Refs, Matthew Stafford Deal Browns Tough 38-37 Loss

Browns fans.  The one word that defines what happened today against the Lions is absurd.  It was absurd, completely illogical.

Absurd.

That is the word of the moment and the official battle cry from Browns backers everywhere after seeing the most unbelievable loss in the NFL. And in true fashion, Cleveland had to be on the short end.  

I've been watching football since I was three years old. My uncle got me into the Browns during the "Kardiac Kids" era and I grew up idolizing Bernie Kosar.

But in all my years of watching NFL football, it always seemed that Cleveland would get screwed, or that some absurd, fluke moment, would somehow haunt the Browns.

Sunday's game against Detroit is clear evidence that the NFL is out to screw Cleveland any and every chance it gets, and if the NFL headquarters doesn't get a barrage of faxes and e-mails from angry and livid Browns fans, I will be very disappointed.     

I was actually supposed to be at the game in Detroit with the Southeast Michigan Browns Backers. I even had the pleasure of making some great new friends in both Jeff and Susan Oller and the President, Stan Gage.

I feel for them, as they, along with Dawgs everywhere are upset at the questionable pass interference call on a Hail Mary that dropped the Browns to 1-9.  

Now, if you would have told me that the Browns, as in the offensively-challenged Cleveland Browns, would score 37 points in a NFL game, I would have mistaken you for a Jacob-obsessed, Twilight-enthralled tween. 

If you would have told me that the Browns would score a franchise-record 24 points in the first quarter and that the long-ball challenged, noodle-armed QB Brady Quinn would open up two long strikes of 59 yards and 40 yards to Mohammed Massaqoui and Chansi Stuckey, I would have called you crazy.

And if you would have told me that Brady Quinn would throw for a career-best 303 yards and four touchdowns after looking awful against the Baltimore Ravens, I would have thought you were trying to con me. 

For once, and I mean ONCE, the Browns offensive line protected Quinn, giving him time to find his receivers, who actually caught the balls thrown at them.

I can see that Brian Daboll finally found his owner's manual and unleashed Quinn to throw the ball down field.

And for once, I have to give Quinn some love for actually being aggressive in attacking a defense.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the defense, who let Stafford play like Bobby Lane and shredded the Cleveland defense for a rookie record five touchdowns and a career-best 422 passing yards.  

If I were Stafford, I would send Terry McNaulty and his officiating crew a Thanksgiving turkey, because they clearly stuffed the Browns with the their own family style of yellow-flag dressing.  

One can only imagine how much money Vegas made on the over/under as this game had the look and feel of a AFL shootout.

And it is really sad and completely unacceptable for a game to end on a bogus and completely flaky call like this one did.

Much like Ireland losing to France on a Thierry Henry handball, the Browns got screwed in the end.  

At least one Ohio team won in Michigan.  

Dawgfather.