Browns Banter: Did Browns Fans Cheer Injury to Derek Anderson in Loss to Colts?
If misery likes company, 72,000 Browns fans Sunday watched in disbelief as quarterback Derek Anderson was sacked by the Colts’ Robert Mathis late in the fourth quarter, and hobbled off the field in what could be a season-ending injury.
Oh, and by the way, the Browns wasted one of its finest defensive displays all season, losing to Indianapolis, 10-6, falling to 4-8, and thus, shattering all hopes for any chance of contending for a playoff spot.
Anderson’s injury to his left knee comes days after starting quarterback Brady Quinn was lost for the season due a fractured right index finger. Both can now share the bench and watch as third-string quarterback Ken Dorsey runs the offense for the Browns final four games.
(John Kuntz/The Plain Dealer) Derek Anderson writhes in pain after being sacked in the final minutes of Sunday’s game by the Colts’ Robert Mathis. Anderson suffered an injury to his left knee that will be determined on Monday and could end his season.
Actually Dorsey nearly won the game with a Hail Mary pass to wide receiver Braylon Edwards, but Edwards was triple-covered and never had control of the ball.
After Peyton Manning took a knee, Shaun Rogers flung his helmet down in disgust and walked off the field. If you were to tell me the Browns defense would allow only one field goal, hold Manning to just 215 yards and intercept him twice, I would have been thrilled and anticipated a win.
Unlike last week’s ugly, lackluster 16-6 loss against the Houston Texans, the Browns came out with fire and focus on Sunday, forcing Manning to make very uncharacteristic errors such as fumbling on the one-yard line in the last play of a great Browns goal line stand.
The defense held Manning without an offensive touchdown for the first time in 91 regular season games. With its fifth consecutive victory at the expense of the Browns, the 8-4 Colts are deep in the hunt for an AFC wild-card berth.
Had the Browns gotten into the end zone just once and won, cornerback Brandon McDonald should have been awarded a game ball. He intercepted a pass to Reggie Wayne (that unfortunately, the offense could not convert into a score).
Then and in a perfectly timed play in the end zone, Brandon McDonald hung onto the right arm of Reggie Wayne after what would have been touchdown pass, stripping the ball free and forcing the Colts to settle for a field goal.
Once again the Browns play calling left much to be desired. The wind off of Lake Erie made it difficult for quarterbacks, but placing the ball into the arms of running back Jamal Lewis 24 times was predictable.
With the exception of the Monday night win against the visiting New York Giants and Eli Manning, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s play calling has been uninspired.
(Why do these grown-up NFL quarterbacks need every single play whispered into their ears? Major league baseball pitchers, after all, decide each pitch they throw.).
When the Browns headed into the fourth quarter with a slim 6-3 lead, fans began to believe the impossible would happen and the Browns would own both Manning brothers this year.
But once again Browns fans hopes were dashed on its first possession in the fourth quarter when Dwight Freeney hit Anderson’s arm, the ball came out and Mathis recovered in and ran 37 yards for the only touchdown in the game.
Six minutes later, with 1:16 minutes left, it was first down at the Browns 45 yard line. But Browns nemesis, Mathis, plowed through tackle Kevin Shaffer from the right side, pushing Shaffer’s helmet into Anderson’s knee, first, then Mathis wrapped up the leg on Anderson’s way down.
The Plain Dealer and WKNR AM 850 reported that some fans actually cheered when Anderson got hurt and chanted for Dorsey. Others said the cheers were for Anderson after he got up and was helped off the field.
But I believe the Browns fans’ jeers and cheers stemmed from the frustration of a football season gone sour and of knowing that on Monday, they’d go to jobs they did not like, face their bosses and find a way to make the December mortgage payment and have a little left over for Christmas.
Tags: brandon mcdonald, Cleveland Browns, derek anderson, indianapolis, NFL, peyton manning
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I really hope that Browns fans were not cheering that DA got injured. I didn’t hear it, but I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt that they were cheering the fact that he got up. I know we are all frustrated, and that DA has struggled this year, but what are we — Philly fans? I don’t think so. Just frustrated at a disappointing 4-8 record, but I can’t imagine fans would actually cheer one of their own players getting injured.
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Jrod,
Unfortunately, some so-called “fans” did cheer after Derek limped off the field out of pure meanspiritness and probably self-hatred for their own little so-called lives.
These guys believe that because they spend a lot of money at Browns games, they can act outrageous and drink themselves into a crazed stupor. They believe players are overpaid and that the Browns owe them, the drunken faithful, a Super Bowl.
Fans who cheer any player who puts his body, his livlihood on the line every week, are pigs. This is what Greg Brinda, sports talk show host at WKNR AM 850 told his radio audience tonight — and I agree.
The saddest thing was that Derek heard some jeers, telling reporters in the locker room after the game, he knows the Cleveland fans do not like him.
Kick return specialist, receiver and runner Joshua Cribbs also expressed disappointment over the fans behavior and tight end Joe Jurevicius, a native Greater Clevelander, expressed his astonishment and anger to Tony Grossi of The Plain Dealer. (Jurevicius was on his way to Vail, Col. Monday night where a surgeon will clean out his injured knee which was infected with staph following surgery in January, and forcing him to miss the season.)
Running back Jamal Lewis told reporters he remembered when Browns fans cheered after quarterback Tim Couch was helped off of the field with a concussion. Later, Couch, a man with courage and heart who often had to run for his life because of the poor players around him, wept.
“They did Tim Couch the same way,” said Lewis, who played for Baltimore, the opposing team that day. “It’s not right.”
Indeed. The fact that Lewis recalled the five-year-old incident which happened to a player on another team, speaks volumes.
When Bernie Kosar called WKNR Monday for his regular time slot, he expressed his dismay at how Derek was treated. At age 45, Kosar feels the effect of numerous sacks from his neck to his knees.
Perhaps Jim Brown, who is nearing 70, put it best.
Recently Brown was praised for keeping himself in shape and looked as if he could still carry the ball for a few yards.
“No,” Brown smiled. “I can’t even tie my shoelaces.”
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