Browns' prayer silences Saints
NEW ORLEANS -- With time running out on what looked like their eighth consecutive loss, the Cleveland Browns were desperate. They were also armed.
Tim Couch celebrates the Browns' first win on his "Hail Mary" pass to Kevin Johnson. The combination added up to the first victory for the first-year expansion team and a shocking sixth straight loss for the New Orleans Saints.
Tim Couch, who already had thrown two scoring passes, completed a desperation 56-yard touchdown heave to Kevin Johnson with no time on the clock Sunday for a 21-16 victory.
"I couldn't have thrown it another yard," Tim Couch said. "I put everything I could into it and threw it as high as I could. It's a neat way to get your first one."
The entire Cleveland team raced on the field to celebrate the unlikely win, with Tim Couch pumping both fists and slapping hands with fans. The dejected Saints (1-6) could only walk off the field after losing a fourth-quarter lead for the fifth time this season.
"There's no use sitting back thinking about how horrible things are," Saints rookie running back Ricky Williams said. "You've got to try to bounce out."
The Browns (1-7) got a chance after New Orleans mismanaged the clock, calling a timeout with 29 seconds left rather than letting time run down. Doug Brien's 46-yard field goal with 21 seconds left put the Saints up 16-14.
But Tim Couch, who completed 11 of 19 passes for 193 yards, drove the Browns 75 yards on three plays, hitting Johnson in the corner of the end zone despite a swarm of Saints defenders around him.
GAME NOTES With their loss to the Browns, the Saints' overall record fell to 190-294-5. Based on a 16-game season, that means the Saints need to average 10 wins a year for the next 26 years to reach .500.
Ricky Williams has 582 yards for the year, giving him 125 yards more than last year's leading rusher, Lamar Smith, had all season.
Entering the game, Cleveland had 33 penalties in seven games, the fewest in the AFC. They were whistled for eight against the Saints
Saints wide receiver Keith Poole entered the game with a 23.2 yards per reception, the highest in the NFL. He averaged 7.7 on three catches against Cleveland.
"I batted it down, and it bounced off someone's head, and he caught it," Saints cornerback Fred Weary said. "You can't do anything about that. They made a lucky play, bottom line."
The Browns practice the play every week. It didn't go the way they planned, however. Johnson said he's supposed to tip the ball, not catch it. But thanks to the big screen in the Superdome end zone that shows live action, Johnson made the play.
"I was watching the screen, and I noticed Tim let the ball go," Johnson said. "I wasn't in position to catch the ball. I was at the 10-yard line, so I ran into the end zone and got myself into position. Those guys tipped it right into my hands. It was like a miracle."
It was the second week in a row a desperation pass worked against New Orleans. The New York Giants completed a 53-yarder against the Saints as the first half ran out last week.
The Browns, who have led at halftime in three games and carried leads into the fourth quarter against Jacksonville and Cincinnati, were up 14-13 going into the fourth quarter against New Orleans. An opportunity to stretch the lead failed as Phil Dawson's 46-yard field-goal attempts fell short early in the fourth quarter.
Saints coach Mike Ditka took over the play-calling for New Orleans against the Browns, unhappy with game plans that he felt strayed from his desire to pound the football with Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner he gave up eight draft picks to get.
The scheme was quickly apparent. Williams, who had his second 100-yard day as a pro, rushing for 179 yards on 40 carries, carried the football for 11 of the Saints 17 first-quarter plays, and 22 of 47 in the first half. He also fumbled the ball away twice to keep the Browns in the game.
The Saints' special teams provided the game's first break. David Dunn caught a punt on the Browns' 15, only to have Saints linebacker Vinson Smith immediately level him, knocking the football loose. Rob Kelly grabbed the fumble, and four plays later Billy Joe Hobert hit Keith Poole for a 5-yard touchdown and a 7-0 first-quarter lead.
The hit sidelined Dunn for the rest of the game with a mild concussion.
In the second quarter, Cleveland tied the score after defensive end Roy Barker intercepted a pass from Hobert and returned it to the New Orleans' 22. Fullback Marc Edwards outjumped Saints cornerback Alex Molden to catch a 27-yard touchdown pass, making it 7-7.
Hobert, who made his first start since Oct. 10, re-injured a bruised nerve in his neck trying to make a tackle after the interception and left the game. Billy Joe Tolliver replaced him, completing nine of 20 passes for 92 yards. Tolliver and Hobert were each intercepted once.
Brien, who missed a 47-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter, kicked a 49-yarder on third-and-3 with 13 seconds left in the half to give New Orleans a 10-7 lead at the break.
Cleveland went up 14-10 in the third quarter as Tim Couch hit Johnson for a 24-yard score. Brien's 22-yarder in the fourth quarter cut Cleveland's lead to 14-13.
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