Patriots beat Browns, 34-17

Team Belichick is Secretariat.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Browns, at least, played like pesky flies Sunday, making the Super Bowl triple-crowner swish its tail before losing a bookie barnburner.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Patriots were favored by 16 1/2. They covered, winning 34-17 only when Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson missed three final end zone shots from the 10.

<p class="MsoNormal">Have the Browns progressed from gnat to horsefly?

<p class="MsoNormal">Not getting obliterated by a team that came in 4-0 on scores of 38-14, 38-14, 38-7 and 34-13 counts for something.

<p class="MsoNormal">Beating Miami at home next Sunday to get to the bye week at 3-3 will say more.

<p class="MsoNormal">At least, that's one view.

<p class="MsoNormal">Running back Jason Wright thinks it's wrong. Here's what Wright said went through his mind when the Browns climbed out of a 20-0 crater to trail 20-10:

<p class="MsoNormal">"I thought we were gonna win the game. Absolutely. I mean, we were starting to move the ball. Derek was getting comfortable. We were picking up their blitzes."

<p class="MsoNormal">One man's comfort is another man's knuckle sandwich. En route to a 22-of-43, 287-yard, two-touchdown, three-interception day, Anderson was sacked three times and hit on several other plays. At one point, he was down on the field with what he called "just a little (neck) stinger."

<p class="MsoNormal">Tedy Bruschi walloped him on one sack. On one borderline cheap shot, Rodney Harrison used extra English while raking across Anderson's helmet.

<p class="MsoNormal">"They were getting to the quarterback pretty well," tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. "They were hitting D.A. as much as they could."

<p class="MsoNormal">Could the Browns have won? There was plenty of time after Anderson threw Tim Carter a 21-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, making it 20-10.

<p class="MsoNormal">They forced punts on all three of New England's third-quarter possessions.

<p class="MsoNormal">Immediately after Carter's touchdown, though, Tom Brady raced the Patriots 71 yards in nine plays to make it 27-10.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Patriots won the coin toss and proceeded to kick the Browns' tails.

<p class="MsoNormal">Brady moved them 78 yards. Browns safety Sean Jones stalled the march with a batted-down pass, leading to just a field goal.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Browns blew a chance to counterpunch after driving to a first down on the 1.

<p class="MsoNormal">Playing without Jamal Lewis, who injured his right foot after running 10 yards on his first carry, the Browns tried:

<p class="MsoNormal">- A lob pass to 6-foot-5 Joe Jurevicius. Anderson was hit as a threw too low.

<p class="MsoNormal">- An inside run by Jason Wright -- nothing.

<p class="MsoNormal">- A pass. Anderson scrambled against a rush and threw on the run toward Steve Heiden -- again, too low. Old man Junior Seau intercepted a ball deflected by cornerback Asante Samuel, who said he read Anderson's eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">"If they would have scored at that point," Samuel said, "it would have been big."

<p class="MsoNormal">Anderson hung his head until Head Coach Romeo Crennel tracked him down and tried to buck him up.

<p class="MsoNormal">Anderson required more bucking up as he threw another tipped-ball interception after the defense forced a three-and-out. This time, the Patriots got the ball on the 34 and scored right away on Brady's pass to Donte' Stallworth.

<p class="MsoNormal">"They were trying to take Randy (Moss) out of the game," said Stallworth, who shook loose from Leigh Bodden. "They leave someone in single coverage."

<p class="MsoNormal">Braylon Edwards had another big game, six catches for 107 yards.

<p class="MsoNormal">The game plan, Edwards said, took a hit when Jamal Lewis suffered a foot injury after running 11 yards on his first carry.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Patriots padded their lead to 13-0 with another field goal, then blew it out to 20-after another interception and quick 25-yard drive.

<p class="MsoNormal">One Patriot, Samuel, said his team took the Browns seriously throughout. He mentioned Edwards and Winslow.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You've got to come out with your 'A' game every series against them," Samuel said.

<p class="MsoNormal">It was a "C" kind of game for the Browns, given the 5-0 opposition, with a big "we'll see" with 0-5 Miami up next.

<p class="MsoNormal">Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com

<p class="MsoNormal">