Browns knock off Giants

CLEVELAND -- Through weeks of frustration, injuries and a near-quarterback change, the Cleveland Browns never lost hope in this season.

On Monday night, they may have saved it.

With quarterback Derek Anderson outplaying Eli Manning, Braylon Edwards making big catches and Eric Wright returning an interception 94 yards for a touchdown, the Browns won on Monday night for the first time since 1993, ending New York's 11-game road winning streak with a 35-14 win over the defending Super Bowl champions.

Anderson, whose job was in serious jeopardy just a few weeks ago, threw one of his two touchdown passes to Edwards, who announced his team's return to the NFL's prime-time weekday slot by performing a cartwheel and back flip during pregame introductions and then making the Giants look foolish.

In their first four games, the Browns (2-3) had shown no signs of living up to high expectations following a 10-6 season. They had dropped their first two games at home, lost three in a row and had only a win over Cincinnati to show so far in 2008.

Now, they've got something to brag about.

"This is us," Anderson said. "These were the guys who made plays all last season."

Anderson finished 18-for-29 for 310 yards, Edwards caught five passes for a 154 yards and Jamal Lewis scored on a 4-yard run for the Browns, who handed the Giants (4-1) their first loss.

Manning was picked off three times and the Giants were roughed up by the Browns.

In the closing minutes, Browns fans chanted "Over-rated" at the New Yorkers.

Aside from some more silly penalties, the Browns were superior to the Giants, who had reeled off 11 straight wins -- 12 counting the Super Bowl -- outside of New Jersey since Week 1 last season. But Manning was not himself, and New York missed an opportunity to open a two-game lead in the brutal NFC East.

"I threw three interceptions," Manning said. "That's unacceptable. That's not the way we win games. You're going to lose a game every once in a while, but we don't like the way we played. That's what's disappointing."

Edwards' 11-yard TD reception on the first play of the fourth quarter gave the Browns a 27-14 lead, and he punctuated it with a dunk over the goal post. The score capped an 87-yard drive that was bogged down by five Cleveland penalties. The Browns went 117 yards on the drive.

"Forward, backward, forward, backward," said tight end Steve Heiden, who had five catches starting for Kellen Winslow. "At least we got in there."

GAME SUMMARY

N.Y. Giants	0	14	0	0--14
Cleveland	3	14	3	15--35

First Quarter Cle--FG Dawson 28, 10:08.

Second Quarter NY--Jacobs 7 run (Carney kick), 12:09.

Cle--Lewis 4 run (Dawson kick), 11:10.

Cle--Dinkins 22 pass from Anderson (Dawson kick), 2:15.

NY--Burress 3 pass from Manning (Carney kick), :12.

Third Quarter Cle--FG Dawson 26, 11:55.

Fourth Quarter Cle--Edwards 11 pass from Anderson (Dawson kick), 14:55.

Cle--E.Wright 94 interception return (Edwards pass from Anderson), 8:07.

A--73,102.

	NYG	Cle
First downs	23	20
Total Net Yards	373	454
Rushes-yards	25-181	30-144
Passing	192	310
Punt Returns	0-0	1-3
Kickoff Returns	4-68	2-34
Interceptions Ret.	0-0	3-139
Comp-Att-Int	18-28-3	18-29-0
Sacked-Yards Lost	1-4	0-0
Punts	2-42.5	0-0.0
Fumbles-Lost	0-0	1-0
Penalties-Yards	5-38	10-55
Time of Possession	27:35	32:25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING--New York, Ward 10-101, Jacobs 14-67, Manning 1-13. Cleveland, Lewis 21-88, Harrison 2-41, Cribbs 1-12, J.Wright 1-3, Vickers 1-2, Anderson 4-(minus 2).

PASSING--New York, Manning 18-28-3-196. Cleveland, Anderson 18-29-0-310.

RECEIVING--New York, S.Smith 9-94, Burress 4-58, Ward 2-1, Boss 1-24, Matthews 1-13, Hixon 1-6. Cleveland, Edwards 5-154, Heiden 5-59, Harrison 2-26, Stallworth 2-19, Dinkins 1-22, Steptoe 1-20, J.Wright 1-6, Lewis 1-4.

MISSED FIELD GOAL--Cleveland, Dawson 51 (WL).