Defense pulls together to help Browns win

<p class="MsoNormal">The stats say there's no reason to quit sending out that S.O.S. on the Browns defense.

<p class="MsoNormal">Much of the Browns' 27-13 win over Baltimore replies, "Shut the heck up."

<p class="MsoNormal">At least, several Browns were saying so.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Our defense played a heckuva game," said center Hank Fraley, who helped the offense to a no-sack Sunday.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Defense had our backs today," tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cleveland allowed 430.7 yards a game entering Sunday -- only Buffalo was worse. The Browns gave the Ravens almost that much, 418 yards.

<p class="MsoNormal">At halftime, though, Baltimore had just 168 yards and trailed, 24-6.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Our defense pulled together," Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. "The guys tried to do their job first before helping out."

<p class="MsoNormal">The Browns played bend but don't break.

<p class="MsoNormal">Baltimore's first drive got to the Browns 27 before Leigh Bodden made an interception on a pass Bodden said was sniffed out by Coordinator Todd Grantham.

<p class="MsoNormal">"(Derrick Mason ) ran by me," Bodden said. "He ran an out route. It looked like a good pass. I just timed it well."

<p class="MsoNormal">On the next play, Derek Anderson threw a 78-yard touchdown bomb to Braylon Edwards.

<p class="MsoNormal">"We had the crowd behind us," Bodden said. "After an interception, why not? Why not try to make a big play on offense?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Baltimore's second series got to the Browns 28 before Matt Stover missed a field goal.

<p class="MsoNormal">The next series started deep in Cleveland territory after an Ed Reed interception but left the Ravens feeling flat because it produced just 3 points.

<p class="MsoNormal">"We did what we needed to do to win the game," safety Sean Jones said. "The offense scored quick. We got a lead and kept it. We just needed to stop them, and we did that for the majority of the game."

<p class="MsoNormal">Said Bodden, "It was no big changes. We just had to clean up tackling."

<p class="MsoNormal">The Browns went into containment mode after taking a 27-6 lead midway through the third quarter. The Ravens gained 173 of their 418 yards after that, never posing a serious threat.

<p class="MsoNormal">Baltimore quarterback Steve McNair was tough at avoiding the rush.

<p class="MsoNormal">"We weren't sacking him, but we were getting some heat on him," linebacker Antwan Peek said. "He had awareness that someone was coming, you know what I mean?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Kamerion Wimbley thwarted a fourth-quarter threat by dragging down McNair while he threw, resulting in an intentional grounding call.

<p class="MsoNormal">"We did a good job rushing the quarterback," Peek said. "Kam did an exceptional job."

<p class="MsoNormal">Exceptional is way too strong a word to describe Sunday's overall defense.

<p class="MsoNormal">Respectable seems fair -- that's progress.

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

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