FLASH RECAP:
Different stadium. Same result. For the first time in 41 years, Oakland (2-4) opens a season with four road losses.
William Green scores a touchdown on a 5-yard run and Phil Dawson kicks field goals of 52 and 32 yards as the Browns (3-3) win their second straight game before an announced crowd of 73,318 at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Oct. 12, 2003.
The reeling Raiders self-destruct with 19 penalties for 128 yards, falling one penalty short of equaling the franchise record (20 against Denver in 1996). Oakland scores its only touchdown 5 minutes, 12 seconds into the first quarter after Anthony Dorsett returns a Green fumble seven yards to the Cleveland 24. For the second straight game, the Raiders surrender the lead in the second half.
The Browns erase a 7-3 deficit on Green's aforementioned touchdown run with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. On the previous play, Dawson rambles 14 yards to the Oakland 5-yard line on a fake field goal attempt.
The Raiders drive to the Browns' 24-yard line in the final minute, but Rich Gannon's sideline pass to Jerry Rice on fourth-and-one is ruled incomplete with 23 seconds left, although the television replay shows Rice making the catch before his knee lands out of bounds. The play is reviewed, but referee Johnny Grier doesn't overturn the call because of lack of sufficient evidence.
Rice tells reporters after Oakland's second straight loss: "I caught the ball, had complete control of the ball until my knee hit. You never want to leave it in the hands of the officials."
Grier said: "It looked like possession of the ball, but I couldn't tell if his knee was inbounds. We were trying to get a shot down the line to tell us if the knee was in or out. We could never get a shot to tell us that."
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
RB William Green - Rushes for 145 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. With the outcome undecided, Green has 61 rushing yards on seven carries during the fourth quarter.
K Phil Dawson - Hits field goals of 52 (a career high) and 32 yards, but his biggest contribution is a 14-yard run on a fake field goal attempt to the Oakland 5-yard line that sets up the Browns' go-ahead touchdown.
DE Courtney Brown - Has a sack, forces a fumbles and deflects a pass.
QB Tim Couch - Nothing spectacular (16-of-26 passing for 127 yards), but he doesn't self-destruct with any turnovers.
OLB Ben Taylor - Contributes a game-high nine solo tackles.
RB Charlie Garner - Has a season-high nine receptions and rushes 28 yards on nine carries.
TE Teyo Johnson - Scores his first NFL touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Rich Gannon.
WR Alvis Whitted - Has a 32-yard catch and a 10-yard rush on a reverse.
P Shane Lechler - Averages 46.2 yards on six punts, including a 59-yarder.
KEY STAT:
The Raiders have 19 penalties for 128 yards. The league record is 22 penalties in a game, shared by Brooklyn (1944), Chicago Bears (1944) and San Francisco (1998).
GOAT:
Oakland coaching staff. The Raiders are conservative on offense (Rich Gannon doesn't throw a pass to a wide receiver until the third quarter), their defense can't stop the run (again) and they are burned on a fake field goal attempt that sets up Cleveland's go-ahead touchdown. With a staggering 19 penalties, the Raiders lack discipline - which means the Oakland players have tuned out their coaches during practice.
BY THE NUMBERS:
-
0: Oakland victories in its past five road games over two seasons. The Raiders are 0-4 on the road this season.
10: Browns victories in their past 35 regular-season games at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
11: Penalties on Oakland offensive players. In one embarrassing sequence, the Raiders offense commits penalties on five straight plays.
171: Rushing yards surrendered by Oakland. Opponents are averaging 195.8 rushing yards against the Raiders the past four games.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders WR Tim Brown
"Five (penalties) in a row . . . I don't know if I have ever seen that in my 16 years as a player. It got louder as the game went on. I think their fans did a very good job."
"He reminded me of Forrest Gump. He had one speed. Then he looked like he needed an oxygen mask."
Browns DE Kenard Lang
on teammate Phil Dawson
"I was trying to change direction but my belly was taking me out of bounds. It was out in front of me and I am taking in all the air I can get. I'm just glad I got that far."
Browns K Phil Dawson
DID YOU KNOW?:
After five losses, the Browns beat the Raiders in Cleveland for the first time. The Raiders previously won four regular-season games and one postseason game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
Browns K Phil Dawson (4) rushes 14 yards to the
Oakland 5-yard line on a fake field goal attempt.
