Cardinals Hang On to Top Browns 27-21 in Glendale

Posted by Matt Loede under Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns

Winslow ruled out on the last play

The Cleveland Browns have made plenty of hearts pound a little faster in 2007, and Sunday in Arizona on the games final play, the wild Browns season almost had another dramatic conclusion. Trailing 27-21, Derek Anderson threw in the end zone and tight end Kellen Winslow actually looked like he caught the ball and was pushed out. The refs took a look, and after a quick check in the replay booth it was ruled that Winslow was and would have been out of bounds, thus saving the Cardinals six-point victory.

Arizona used a big day from defensive back Roderick Hood, who took a pick back for a score 71 yards, and then picked off another Anderson pass later on to help the Cards cause. RB Edgerrin James rushed for 114 yards, and Kurt Warner was 18-for-30 for 169 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. Anderson was 21-for-41 for 304 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Cardinals went up 14-0 when Warner hit Leonard Pope from five yards out with 4:59 left in the first quarter. The Browns came back with a Phil Dawson 37-yard field goal to make it 14-3 with 1:41 left in the quarter. The only second quarter scoring came when Anderson hit Jamal Lewis with a pass in the flat and the back made a nice move to score from six yards out to make it 14-10 at the half.

The teams traded scores in the third quarter, with Warner and Anderson each hitting touchdown passes. The fourth quarter saw Neil Rackers hit two field goals to make it 24-18 and then 27-21 before the Browns put their final drive together coming close to pulling off the miracle win. The loss drops the Browns to 7-5, in a tie with the Titans for the final AFC playoff spot.

The Cards improve to 6-6, and keep themselves in the thick of the NFC playoff race. The win means they have won three of four against the AFC North, with the only loss coming to the Ravens back on September 23rd. The win was more impressive since the team did it without wide out Larry Fitzgerald, who was out with a groin injury.

Next week the Cardinals will play at Seattle, against the division leading Seahawks. The Browns will be on the road against the Jets, who they have to be leery against since their upset of the Steelers two weeks ago.

Comments

6 Responses to “Cardinals Hang On to Top Browns 27-21 in Glendale”

BRUCE WIGHTMAN on December 2nd, 2007 6:08 pm

I WISH TO GET THIS TO THE HIGH RANK OFFICIALS IN THE NFL.
FIRST THE REPLAY VIEWING IS TERRIBLE .PLEASE CAN YOU GUYS GET IT
RIGHT MORE THAN 50-50.
AT THE END OF THE BROWNS -CARDS GAME THAT WAS A CATCH BY WINSLOW WHO
WAS THEN PUSHED OUT OF BOUNDS .DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN YOUR OWN RULES
.THAT WAS A TOUCHDOWN AND THE OFFICIALS BLEW IT. IM NOT A FOLLOWE OF
EITHER TEAM BUT WHATS FAIR IS FAIR AND YOU GUYS MESSED THAT UP .
Aaron Gustwiller on December 2nd, 2007 6:29 pm

I fully agree that the refs got the call wrong. Why can’t any play be re viewable especially at the end of the game when it means win or lose.

When challenging a call why does a team lose a challenge flag when the refs get the call incorrect and then over turn it. If you challenge and win, keep both challenges.

Also you can’t tackle anymore in the NFL without getting flagged. Horse coaler tackles need to be figured out and not a penalty. It happened in this game and was called but it wasn’t a full horse coaler tackle. I saw another game where it was a full horse coaler tackle by only tackling from the back of the shoulder pads.

I just hope that the new commissioner of the NFL will do some good in the off season to change the rules and get more creditability to the NFL and the true winners of a football game and not who the refs consider the winners.
DHT12 on December 2nd, 2007 8:02 pm

This is the second article I’ve read today that gets the action of the officials at the end of the game wrong! Matt Loede and Bob Baum…check your facts sons. The review had nothing to do with whether or not Winslow was pushed out of bounds; the review was to determine whether or not he landed in bounds. The only reason it took two minutes is because the official under the hood was struggling with not being able to come out and award the call to the games rightful winning team. When you report that the review was to determine whether or not he was pushed out of bounds, you’re lending credence to this faux victory. They can’t review if a player was pushed out. If they could, it would have been overturned. This officiating crew should have done what they did in the Browns/Ravens game and reverse the call based on a “discussion” rather than an official review. It might upset the NFL rules board applecart…but every analyst and fan spent the following week praising the refs for getting the call right. That won’t be the case this week…
NFL Wrap: Joe Gibbs to Blame for Redskins Emotional Loss? | SportFiends.com on December 3rd, 2007 4:35 pm

[...] Arizona turns three of Cleveland’s four turnovers into touchdowns, Edgerrin James tops 100 yards rushing and the Cardinals hold on to beat the Browns, 27-21. [...]
Russ Loede on December 3rd, 2007 9:15 pm

It Was Arizona’s Game 2 WIN and they did just that… Cleveland did not deserve to win, they are one & done in the Playoffs, if they make it… GREAT CALL REFS! It was the “RIGHT” One to Make!
Tobin Northrup on June 5th, 2008 5:55 pm

Guess what Russ? You’re wrong! Winslow was pushed out. It was a horrible “non-call” and just because a team doesn’t “deserve to win”, in your mind, you think it’s okay to take the victory away from them? Okay, so whoever plays better gets the win. Forget the score. Points don’t matter. Is that what you’re saying? You know nothing about football.