Flutie Doesn’t Come Up With Magic This Time

Cleveland Brown Coach Butch Davis doesn’t care if it’s another 17 years before he sees Doug Flutie again.

Davis, who coached Miami’s defensive line in 1984 when Flutie completed his “Hail Mary” for Boston College, had to sweat out the final seconds Sunday before the Browns defeated the San Diego Chargers, 20-16.

Flutie nearly rallied the Chargers (3-1), throwing two long passes that fell incomplete into crowds in the end zone, giving the Browns (3-1) the victory.

“I’m glad we don’t have to play him again,” Davis said.

Flutie was upstaged by Tim Couch, who came up with some magic of his own to help the Browns extend a winning streak to three games for the first time since returning to the league in 1999.

Couch threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Johnson with 1:15 left, with Flutie and Chargers getting the ball back five seconds later at the San Diego 17.

Davis admitted to suffering flashbacks of Nov. 23, 1984, when standing on the sideline in the Orange Bowl he watched Flutie complete his famous “Hail Mary” pass in Boston College’s 47-45 win.

On fourth and 10, Flutie scrambled for 11 yards and then made two completions for 27 yards, getting the ball to Cleveland’s 45 and getting Davis’ heart racing.

“When he got to the 50, I was concerned,” Davis said. “I didn’t think he could throw it 85 yards, but when he got to the 50, you just knew.”

Flutie’s first shot at the end zone was tipped by safety Percy Ellsworth but almost went to Charger receiver Curtis Conway, who had gotten behind Cleveland’s secondary.

Flutie finished 17 for 37 for 149 yards, and rookie LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 102 yards--including one gain for 54--in 19 carries.

The Browns’ swarming defense made it tough on Flutie, who was pressured all game and was clothes-lined on a run near the goal line in the fourth quarter by cornerback Corey Fuller.

Last week, Brown rookie defensive tackle Gerard Warren knocked Jacksonville quarterback Mark Brunell out of the game with a blind-side block. Warren was fined $35,000 by the NFL for the helmet-to-helmet blow.

“They’re going to see what they can get away with, but my gripe isn’t with them,” Flutie said. “There were three different hits that I thought could have been flagged very easily. There’s a rule about hitting anyone in the head.”

Flutie, though, credited Cleveland’s defense.

“I think we probably had more negative plays today that we had in the first weeks combined,” he said. “Their front [defensive] seven did a great job.”

Couch also did a great job after the Browns got the ball with 3:52 left.

He completed a 14-yard pass to Dennis Northcutt--his first catch of the season--and then on third and 10, connected with Johnson for 13 yards on a perfectly timed out pattern.

“I’ve worked with him for three years [on that pattern],” Johnson said. “I was confident. I came out of the break, and the ball was there.”

The duo hooked up again two plays later as Couch lobbed his touchdown pass to Johnson, who made contact as he went over cornerback Alex Molden for the catch.

Couch finished 14 for 27 for 203 yards.

Under Davis, hired in January to replace Chris Palmer, the Browns have matched their entire win total from last season and became the NFL’s biggest surprise after four weeks. “It’s not so much the about the record as it is about what it is going on in our locker room,” Davis said. “They are doing this as a total team right now.”