http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=3124431Bold strategies -- and a little luck -- uplift Browns
The difference between a 6-4 start and a 4-6 disaster can come down to two crazy plays. Ask the Cleveland Browns.
• In the Browns' 33-30 overtime victory over the Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck broke an 8-yard run to the Browns' 44. Officials on the field signaled first down, leaving the Seahawks one more first down away from being in range for a game-winning field goal. Even though "forward progress with respect to a first down" isn't a reviewable play, the replay official reviewed it anyway, challenging the spot, and overturned the first down. The Browns stopped Maurice Morris on the fourth-down run and then drove for the game-winning field goal.
• Last Sunday's 33-30 victory over the Ravens was the ultimate thrill ride. Phil Dawson's 51-yard field goal attempt at the end of regulation hit the left upright and bounced a few inches on top of the extension bar. Field judge Jim Saracino waved off the kick as no good. Back judge Keith Ferguson nodded his head as if the kick were good. The game appeared to be over until Pete Morelli held a long conference with his crew to give the Browns the field goal and the chance to win the game in overtime.
Two crazy finishes. Two crazy victories. Browns coach Romeo Crennell pointed out how the Browns lost so many close games last season. They were 4-6 in games determined by eight points or fewer in a 4-12 season. If the Browns' luck holds up, Cinderella could be wearing Cleveland Browns' orange.
Clayton: Injury updates
Check out John Clayton for the latest news on injuries going into Week 12 of the 2007 NFL season. Injury report
When I visited the Browns in minicamp, all anyone could say about this team was a sarcastic, "Good luck, you'll need it." Despite the excitement of bringing in rookie quarterback Brady Quinn and left tackle Joe Thomas, the Browns looked hopeless on offense.
The majority of the passes ended up on the ground instead of in the receivers' hands. Timing was off. Receivers seemed slow. Nothing seemed right.
Fortunately, they don't play games in June. Thanks to hard work and talent, several stars have been born this season.
Derek Anderson appeared to have the best handle on running the offense in minicamp. Now, he stands tall in NFL circles. The 6-6 hard thrower from Oregon State is on pace for a 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown season. Wide receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow are having Pro Bowl seasons. Jamal Lewis has turned his career back around. The offensive line looks good.
G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images
Braylon Edwards (17) has emerged as the playmaker the Browns hoped he would become.
Another new star is offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, a former tight ends coach who learned the Chargers' offense under Cam Cameron. Before his two-year stint in San Diego, "Chud" also was a tight ends coach for the Browns under Butch Davis. A Toledo native, he jumped at the chance to return to his native soil in January.
Chudzinski's name has to appear high in the race for assistant coach of the year. He is competing against Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and Eagles defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for the honor, and he is the sleeper of the group. He's brought the Browns' offense out of mothballs.
A year ago, the Browns were averaging 14.9 points and 264.6 yards per game. Chudzinski's aggressive scheme and development of the players have almost doubled the offensive production. The Browns are averaging 28.8 points and 346.6 yards a game.
This isn't just a carbon copy of the Mike Martz-Norv Turner system that has its roots in the Air Coryell days decades ago in San Diego. Chudzinski has mixed in a little of the West Coast offense that the Browns tried unsuccessfully for years.
"All the systems have morphed through the years," Chudzinksi said. "There is some West Coast in there. There's some of the Norv Turner-Mike Martz system in there."
What is fascinating in Cleveland is how Chudzinski is running a Martz-type system with West Coast-type receivers. How he's doing it could be a bridge to the future of offenses in the league. In the pure forms of the West Coast and Martz systems, the receivers are so different. West Coast offenses thrive on bigger, slightly slower targets who run to a spot regardless of how the cornerback covers them. Martz offenses thrive with receivers who are quick out of their breaks and get yards after the catch like running backs.
The Browns have West Coast-style pass-catchers. Edwards is 6-3. Winslow is 6-4. Both are among the best athletes at their respective positions. Joe Jureviscius is 6-5 and turns bad throws into completions. Chudzinski adjusted the scheme to fit the players by having a mixture of both. Smart.
"We have a size advantage on defensive backs, and that gives us an opportunity to make plays," Chudinzski said. "Derek is a tall quarterback, and he sees the matchups so well with this height."
Heads were spinning at minicamp as Chudinzki installed the system. Receivers weren't in the right spots. Quarterbacks didn't appear fluid in the spots they were throwing the ball. The transition was made tougher because of the presence of Charlie Frye.
Frye was a popular quarterback among Browns offensive players. He was a good leader. Edwards and others liked him because he kept up everyone's spirits from Butch Davis' final years to the start of the Crennell era.
"It was one of things where Derek showed flashes," Chudinzski said. "Derek can really throw the ball. He's tall. He's got good accuracy. What's most pleasant for me as a coach is if there is a mistake, he fixes it."
A big quarterback throwing to big receivers has translated into big plays. The Browns compete with the Packers, Cowboys, Patriots, Lions and Colts for big plays. They are tied with the Colts for fifth place in completions of 20-plus yards with 36.
What's special about Anderson's season is that he's the most efficient deep thrower to date. According to Stats Inc., Anderson leads the league in quarterback efficiency on throws longer than 21 yards. He's completed 11 of 29 passes of that length for 358 yards and four touchdowns. He has a staggering 12.34 yards per attempt average on those long throws and a 124.7 quarterback rating.
With the Lions struggling, the Browns have become the NFL's surprise Cinderella team. Every game is a thrill ride. They score 28.8. Their defense gives up 29.4. The 33-30 games are the norm.
As long as they don't make a rash move in unloading a quarterback, the Browns have made the turn as a franchise. They need to luck to make sure a losing team doesn't deem Chudinzski a hot head coaching prospect and traumatize the development of the offense.
They need to keep Anderson for another year and allow Quinn the chance to compete against him for a starting job next season, giving the Browns a Drew Brees/Philip Rivers-like quarterback tandem. The Browns enjoyed the ultimate break in acquiring Anderson.
The Ravens cut him in 2005, hoping to clear him through waivers and add him to the practice squad. The Browns claimed him on waivers and might have stumbled on a Pro Bowl quarterback. After years of suffering, Browns fans finally are getting some breaks.
John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
There was one angle replay that I saw and I'm sure Clayton saw it too cause it probably was shown on ESPN several time. The angle looked to be from around the 10 yard line almost Cross bar high. I was shocked to see the ball hit the stantion several feet back - looking about 3-4 feet at the least. I've played golf with some guys like Clayton...claiming 5 feet putts as gimmees - time to renew those glass prescription Clayton. 
