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Led by tumbling wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who announced his team’s return to Monday night after five years by sticking an Olympic-caliber cartwheel and back flip during pregame introductions, Cleveland ended New York’s 11-game road winning streak with a 35-14 win over the defending Super Bowl champions.
Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson, whose job was in serious jeopardy just a few weeks ago, threw one of his two touchdown passes to Edwards, cornerback Eric Wright intercepted Eli Manning and returned it 94 yards for a touchdown and the Browns (2-3) finally looked worthy of a prime-time TV slot.
Anderson finished 18-for-29 for 310 yards, Edwards caught five passes for a career-high 154 yards and Jamal Lewis scored on a 4-yard run for the Browns, who won a Monday night game for the first time since 1993 and handed the Giants (4-1) their first loss, leaving the Tennessee Titans as the NFL’s only unbeaten team.
Manning was picked off three times and the Giants, so dominant through their first four games, were roughed up by a Cleveland team running out of time to make good on lofty preseason expectations.
In the closing minutes, Browns fans chanted “Over-rated” at the New Yorkers.
Aside from some more silly penalties, the Browns were superior to the Giants, who had reeled off 11 straight wins — 12 counting the Super Bowl — outside of New Jersey since Week 1 last season. But Manning was not himself and New York, which embarrassed Cleveland during the exhibition season, missed an opportunity to open a two-game lead in the brutal NFC East.
Edwards’ 11-yard TD reception on the first play of the fourth quarter gave the Browns a 27-14 lead, and he punctuated it with a reverse dunk over the goal post. The score capped an 87-yard drive which was bogged down by five Cleveland penalties.
The Giants then drove to the Cleveland 9, but on second-and-4, Manning locked onto wide receiver Amani Toomer, allowing Wright time to dart in front, make the interception and tiptoe down the sideline to the end zone. It was a satisfying turn for Wright, who was burned twice by the Giants during the Aug. 18 matchup between the teams.
While Browns fans danced in the aisles, Anderson hit Edwards for the 2-point conversion to put the Browns ahead by 21.
Cleveland had its best game this season despite playing without Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow, who was hospitalized last week with an undisclosed illness.
Manning went 18-of-28 for 196 yards and threw a 22-yard TD pass to Plaxico Burress, who was back after serving a one-game suspension for violating team rules.
Moments after New York went up 7-3 on Brandon Jacobs’ 7-yard run, Edwards turned cornerback Aaron Ross around with a nice outside fake and hauled in a 70-yard pass from Anderson to set up Cleveland’s first TD, a 4-yard run by Lewis.
On the Browns’ next possession, Anderson put together his best-looking drive of the season. Given time to throw, he made all the correct reads and went 5-for-5 for 74 yards, threading a 22-yard TD pass over the middle to backup tight end Darnell Dinkins to give Cleveland a 17-7 halftime lead.
Manning countered with an 80-yard scoring drive — helped by a critical Cleveland penalty — to pull the Giants within 17-14. From the 3, he lofted a perfect 3-yard TD pass to Burress, who easily ran past defensive back Terry Cousin. Three plays earlier, Manning had been sacked and fumbled on third down, but Browns safety Mike Adams was called for illegal contact, giving New York a first down.
Browns defensive end Corey Williams had provided the Giants with some bulletin-board material leading into the game. Williams, who was with Green Bay last season and lost to New York in the NFC title game, had said Cleveland’s defense planned to “hit him (Jacobs) in the mouth” and that “their ain’t nothing physical” about the Giants’ offensive line.
Williams also said he was going to try to knock Jacobs’ head off, remarks that were prominently displayed on the back pages of New York’s tabloid newspapers.
After Jacobs barreled through several Cleveland defenders for his TD early in the second quarter, he jawed with Williams.
It was the Browns, though, who got the last word.
