2007 Cleveland Browns season The 2007 Cleveland Browns season began with the Browns attempting to improve upon their 4 – 12 record from the 2006 season , in which the team finished in fourth place in the AFC North . The Browns also attempted to overcome the many injuries that plagued the team throughout the 2006 season . The Browns remained under the supervision of head coach Romeo Crennel and they played all of their home games in Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland , Ohio . During the 2007 NFL Draft , the Browns selected Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the third overall selection . The Browns were also able to draft Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn with the 22nd overall selection , after completing a trade with the Dallas Cowboys which saw the Browns send their second - round pick in the 2007 draft , along with their first - round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft , to the Cowboys for their first - round selection at number 22 . The Browns completed their first - day draft by selecting UNLV cornerback Eric Wright , following another trade with the Dallas which saw the Browns giving up their third - and fourth - round picks in the 2007 draft and swapping sixth - round picks with the Cowboys . During the off - season , the Browns signed key free agents Eric Steinbach ( Cincinnati , offensive guard ) , Jamal Lewis ( Baltimore , running back ) , and Robaire Smith ( Tennessee , defensive end ) . Off - season . Coaching staff changes . The Cleveland Browns ' offense was marred by bad play - calling throughout the early stages of the 2006 season , forcing the resignation of the team ' s offensive coordinator , Maurice Carthon , on October 24 , 2006 . Following Carthon ' s resignation , head coach Romeo Crennel hired assistant head coach and offensive line coach Jeff Davidson as the team ' s offensive coordinator for the remainder of the 2006 season . However , the Browns have since lost Davidson to the Carolina Panthers , where he was hired to serve as the Panthers ' offensive coordinator . Because of Davidson ' s hiring in Carolina , the Browns have hired Rob Chudzinski as the team ' s new offensive coordinator . The team has also hired Ted Daisher as the team ' s new special teams coordinator . Other coaching staff changes made by the Browns in the 2007 off - season include the hiring of Steve Marshall as the offensive line coach ; Tom Myslinski as the strength - and - conditioning coach ; Alan DeGennaro as the assistant strength - and - conditioning coach ; Dave Atkins as the senior offensive assistant coach ; Anthony Lynn as the running backs coach ; Rip Scherer as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach ; and Alfredo Roberts as the tight ends coach . On June 14 , defensive coordinator Todd Grantham ' s contract was extended by two years , allowing him to remain with the Browns through the 2009 season . Roster changes . The Cleveland Browns had one of the busiest off - seasons in terms of movement in the NFL . Beginning on March 3 , 2007 , the Browns signed former Cincinnati Bengals offensive guard Eric Steinbach to a seven - year contract and former Houston Texans outside linebacker Antwan Peek to a three - year contract ; the team also resigned center Hank Fraley to a four - year contract , fearing that center LeCharles Bentley ' s 2006 season - ending knee injury may also be a career - ending injury . The following day , March 4 , the Browns signed former Washington Redskins cornerback Kenny Wright to a three - year contract . One day later , on March 5 , the Browns lost wide receiver and punt returner Dennis Northcutt to the Jacksonville Jaguars under the terms of a five - year contract . On March 8 , the team signed former Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis to a one - year contract , bolstering the team ' s lackluster running game . Because of Lewis ' s signing , running back Reuben Droughns had been made expendable , and was subsequently traded to the New York Giants for wide receiver Tim Carter on March 9 . Also on March 9 , the Browns terminated the contract of veteran cornerback Daylon McCutcheon , citing that he failed a physical , and lost safety Brian Russell to the Seattle Seahawks , though the terms of Russell ' s deal were not disclosed . Nerly a week later , on March 14 , the Browns terminated the contract of fullback Terrelle Smith , prior to having to pay Smith a due roster bonus ; the team also signed former Miami Dolphins offensive guard Seth McKinney to a one - year contract and former Tennessee Titans defensive end Robaire Smith to a four - year contract . On March 16 , the Browns signed former Bengals defensive tackle Shaun Smith to a four - year contract . Four days later , on March 20 , the team re - signed offensive guard Lennie Friedman to a one - year contract ; the team also lost defensive end Alvin McKinley to the Denver Broncos . On March 29 , it was revealed that Browns general manager Phil Savage entered in to talks with the Kansas City Chiefs ' general manager Carl Peterson regarding their veteran quarterback , Trent Green . However , Green has since been traded to the Miami Dolphins . On April 2 , the team signed former San Francisco 49ers safety Mike Adams to a two - year contract . On April 14 , the Browns re - signed veteran tight end Steve Heiden to a four - year contract extension , though terms of his deal were not disclosed . On April 16 , the Browns signed former Ravens fullback Alan Ricard to a one - year contract , though terms of his deal were not disclosed ; the team also formally announced the signing of former San Diego Chargers tight end Ryan Krause , though the date he was signed and the terms of his deal were not disclosed . On April 19 , the Browns re - signed defensive tackle Ethan Kelley to the terms of a one - year contract . On April 25 , the Browns resigned free agents Simon Fraser and Mason Unck each to one - year contracts . On April 27 , the Browns resigned free agent offensive lineman Nat Dorsey to a one - year contract . On May 2 , the team waived offensive lineman Joe Andruzzi . Following his release , Andruzzi was hospitalized with lymphoma . The Browns release a statement wishing Andruzzi well , though it is not known whether his ailment is the reason the Browns released Andruzzi . On May 3 , the Browns announced the signings of nine undrafted free agents . Those players are : Jesse Ainsworth , a placekicker from Arizona State ; Charles Ali , a fullback from Arkansas ( Pine Bluff ) ; Mike Alston , a linebacker from Toledo ; Rick Drushal , an offensive lineman from Wooster ; Hunter Funtaine , a linebacker from Vanderbilt ; Mike Mason , a wide receiver from Tennessee State ; Tyrone Moss , a halfback from Miami ( Florida ) ; Brent Pousson , an offensive lineman from McNeese State ; and Scott Stephenson , an offensive lineman from Iowa State . The team also signed three try - out rookies on May 8 , signing linebacker Kevin Sears , offensive lineman Cliff Louis and running back Jerome Jackson . On June 17 , the Browns waived cornerback Antonio Perkins , fullback Alan Ricard , and offensive linemen Brent Pousson and Scott Stephenson . On June 26 , the team waived safety Ben Emanuel and claimed former Tampa Bay Buccaneer wide receiver Efrem Hill from waivers . 2007 NFL Draft . Prior to the 2007 NFL Draft , the Browns were set to utilize either the third pick or fourth pick of the first round . This discrepancy was because the Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had similar records and strength - of - schedule averages . After the coin toss , it was determined that the Browns will use the third pick of the draft . The 2007 NFL Draft was held on April 28 and 29 2007 in New York City , New York . The Cleveland Browns had one of the best first - day drafts of any team . The Browns selected Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the third overall pick of the draft , after many had predicted that the Browns would select Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn or Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson . However , the Browns selected Quinn with the 22nd selection of the draft , following a trade with the Dallas Cowboys which saw the Browns send their second - round pick of the 2007 draft and their first - round pick of the 2008 NFL Draft to the Cowboys for their first - round pick at number 22 . During the second round of the draft , the Browns made another trade with the Cowboys , this time using the selection to pick UNLV cornerback Eric Wright . The Browns gave up their third - and fourth - round picks of the draft , and swapped their sixth - round pick with the Cowboys . On the second day of the draft , the Browns looked to fill holes which were left by departing players through free agency . In the fifth round , the Browns drafted Memphis cornerback Brandon McDonald ; in the sixth round , the Browns drafted Hawaii defensive end Melila Purcell ; and in the seventh round , the Browns drafted LSU defensive end Chase Pittman and Arizona wide receiver Syndric Steptoe . On July 18 , the Browns signed the first of their seven draft picks , signing Pittman to a four - year contract . On July 22 , the Browns signed three more draft picks , this time singing McDonald , Purcell and Steptoe each to four - year contracts . Steptoe is likely to compete to be the team ' s starting punt - returner heading into the 2007 season . On July 26 , the Browns signed Thomas to a six - year contract ( voidable after five years ) and Wright to a four - year contract . Thomas and Wright will look to battle to become the starters at left tackle and cornerback respectively . Until August 7 , the Browns and Brady Quin could not agree on a contract , and the quarterback missed nearly two weeks of training camp . The parties then agreed , in principle , to a contract . Hours later , the team and Quinn finalized the contract , and Quinn signed with the team under the terms of a five - year contract . The contract is worth $ 20 million . Regular season week - by - week results . Paul Ernster signed . Prior to the team ' s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers , the Browns signed punter Paul Ernster to punt in place of Dave Zastudil in the team ' s week one season opener . To make room for Ernster on the team ' s roster , the Browns waived cornerback Jereme Perry . Week 1 : vs . Pittsburgh Steelers . The Cleveland Browns opened the regular season at home in Cleveland Browns Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers , who entered the game under the direction of the team ' s new head coach , Mike Tomlin . The two teams were tied in their overall series with 55 wins apiece . However , the Browns ' ended the day with a 34 – 7 loss to the Steelers . A number of Browns errors gave Pittsburgh opportunities to take a first quarter lead . After being stopped on their first possession , the Browns were forced to punt . Paul Ernster fumbled the snap which resulted in a poor kick , and the Browns were called for four penalties on the play . The Steelers took possession on the Browns ' 22 - yard line and scored on a 5 - yard touchdown pass from Ben Ben Roethlisberger to Hines Ward . On the Browns ' next possession , Charlie Frye threw an interception to Deshea Townsend , which eventually led to the Steelers ' second score of the game , a 26 - yard field goal by Jeff Reed . The Brown next possession ended when Jamal Lewis fumbled the ball at the Browns ' 40 - yard line . The Steelers quickly converted the turnover , with Roethlisberger completing a 40 - yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes on the next play to bring the score to 17 – 0 . After being sacked five times and throwing for only 34 yards on 4 - of - 10 passing , Frye was removed from the game and was replaced by second - string quarterback Derek Anderson . In the second quarter , Willie Parker fumbled the ball and gave the Browns possession . However , the team was forced to punt , and just two drives later , the Browns fumbled the ball again — this time on a sack by Ryan Clark of Anderson . The Browns were able to hold the Steelers scoreless through the second quarter as Roethlisberger failed to connect on his last six pass attempts of the quarter . However , the Steelers also held the Browns scoreless , and the teams entered halftime with the Steelers ahead 17 – 0 . The second half began well for the Steelers , with an eight play , 71 - yard drive that ended in a 5 - yard touchdown pass to rookie Matt Spaeth . The Browns countered with a long drive of 76 yards that ended with a one - yard touchdown pass from Anderson to second - year fullback Lawrence Vickers , cutting the deficit to 24 – 7 . However , this would be the Browns ' only score of the game . On the next drive , the Steelers answered with a 22 - yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Heath Miller , giving the Steelers a 31 – 7 advantage . The Browns punted on their next possession , and the Steelers capped an eight - minute drive with a 31 - yard field goal by Reed , giving the Steelers a 34 – 7 lead which they never surrendered . On the Browns ' next offensive possession , Braylon Edwards dropped a pass from Anderson which was ruled a fumble . Following a Steelers punt , Anderson threw an interception to Ike Taylor on a pass intended for Edwards , and Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch ran the clock out , securing the win . The loss put the Browns record at 0 – 1 , and allowed the Steelers to take a one - game lead in the overall series , 56 wins to 55 . Following the game , head coach Romeo Crennel stated that he didn ' t know who would start at quarterback in the next game versus the Cincinnati Bengals . He also stood by his decision not to insert rookie Brady Quinn into the game , even after chants were heard from the home crowd hoping otherwise . Charlie Frye traded . On Tuesday , September 11 , the Browns traded Frye , who was expected to start against the Bengals in week two , to the Seattle Seahawks for a sixth - round draft choice . The Browns are the first team since 1970 to trade their starting quarterback before Week 2 . The team ' s general manager , Phil Savage , stated that Anderson was to be named the team ' s new starting quarterback , with Quinn moving up the depth chart to be Anderson ' s backup . The Browns also re - signed Ken Dorsey , whom the team had cut just ten days earlier , to be the team ' s third - string quarterback and mentor to Quinn . Week 2 : vs . Cincinnati Bengals . The Browns remained at home for their Week 2 game with their interstate rivals , the Cincinnati Bengals . Coming into the game , the Bengals held a one - game advantage over the Browns in the all - time series , 34 – 33 . However , the Browns defeated the Bengals in a high - scoring contest , 51 – 45 , which saw 12 offensive touchdowns – and tied the overall series between the two teams at 34 wins each . The game opened with a 13 - yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to running back Rudi Johnson – the first receiving touchdown of his career . After a Cleveland punt , safety Sean Jones intercepted a Palmer pass intended for Chad Johnson , which gave the Browns possession . However , they were unable to score a touchdown , and scored with a 39 - yard Phil Dawson field goal instead . After a Bengals punt , Dawson kicked another 39 - yard field goal before the end of the quarter . The Bengals began the second quarter with Rudi Johnson fumbling the football , which was recovered by cornerback Leigh Bodden . Derek Anderson , starting after the team ' s trade of Charlie Frye during the week , completed a pass to Joe Jurevicius in the back of the endzone for a 17 - yard touchdown , putting the Browns ahead 13 – 7 . The Bengals countered with another touchdown pass , this time a 23 - yard pass to T . J . Houshmandzadeh . Browns head coach Romeo Crennel challenged the ruling on the field that the receiver was in bounds on the catch , but the officials upheld the call . On the ensuing kickoff , Josh Cribbs returned the ball 88 yards to the Bengals ' 11 - yard line . The drive was capped off with a 9 - yard pass from Anderson to Jurevicius , giving him his second touchdown reception of the game and putting the Browns ahead 20 – 14 . The Bengals answered the Browns ' touchdown pass with another score of their own , this time a 22 - yard pass to Chad Johnson . Johnson was wide open in the endzone , uncovered because Bodden had slipped . After his catch , Johnson attempted to find the Browns ' Dawg Pound so he could jump into it and keep his pregame promise to do so if he scored . He was unable to do so , though , since he had scored in the end zone opposite the Dawg Pound . Following the Bengals ' score , the Browns answered with a 97 - yard kickoff return to Cincinnati ' s four - yard line by Cribbs ; however , due to several penalties on the play , it was called back . Though the team was penalized , Anderson eventually threw a 25 - yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow II to give the Browns a 27 – 21 lead at halftime . The Bengals began the third quarter with a Dexter Jackson interception of Anderson , and the team gained ground on the Browns with a 20 - yard Shayne Graham field goal . On the Browns ' next drive , Anderson hooked up with Braylon Edwards for a 34 - yard touchdown pass , allowing the Browns to increase their lead to ten points once again , 34 – 24 . However , just as in the first half , the Bengals answered the Browns ' score with a score of their own , a 14 - yard touchdown pass to Chad Johnson . Carrying out his promise , Johnson leaped into the Dawg Pound , where a fan poured beer onto him . With the Bengals only trailing by three points , running back Jamal Lewis exploded out of the backfield and ran 66 yards for a touchdown to increase the Browns ' lead back to ten points . Five minutes later , on the next drive , Carson Palmer hit T . J . Houshmandzadeh once again , this time a 5 - yard touchdown pass , to bring the Browns ' lead back to three . The Browns ' next drive was cut short on a fourth - and - short rushing attempt by fullback Lawrence Vickers ; however , the Bengals were forced to punt on their next drive , and managed to down the ball inside the Browns ' ten - yard line . The Browns answered the Bengals ' third - quarter touchdown with a 37 - yard pass from Anderson to Edwards , once again increasing the lead to ten points , 48 – 38 . After another punt by the Bengals , Phil Dawson kicked his third field goal of the game , from 18 yards , to give the Browns a 13 point lead . With time running down , Palmer led his team to yet another score , this time on a 7 - yard pass to Glenn Holt , to cut the Browns ' lead to six points . However , this would be the final scoring drive of the game ; the Browns punted on their next possession , which was followed by a Leigh Bodden interception of a Palmer pass in Browns territory as Palmer was attempting to lead his team on a quick scoring drive . The play was reviewed by officials but upheld , allowing Derek Anderson to take a knee to run the clock out and win his first game as a starting quarterback . Browns ' quarterback Derek Anderson tied a franchise record with five touchdown passes in the game . Running back Jamal Lewis also became the first Browns running back in more than 20 years , rushing for 215 yards on 22 carries and scoring a touchdown . Wide receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow also added more than 100 yards receiving each : Edwards had eight receptions for 146 yards with two touchdowns , and Winslow had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown . The teams ' combined score at the end of the game was 96 points ; the teams together scored 106 points in a game in 2004 . The rivals now own two of the top scoring games in the history of the league . Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer also set a franchise record with his six touchdown passes , while wide receiver Chad Johnson became the franchise ' s all - time leader in receiving yards . It was only the third time in NFL history that two quarterbacks had thrown at least five touchdown passes in the same game . Scott Player signed . On September 18 , the team signed punter Scott Player to serve as an insurance policy in case Dave Zastudil was unable to play in the Browns ' week three game against the Oakland Raiders . The Browns released punter Paul Ernster to make room for Player on the team ' s roster . AFC Player of the Week . For his performance against the Bengals , quarterback Derek Anderson was named the AFC Player of the Week . Anderson was 20 - for - 33 passing with five touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 121 . 0 . Week 3 : at Oakland Raiders . The Cleveland Browns traveled to Oakland for their first road game of the season to face the Oakland Raiders . Historically , the Browns and the Raiders split their all - time series at 27 games a piece heading into week three ' s game . The Browns had won six of their last seven meetings with the Raiders , but the team fell short by a final score of 26 – 24 , allowing the Raiders to end their eleven - game losing streak . The Browns ' first drive was marred by three penalties and a sack , forcing the team into an almost - impossible 3rd - and - 40 situation . The Browns were forced to punt , but held the Raiders to a three - and - out series on their first drive . However , the Browns were forced to punt again on their second drive , and allowed the Raiders to score the first points of the game on a 32 - yard Sebastian Janikowski field goal , putting the Raiders up 3 – 0 . The Browns ' next drive ended prematurely , as quarterback Derek Anderson was intercepted by Raiders linebacker Thomas Howard , who returned the interception 26 yards . The Raiders ' next drive was stalled by the Browns , forcing the team to kick a field goal , this time a 22 - yard field goal . The Browns were forced to punt again on their next drive , and the Raiders were able to score on a 41 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh McCown to wide receiver Ronald Curry . The score was made possible by a brilliant play - action fake which caused rookie cornerback Eric Wright to bite on the fake , allowing Curry to run untouched to the endzone . The Browns ' next drive was once again ended by an interception , as Kirk Morrison picked Anderson off and returned the interception 45 yards before being tackled by Braylon Edwards to save the touchdown . The Raiders were held to a field goal , this time 23 yards , despite their outstanding field position , increasing their lead to 16 – 0 . On the kickoff , however , returner Josh Cribbs managed to break down the Raiders ' defense en route to a 99 - yard kickoff return touchdown , putting the Browns on the board for the first time in the game . The Raiders then fumbled on their next possession , allowing defensive end Simon Fraser to fall on the loose ball . Anderson then led the Browns down the field to a 23 - yard Phil Dawson field goal , bringing the Browns within six points as the first half came to a close . Raiders quarterback McCown was replaced by Daunte Culpepper at the start of the second half due to an ankle injury he sustained on a play in which defensive end Robaire Smith fell on his leg during a tackle . Culpepper ' s entrance into the game was met with a loud series of cheers from Raiders fans , who have wanted to see Culpepper on the field all year . His first drive leading the Raiders in the second half ended with a punt , but the Raiders held the Browns to a three - and - out , forcing another Browns punt . However , on the Raiders ' next drive , a 24 - yard pass from Culpepper to wide receiver Mike Williams was fumbled and recovered by cornerback Daven Holly . The Browns capitalized on the momentum from the fumble and scored six quick points on a 21 - yard pass from Anderson to Edwards , bringing the Browns to within nine points of the Raiders . However , the Raiders ' next drive culminated in a one - yard touchdown run by running back Lamont Jordan , increasing the Raiders ' lead to 23 – 17 while taking more than nine minutes off the game clock . The Browns were forced into a three - and - out on their next possession , and allowed the Raiders to score three more fourth - quarter points on a 48 - yard Janikowski field goal , capping the Raiders ' scoring for the day at 26 , putting them ahead 26 – 17 . The Browns would answer back on their next drive as Anderson scrambled from the pocket and scored on a one - yard touchdown run to bring the Browns within two points of the lead . After a Raider punt , the Browns were forced into their two - minute offense and had to get the ball within field goal range to have a chance of winning the game . The Browns managed to get the ball to the Oakland 22 - yard line , and the field goal unit took the field with three seconds left on the clock . Kicker Phil Dawson managed to hit the field goal from 40 yards out ; however , Raiders coach Lane Kiffin called a timeout just moments before Dawson kicked the ball , effectively icing his kick . With one more chance , the Browns lined up for the field goal again . This time , however , Dawson ' s field goal was blocked by Tommy Kelly , ending the Browns ' chances for a comeback win . With the win , the Raiders ended their eleven - game losing streak and took the lead in the overall series between the two teams , 28 – 27 . Derek Anderson , despite his somewhat disappointing performance , put up nearly 250 yards passing for the second straight week , though running back Jamal Lewis was held to just 56 yards on 15 carries . With the loss , the Browns have extended their already long streak of games without winning two in a row . That last happened the final game of the 2003 season and the first game of 2004 . Week 4 : vs . Baltimore Ravens . Coming off their last - second road loss to the Raiders , the Browns went home for an AFC North duel with the Baltimore Ravens , as RB Jamal Lewis would go up against his former team . In the first quarter , Cleveland got off to a surprisingly fast start with QB Derek Anderson ( another former Raven ) completed a 2 - yard TD pass to WR Joe Jurevicius . Immediately after the defense intercepted QB Steve McNair , the Browns cashed in with Anderson completing a 78 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards . In the second quarter , Baltimore would get on the board with kicker Matt Stover getting a 21 - yard field goal . Cleveland would answer kicker Phil Dawson nailing a 41 - yard field goal , along with Lewis getting a 1 - yard TD run . In the third quarter , the Browns increased its lead with Dawson kicking a 20 - yard field goal for the only score of the period . In the fourth quarter , the Ravens tried to mount a comeback with McNair completing a 4 - yard TD pass to TE Quinn Sypniewski . Fortunately , Cleveland ' s defense held on to win . With an impressive win , the Browns improved to 2 – 2 . AFC Player of the Month . For his performance in his team ' s return game , including a 99 - yard kick return for a touchdown against the Raiders , kick returner Josh Cribbs was named the AFC ' s Special Teams Player of the Month for the month of September . Cribbs led all return men with 549 punt and kick return yards in the month and had three returns of 30 yards or more . Week 5 : at New England Patriots . Coming off their divisional home win over the Ravens , the Browns flew to Gillette Stadium for a Week 5 intraconference duel with the New England Patriots . In the first quarter , Cleveland trailed early as Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski got a 20 - yard field goal , while QB Tom Brady completed a 34 - yard TD pass to WR Donté Stallworth . In the second quarter , the Browns continued to struggle as Gostkowski gave New England a 25 - yard field goal , while Brady completed a 7 - yard TD pass to TE Benjamin Watson . In the third quarter , Cleveland tried to come back with kicker Phil Dawson getting a 42 - yard field goal for the only score of the period . In the fourth quarter , the Browns drew closer with QB Derek Anderson completing a 21 - yard TD pass to WR Tim Carter . However , the Patriots resonded with Brady and Watson hooking up with each other on a 25 - yard TD pass . The Browns tried to catch up with Anderson completing a 14 - yard TD pass to TE Kellen Winslow . New England sealed its win with CB Randall Gay returning a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown . With the loss , Cleveland fell to 2 – 3 . Week 6 : vs . Miami Dolphins . Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Patriots , the Browns went home and played a Week 6 intraconference duel with the winless Miami Dolphins . In the first quarter , Cleveland drew first blood with RB Jason Wright getting a 1 - yard TD run . The Dolphins answered with kicker Jay Feely getting a 43 - yard field goal , yet the Browns would respond with QB Derek Anderson getting a 1 - yard TD run . In the second quarter , Cleveland continued its pounding with kicker Phil Dawson getting a 40 - yard field goal , along with Anderson completing a 24 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards . The Dolphins would respond with QB Cleo Lemon completing a 14 - yard TD pass to TE David Martin . Afterwards , the Browns would end the half with kicker Phil Dawson nailing a 20 - yard field goal . In the third quarter , Miami managed to shrink Cleveland ' s lead with Lemon getting a 5 - yard and a 1 - yard TD run . Fortunately , in the fourth quarter , the Browns would put the game out of reach as Anderson and Edwards hooking up with each other again on a 5 - yard and a 16 - yard TD pass . Afterwards , the Dolphins only response was Lemon ' s 4 - yard TD pass to Martin . With the win , the Browns entered their bye week at 3 – 3 . Week 8 : at St . Louis Rams . Coming off their bye week , the Browns flew to the Edward Jones Dome for a Week 8 interconference duel with the winless St . Louis Rams . In the first quarter , Cleveland trailed early as Rams RB Steven Jackson got a 2 - yard TD run , along with QB Marc Bulger completing a 1 - yard TD pass to WR Torry Holt . The Browns responded with kicker Phil Dawson getting a 35 - yard field goal . In the second quarter , Cleveland took the lead with QB Derek Anderson completing a 12 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards and a 21 - yard TD pass to TE Kellen Winslow . St . Louis managed to tie the game prior to halftime with kicker Jeff Wilkins getting a 40 - yard field goal . In the third quarter , the Browns jumped back into the lead as Anderson and Edwards hooked up with each other on a 5 - yard TD pass . The Rams replied with Wilkins kicking a 46 - yard field goal . In the fourth quarter , Cleveland got the only score of the period and the victory as Dawson nailed a 45 - yard field goal . With the win , not only did the Browns improve to 4 – 3 , but it would mark the first time since 2003 that Cleveland managed to get back - to - back wins in one season . Week 9 : vs . Seattle Seahawks . The Browns returned home to face the NFC West - leading Seattle Seahawks in a late afternoon game . The Seahawks struck first as Matt Hasselbeck found Bobby Engram for a 5 - yard touchdown pass . The Browns struck back in the 2nd quarter as Jamal Lewis scored on a 2 - yard run , but Phil Dawson missed the extra point . The Seahawks then scored twice more to put the Browns in a hole , first on a Hasselbeck 6 - yard pass to D . J . Hackett , then on a 94 - yard punt return by Nate Burleson . Dawson would add a 19 - yard field goal to make the score 21 – 9 at the half . In the second half , Cleveland opened up with a long drive capped off by Jamal Lewis ' 1 - yard run for a touchdown . After Josh Brown kicked a field goal for the Seahawks , Lewis scored again from 2 yards out . The Browns tried for two points after this touchdown , but failed to convert . Brown then kicked another field goal to make the score 27 – 22 with about 7 minutes to play . The Browns drove 89 yards to take the lead for the first time in the game , with Lewis scoring his career - high fourth rushing touchdown of the game . The Browns again went for two , and this time Derek Anderson found Joe Jurevicius for the conversion to put the Browns up by three . The Seahawks then drove down for a game - tying field goal by Brown . In overtime , the Seahawks had the ball first , but were stopped on a 4th - and - 1 play , turning the ball over on downs . Cleveland was then able to drive into field goal range , and Dawson kicked a 25 - yard field goal for the victory , the Browns ' third win in a row ( the first time that they had achieved this since 2001 ) . Week 10 : at Pittsburgh Steelers . Coming off their overtime home win over the Seahawks , the Browns flew to Heinz Field for Round 2 of the 2007 Rust Belt series with the Pittsburgh Steelers . In the first quarter , Cleveland got off to a fast start as QB Derek Anderson completed a 4 - yard TD pass to TE Kellen Winslow . The Steelers would respond with kicker Jeff Reed getting a 28 - yard field goal . In the second quarter , the Browns increased their lead with Anderson completing a 2 - yard TD pass to FB Lawrence Vickers , while Pittsburgh only managed to have Reed kick 35 - yard field goal . Afterwards , Cleveland continued its early pounding with Anderson completing a 16 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards , who managed to keep the tips of his feet inbounds . The Steelers would end the half with Reed kicking a 30 - yard field goal . In the third quarter , Pittsburgh began to rally as QB Ben Roethlisberger completed a 12 - yard TD pass to WR Hines Ward for the only score of the period . In the fourth quarter , the Steelers took the lead as Roethlisberger got a 30 - yard TD run . Fortunately , the Browns immediately responded as WR / KR Josh Cribbs returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown . However , Pittsburgh regained the lead with Roethlisberger completing a 2 - yard TD pass to TE Heath Miller . Cleveland managed to get a late drive and tried to force overtime , but kicker Phil Dawson ' s 53 - yard field goal attempt fell short . With their ninth - straight loss to the Steelers , the Browns fell to 5 – 4 . Edwards ' only catch of the game , a 16 - yard TD reception , gave him his 10th TD reception on the year . This would be the most in franchise history since 1969 . Week 11 : at Baltimore Ravens . Hoping to rebound from their last - second road loss to the Steelers , the Browns flew to M & T Bank Stadium for an AFC North rematch with the Baltimore Ravens . In the first quarter , Cleveland drew first blood as kicker Phil Dawson mananged to get a 28 - yard field goal for the only score of the period . In the second quarter , the Browns increased its lead as RB Jamal Lewis ( in his first game back in Baltimore ) managed to get a 1 - yard touchdown . The Ravens managed to get on the board with LB Ray Lewis returning an interception 35 yards for a touchdown . Fortunately , Cleveland responded with Dawson kicking a 39 - yard field goal . In the third quarter , Baltimore took the lead with RB Willis McGahee getting a 2 - yard TD run . Fortunately , the Browns replied with QB Derek Anderson getting a 1 - yard TD run , while Safety Brodney Pool returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown . In the fourth quarter , the Ravens tied the game with kicker Matt Stover ( a former Brown ) managed to kick a 34 - yard & a 41 - yard field goal , while QB Kyle Boller completed a 27 - yard TD pass to WR Devard Darling . Afterwards , Baltimore retook the lead with Stover kicking a 47 - yard field goal . Cleveland tried to make a comeback , as they managed to get into field goal range . Initially , Dawson ' s 51 - yard attempt was ruled no good . However , it turns out that the ball bounced off the upright , went in , bounced off the support bar , and then went back onto the field . In the end , the Browns were awarded the field goal . In overtime , Cleveland sealed the Ravens ' fate as Dawson nailed the game - winning 33 - yard field goal . With the win , not only did the Browns improve to 6 – 4 , but it also marked the first time since 2001 that Cleveland swept Baltimore . WR / KR / PR Josh Cribbs became the 3rd NFL player since the AFL - NFL merger of 1970 to have 300 + return yards in one game . Week 12 : vs . Houston Texans . Coming off their season - sweeping road win over the Ravens , the Browns went home for a Week 12 duel with the Houston Texans . In the first quarter , Cleveland trailed early as Texans QB Matt Schaub completed a 17 - yard TD pass to WR Kevin Walter for the only score of the period . In the second quarter , the Browns answered with QB Derek Anderson completing a 19 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards . However , Houston woud retake the lead as kicker Kris Brown managed to get a 41 - yard field goal . Fortunately , Cleveland regained the lead with Anderson completing a 7 - yard TD pass to TE Kellen Winslow . In the third quarter , the Browns added on to their lead as kicker Phil Dawson getting a 25 - yard field goal for the only score of the period . In the fourth quarter , Cleveland pulled away with Dawson nailing a 27 - yard field goal , along with RB Jamal Lewis getting a 1 - yard TD run . The Texans ' only response would be Schaub ' s 6 - yard TD pass to TE Owen Daniels . With the win , the Browns improved to 7 – 4 . This would also be the first time since 1994 that Cleveland had won five - straight home games . For Braylon Edwards ( 4 receptions for 57 yards and 1 touchdown ) , who had 11 touchdown receptions on the year after this game , it would be the most by a Browns receiver since Gary Collins had 11 in 1963 . For Derek Anderson ( 24 / 35 for 253 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception ) , his 22 touchdown passes ( up to this point in the year ) is the best by a Browns quarterback since Bernie Kosar had 22 in 1987 . AFC Players of the Month . For the month of November , Josh Cribbs was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month ( for the second time in the season ) , due in large to his spectacular returns in the Pittsburgh game . Additionally , Joe Thomas was named the AFC Offensive Rookie of the Month for his continuing improvement anchoring Cleveland ' s offensive line , as evidenced by the increased production of Jamal Lewis and the rarity of Derek Anderson being sacked . Week 13 : at Arizona Cardinals . Coming off their home win over the Texans , the Browns flew to the University of Phoenix Stadium for a Week 13 interconference duel with the Arizona Cardinals . In the first quarter , Cleveland trailed early as Cardinals CB Roderick Hood returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown , while QB Kurt Warner completed a 5 - yard TD pass to TE Leonard Pope . The Browns would get on the board with kicker Phil Dawson getting a 37 - yard field goal . In the second quarter , Cleveland started to rebound as QB Derek Anderson completed a 6 - yard TD pass to RB Jamal Lewis for the only score of the period . In the third quarter , Arizona responded with Warner completing a 1 - yard TD pass to WR Bryant Johnson . The Browns would reply with Anderson completing a 67 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards ( followed by Josh Cribbs ' 2 - point conversion pass to TE Kellen Winslow ) . In the fourth quarter , the Cardinals increased their lead with kicker Neil Rackers getting a 33 - yard field goal . Afterwards , Dawson gave Cleveland a 22 - yard field goal , yet Arizona answered with Rackers completing a 19 - yard field goal . At the end of the game , the Browns had one final chance to win it all . Winslow caught a 37 - yard would - be touchdown pass from Anderson in the corner of the endzone just beyond the goal line . After being hit by a defender in mid - air , Winslow ' s body rotated vertically , and only one of Winslow ' s feet was able to contact the ground in - bounds . Despite the NFL ' s " forceout rule " being in effect at the time , the play was ruled incomplete . The play was officially reviewed and upheld , as the forceout rule was not permitted to be invoked based on a review . The NFL eliminated the forceout rule following the 2007 NFL season . After this game , Cleveland fell to 7 – 5 . Derek Anderson had thrown 24 TD passes at this point in the season ( the most for a Browns quarterback since 1983 ) . Week 14 : at New York Jets . Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Cardinals , the Browns flew to The Meadowlands for a Week 14 intraconference duel with the New York Jets . After a scoreless first quarter , Cleveland drew first blood in the second quarter as QB Derek Anderson completed a 7 - yard TD pass to RB Jamal Lewis . The Jets would reply with kicker Mike Nugent getting a 35 - yard field goal . In the third quarter , the Browns continued their recent success with Anderson completing a 4 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards . New York would answer with Nugent kicking a 41 - yard field goal . In the fourth quarter , Cleveland increased its lead with kicker Phil Dawson getting a 49 - yard field goal . The Jets tried to come back as QB Kellen Clemens managed to get a 1 - yard TD run , while Nugent kicked a 38 - yard field goal . Afterwards , Cleveland pulled away as Lewis got a 31 - yard TD run . New York would end the game with Nugent nailing a 35 - yard field goal . With the win , the Browns improved to 8 – 5 . After 14 weeks , Cleveland has scored 360 points , which is their most since 1987 . Week 15 : vs . Buffalo Bills . Coming off their road win over the Jets , the Browns went home for a Week 15 intraconference game with the Buffalo Bills , trying to protect their # 6 playoff spot . In the first quarter , Cleveland scored as kicker Phil Dawson managed to get a 35 - yard field goal for the only score of the period . In the second quarter , the Browns ' lead increased as Bills LS Ryan Neill ' s snap to Punter Brian Moorman went over Moorman ' s head , causing him to kick the ball through Cleveland ' s endzone for a safety . Later , the Browns scored again as Dawson made a 49 - yard field goal . Near the end of the game , Buffalo drove deep into Cleveland territory ; however , Buffalo turned the ball over on downs , and Cleveland ran the clock out for the win . With the win , the Browns improved to 9 – 5 and secured only their 2nd winning season since returning to the NFL in 1999 and also their first winning season since 2002 . This would also be the very first game ending in a score of 8 – 0 since November 10 , 1929 , when the Chicago Cardinals won over the Minneapolis Red Jackets . Week 16 : at Cincinnati Bengals . Needing a win to secure their first playoff berth since 2002 , the Browns flew to Paul Brown Stadium for Round 2 of the Battle of Ohio with the Cincinnati Bengals . After a scoreless first quarter , Cleveland trailed in the second quarter as Bengals kicker Shayne Graham nailed a 29 - yard and a 38 - yard field goal , along with QB Carson Palmer completing a 5 - yard TD pass to WR T . J . Houshmandzadeh and RB Kenny Watson getting a 1 - yard TD run . In the third quarter , the Browns began to rally as QB Derek Anderson completed a 2 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards for the only score of the period . In the fourth quarter , Cleveland drew closer as Anderson and Edwards hooked up with each other again on a 5 - yard TD pass . Late in the game , the Browns tried to take the lead , but Cincinnti ' s early lead was too much to overcome . With the loss , Cleveland fell to 9 – 6 . Despite the loss , Braylon Edwards set the Browns ' single - season record for the most touchdown receptions with 15 . Also , with TE Kellen Winslow reaching 1 , 000 receiving yards for the first time in his career , Edwards & Winslow became the franchise ' s first receiving duo to get 1 , 000 yards in the same year . Week 17 : vs . San Francisco 49ers . Needing a Tennessee Titans loss ( or a win and a Tennessee tie ) to make the playoffs , the Browns closed out the regular season with a Week 17 interconference duel with the San Francisco 49ers . In the first quarter , Cleveland got the first punch with WR / PR / KR Josh Cribbs returning a punt 76 yards for a touchdown for the only score of the period . In the second quarter , the Browns increased their lead with QB Derek Anderson completing a 45 - yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards . The 49ers would get on the board with QB Chris Weinke completing a 7 - yard TD pass to WR Darrell Jackson . Cleveland would end the half with kicker Phil Dawson completing a 23 - yard field goal . After a scoreless third quarter , the Browns ended the game in the fourth quarter with Dawson nailing a 49 - yard field goal . With the win , Cleveland ended the regular season at 10 – 6 , the franchise ' s first 10 - win season since 1994 . However , despite winning over San Francisco , the Browns ' season ended when the Titans won the Sunday night game over the Colts . This is because Tennessee had a better record against common opponents ( 4 – 1 ) than Cleveland ( 3 – 2 ) . The Browns were the season ' s only 9 + win team to not make the playoffs . Braylon Edwards ended the season as the Browns ' all - time single - season leader in receiving yards with 1 , 289 yards , breaking Webster Slaughter ' s 1989 record of 1 , 236 yards . Also , rookie QB Brady Quinn made his NFL debut while Derek Anderson was nursing a mildly - injured thumb . He went 3 of 8 for 48 yards . 2008 Pro Bowl . Six Browns players , Wide receiver Braylon Edwards , kick returner Josh Cribbs , left tackle Joe Thomas , longsnapper Ryan Pontbriand , tight end Kellen Winslow II , and quarterback Derek Anderson were named to the AFC team to represent the Cleveland Browns during the 2008 Pro Bowl . Announced on December 18 , 2007 , this marked the first time since the 2001 NFL season that the Browns had had a Pro Bowl player , with the last being Jamir Miller representing the team at the 2002 Pro Bowl as a linebacker . It was the most selections for a Browns team since the 1995 season . Edwards was one of the AFC ' s reserve wide receivers , while Cribbs started as the AFC ' s kick returner . Thomas , Anderson , and Winslow were all voted first alternates but all played due to injuries or other players electing not to participate in the game . Pontbriand was elected as a " needs " player by the AFC coaching staff . Guard Eric Steinbach ( 1st ) , fullback Lawrence Vickers ( 2nd ) , and placekicker Phil Dawson ( 3rd ) were named alternates at their respective positions .