It’s the Fake by the Lake

The Cleveland Browns can usually count on kicker Phil Dawson’s right leg.

On Sunday, they needed his left one too.

Dawson scampered 14 yards on a fake field-goal play to set up William Green’s go-ahead touchdown run in a rare and ugly home win for the Browns, 13-7 over the penalty-prone Oakland Raiders.

Not only did his run catch the Raiders off guard, it even surprised Dawson, who wasn’t looking forward to his next one.

“I tried to change directions, but my belly was carrying me out of bounds,” Dawson said. “But if you’re wearing a helmet, and they tell you to run, you run.”

Green ran right through the Raiders, picking up 145 yards as the Browns (3-3) won for the first time in three tries at home this season.

Cleveland is only 10-25 in front of its own fans since the Browns’ NFL rebirth in 1999.

Oakland (2-4) committed an NFL season-high 19 penalties -- five on consecutive plays in the third quarter -- and looked nothing like the defending AFC champion.

“We are not a smart football team,” quarterback Rich Gannon said.

“That is well-documented. We talk about penalties every week, it’s a lack of discipline and it’s inexcusable.”

Oakland’s 19 penalties were one shy of its team record set in 1996 and three short of the league mark.

Green rushed for 115 yards in last week’s win over Pittsburgh, and is the first Cleveland back to have consecutive 100-yard games since Kevin Mack in 1986.