plays with Thomas Jones doing the honors for the final three yards and
the score one play after Norwood converted a fourth and one from the Broncos
17 yard line. 

It stayed that way until early in the fourth quarter, when Flacco hit Todd
Heap on a third and three for five yards and a score to made it 24-7. The key
play of the possession was the Browns faking a run on third and inches and
Flacco hitting Brent Celek for 37 yards on an out route. Celek was so
uncovered he rumbled for his biggest gain of the season despite being timed
with a sundial.  

When the Broncos wound up going backward on their next possession and
eventually punting after turning a first and ten at the Cleveland 46 into a
fourth and thirty at their own 34 midway through the fourth quarter, the game
looked clinched for the Browns. But a three-and-out by the Browns gave the
ball back to the Broncos with under five minutes remaining, and the Broncos
offense finally came to life, with Culpepper hitting Nate Washington for 22
yards to move the ball into field goal range and cutting the score to 24-10.  

Still, Cleveland wasn't worried, and even fell on the ball on second and
third down rather than try for a first down on their next possession,
eventually punting the ball back to the Broncos after another three-and-out,
giving it to Denver at their own 20 with just under two minutes remaining.
Completions to Devin Thomas and Dwayne Bowe, sandwiched around a Smoot
holding penalty, gave the Broncos the ball at their own 44, from where
Culpepper hit a streaking Washington for 56 yards and the touchdown deep down
the middle to cut it to 24-17 with just over a minute to go.  

But Bennett recovered the onside kick and the Broncos, out of time outs,
could only watch helplessly as two Quinn kneel downs ended the game.  

Game Notes: The Broncos had their best rushing game of the season, with 156
yards on the ground on just 27 rushes (5.8 per carry). This total was aided
by a 57-yard run by Lendale White in the first quarter, after which a holding
penalty against the Broncos eventually forced a Denver punt. The Browns
picked up 112 yards on the ground (on 46 carries - a 2.4 yard average), but
42 of those yards were Joe Flacco scrambles. On all other runs, the Browns
were an ineffective 39 for 70 yards, or just 1.8 yards a carry). Still, they
always seemed to be able to run the ball when they had to, and some big
losses (seven separate runs by the Browns ended in a loss of yardage, not
counting the four Quinn kneel downs) proved to be meaningless to the final
outcome. But it was a strong effort by the Broncos front seven to hold the
Cleveland running attack down. But rookie QB Joe Flacco more than picked up
the slack, hitting on 14 of 20 for 194 and one touchdown, with the one early
pick (96.7). But the Denver QB Dante Culpepper threw even more effectively,
if less frequently, hitting on 9 of 15 for 156 yards and two touchdowns, with
no interceptions (135.0). Torry Holt was the leading Browns receiver with
four for 61, while Dwayne Bowe likewise caught four, but for only 37 yards.
It was Nate Washington, however, who was the MVP for the Broncos (the overall
award went to Jerious Norwood, who gained all of 31 yards from scrimmage and
added 61 on two kickoff returns). Washington caught three for 97 yards and
scored both Bronco TDs.  

The Broncos close out their dismal 2009 campaign with a home game against the
12-1 NY Jets, before finishing up on the road in Houston. Considering the
Broncos surrendered 42 against the Jets in week two and 45 against Houston in
week five, only a incurable optimist would believe the 1-13 Broncos have a
chance in either game. Meanwhile the 7-7 Browns hope to finish with a winning
streak and a winning record, as the end their season with a game at home next
week against Minnesota (who beat the Browns in week one) and on the road
against the 10-3 New York Giants.