Anderson, offensive line ensure Browns' success
Almost as much as quarterback Derek Anderson, the guy who washes the Browns uniforms must like this offensive line.
<p class="MsoNormal">Anderson's uniform isn't getting dirty.
<p class="MsoNormal">"I hardly had any marks on me," Anderson said. "(The offensive line is) playing great. They're playing awesome. I told them today that's a heckuva job. That's the second game I haven't been touched. I got hit a couple of times, but that was from guys bouncing around."
<p class="MsoNormal">Anderson completed 10-of-18 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns. He threw an interception and had another pass dropped that should have been picked off.
<p class="MsoNormal">But overall, Anderson's passer rating is 88.4, which puts him among the top third of NFL quarterbacks. He has thrown for 964 yards.
<p class="MsoNormal">"I felt this for a while," Anderson said of the team's offensive production.
<p class="MsoNormal">"Guys have confidence in what we're doing. Last week was a setback, but I was proud of the way guys came back this week and worked knowing the test we had in front of us. That's a tough defense."
<p class="MsoNormal">Anderson has been sacked once in the last three games.
<p class="MsoNormal">"It's a huge step," rookie left tackle Joe Thomas said. "We think we are coming together pretty well as an O-line. Derek is really understanding the game plans and knowing the reads. He is getting rid of the ball when he needs to."
<p class="MsoNormal">Joshua Cribbs set the offense up on the opening possession of the game. His return put the ball at Cleveland's 45.
<p class="MsoNormal">Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski mixed in Jamal Lewis running with Anderson throwing. There were three crucial plays on the drive.
<p class="MsoNormal">On third-and-1 from the Ravens 46, Anderson faked a pitch to Lewis around right end. Baltimore inside linebacker Ray Lewis followed the fake, allowing fullback Lawrence Vickers to get 6 yards.
<p class="MsoNormal">On third-and-3 from the Baltimore 33, Anderson hit Kellen Winslow Jr. for 25 yards. It was a short pass, but Tim Carter's pick allowed Winslow to get to the 8-yard line.
<p class="MsoNormal">On second-and-goal from the 8, Anderson stepped up in the pocket away from pressure. The play broke down, but he flicked a short pass to Edwards at the 2.
<p class="MsoNormal">"Little plays like that are the ones that winning teams make," Edwards said.
<p class="MsoNormal">"It goes unnoticed ... but instead of third-and-goal from 12 with a sack, we've got third-and-goal from the 2. Instead of needing a big play, we needed a little one."
<p class="MsoNormal">Joe Jurevicius sat in zone coverage in the end zone. Anderson rifled the pass, and the Browns led, 7-0.
<p class="MsoNormal">More importantly, they sent a message they weren't going to be pushed around.
<p class="MsoNormal">"That first drive set the tempo for the whole game," Anderson said. "We got them on their heels a little bit. We hit them with a couple of big runs. It gets crazy with all the moving we do on offense, and it makes the defense think."
<p class="MsoNormal">The next touchdown was set up by Leigh Bodden's interception. On the first play after the pick, Edwards blew past Chris McAlister, and Anderson noticed the Pro Bowl cornerback hesitated on the coverage. It went for a 78-yard touchdown pass, a career long completion for Anderson.
<p class="MsoNormal">"Chris McAlister is known to sit on some things," Edwards said. "I gave him a quick inside move -- it was a hint of a move -- and he bit on it."
<p class="MsoNormal">"I don't know if they messed the coverage up or not. Ed (Reed) was rolling over the top pretty strong," Anderson said. "I just threw it out there, and Braylon finished it off."
<p class="MsoNormal">The Browns had 14 points after just 11 offensive plays.
<p class="MsoNormal">"It got the adrenaline going," Anderson said.
<p class="MsoNormal">Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail todd.porter@cantonrep.com
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