Cleveland Browns Sack Ben Roethlisberger Eight Times, Drop Champs, 13-6

Browns Backers,  

Redemption - " deliverance from sin; salvation"    

Christmas came early in Cleveland.

To paraphrase All-World KR-WR Joshua Cribbs, this win was for the fans, and after losing 12 straight times to the hated Steelers, the Browns redeemed themselves in the eyes of many, with Brady Quinn beating Pittsburgh in his first career start against them, officially elevating him into Bernie Kosar, God-like status.   

Forgive me for not being around the last two weeks as I was in South Bend, interviewing for the vacant Irish head coaching gig, but alas, they decided to go in another direction and hire Brian Kelly away from Cincinnati.

I came away thinking that the interview went well.  

Back to the present, and for those of us who live and work in Pittsburgh, you are constantly besieged with derogatory anti-Cleveland comments, everything from "You have not won any Super Bowls" to "The Browns suck and will always suck," you are subjected to the constant smug and snide remarks about wearing your Brady Quinn jersey, like I was today. 

After tonight's dominating performance in sacking Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger eight times and holding the vaunted Pittsburgh offense to a TOTAL of 216 yards, the Browns not only ended their 12-game losing streak against Pittsburgh but became the first sub-500 team to defeat a defending Super Bowl champion since the 0-10 Colts upended the Brett Favre-led champion Green Bay Packers in 1998.  

Make no mistake, the Browns played like this was their own Super Bowl and wanted this game more, not for just a win, but because beating Pittsburgh is the best early Christmas present ever!   

Joshua Cribbs continued to kill the Steelers in all phases of the game including a 58-yard kickoff return, a big 14-yard run out of the Wildcat on a 3rd-and-1, and he would finish with 200 all-purpose yards.  

Former practice squad RB Chris Jennings would rush for the eventual game winning TD, the first rushing TD for the Browns since last year and fellow practice squad teammate, TE Evan Moore, who has officially become Quinn's new safety blanket, caught two passes for 34 yards. 

It's amazing that Quinn only completed six passes in his first career win vs Pittsburgh and yet he showed great poise and managed the game effectively, and Rob Ryan deserves some serious love for dialing up some serious defensive pressure as he confused and dumbfounded Roethlisberger all night long. 

The Steelers chances of making it to the playoffs are about as done as Tiger Woods marriage at this point and at 6-7 they need to win out and get help. 

But on this cold windy night with thousands of Pittsburgh front-runners in the stands, the Browns can finally walk off the field with their heads up and we can all walk into work and say one thing.  

Scoreboard. 

Barking Away,

Dawgfather.