Week 9 . . . Buccaneers @ Browns

For the third week in a row, it was obvious that the Browns rushing attack had left the building riding on a Cushman next to Alex Mack in week 6. Against the Buccaneers, the Browns ran the ball 28 times for only 50 yards (1.2 yards per carry).

Also for the third week in a row, the Browns failed to see the End Zone during the first half relying on three Billy Cundiff field goals (49, 29 and 43 yards) and a blocked Tampa Bay field goal attempt in the 1^st quarter to keep them in the game. The Browns took the 2^nd half kickoff and proceeded to go on an 80 yard drive that consumed almost 6 minutes culminating in a 2 yard touchdown pass from Brian Hoyer to Terrance West. In that drive, Hoyer went 6 for 6 gaining 63 of the 80 yards through the air.

After trading punts, the Buccaneers then went on a scoring drive of their own. Mike Glennon delivered a 24 yard strike to Mike Evans to put the Bucs up 17-16 with a little under 3 minutes to go in the 3^rd quarter. Once again the teams traded punts (and interceptions) until midway through the 4^th quarter when the Browns blocked a Michael Koenen punt and K’Waun Williams recovered it on the Tampa Bay 34 yard line. Two plays later, Brian Hoyer hit Taylor Gabriel for a 34 yard touchdown. Mike Pettine opted to go for the 2 point conversion but Hoyer’s pass fell incomplete and the Browns had a 6 point lead with 9:35 to go in the game. Both teams traded punts again until Tampa Bay opted to go for it on 4^th and 11 with 1:43 left in the game. Glennon’s pass fell incomplete and Cleveland ran out the clock and moved to 5-3 for the season.

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