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Browns receiver Braylon Edwards torches the Bengals' Leon Hall on a 34-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. CLEVELAND -- Browns guard Eric Steinbach walked into the locker room yesterday chanting, "Who Dey? Who Dey?" Truth be told, no one thought the Browns could beat dem Bengals -- except the 53 players in Cleveland's locker room. In a game with statistics that defied belief, Derek Anderson threw five touchdown passes in his first start of the season, and the Browns upended the Cincinnati Bengals 51-45. Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer wasn't to be outdone. He threw six touchdown passes and was 33 of 50 for 401 yards. He and Anderson combined for 11 touchdown passes, only the third time that has happened in NFL history. The teams combined for 1,085 yards of offense, and the 51 points were the most for the Browns since they returned to the NFL in 1999.
There were six lead changes, 438 combined yards in kickoff returns, 216 rushing yards by the Browns' Jamal Lewis and Bengals receiver Chad Johnson's promised leap into the Dawg Pound after he scored a TD. (He received a beer shower.) In the end, the Browns held on after cornerback Leigh Bodden intercepted Palmer to stop the Bengals' final drive with 28 seconds remaining. "This is what we can do," Browns receiver Braylon Edwards said. "This is the team that we want to show the league. This is us." The Bengals defense was just as shocking, considering they were coming off an impressive win over the Baltimore Ravens, unable to cover, tackle or maintain assignments. Rudi Johnson rushed for 118 yards and Chad Johnson caught 11 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns for the Bengals offense. For the Browns, Edwards had 146 receiving yards and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. 100. Lewis ran 66 yards for a touchdown. The three were relentless in helping the Browns beat the Bengals at their own high-scoring game. "I don't think anybody expected this game to shake out like this," Palmer said. "If anything, it's a good reminder for us that it doesn't matter who you play. … They talked about the Browns and how they weren't a good football team, but every team in this league is a good team." Lost in the action was the Browns' quarterback controversy. Anderson started after Cleveland shipped last week's starter, Charlie Frye, to Seattle, where he has become the third-stringer. But even Anderson was considered a temporary solution as the team developed rookie Brady Quinn. But for one day, at least, Browns fans stopped chanting for Quinn. Anderson completed 20 of 33 passes for 328 yards. In the first half, he led the Browns to five consecutive scoring drives, the first time that has happened since 2004, and a 27-21 halftime lead. The Browns remained aggressive in the second half and seemed to catch the Bengals defense off guard frequently. Anderson brimmed with confidence, finding Edwards for 34- and 37-yard touchdown passes without defenders in sight. "That was one of the most fun games I've ever played in," Anderson said. "College was great, but (Sunday) was a great game and a great atmosphere." He performed so well that Quinn's debut might have to wait. "To come out and have a performance like that, when last week we weren't sure who's our guy, now we know," Steinbach said. "He's our guy, we're sticking with him, and that's what we needed."
Columbus Dispatch/Akron Beacon Journal
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