Browns Show Things Have Changed

The Cleveland Browns are new and improved.

They demonstrated that Sunday, knocking Mark Brunell out of the game and getting 249 yards from Tim Couch in a surprising 23-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Couch led the Browns (2-1) to the go-ahead field goal with 5:13 remaining, and Daylon McCutcheon closed out the game with a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown. It was Cleveland’s first victory over the Jaguars in seven tries.

It was a complete turnaround from Cleveland’s last trip to Jacksonville, a 48-0 stomping last December that sealed the fate of then-coach Chris Palmer and led to the hiring of Butch Davis, who turned over nearly half the roster.

“The last two years, we would have folded in a situation like that and lost the game,” Couch said. “This team kept on fighting and believing, and good things happened.”

Brunell was injured after taking a hit in the head from Gerard Warren on Jacksonville’s first offensive play. The hit came as Keith McKenzie blew past Boselli’s replacement, Aaron Koch, and Brunell threw an interception while trying to flip the ball ahead to Taylor’s replacement, Stacey Mack. Brunell played a few more series before taking the rest of the day off. Couch finished 24 of 34, and Jamel White rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown after taking over for the injured James Jackson.

With the Browns trailing, 14-13, Couch hit Mike Sellers for 18 yards and Quincy Morgan for another 22, part of a 67-yard drive that set up Phil Dawson’s 30-yard field goal with 5:13 remaining.