Posted at 11:19 a.m., Sunday, December 23, 2007
NFL: Browns blow chance to make playoffs, 19-14
By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer
No surprise, really. Nothing comes easy to these guys.
Anderson's consecutive interceptions set up a pair of rapid-fire touchdowns late in the first half, and he threw four in all today, helping the Cincinnati Bengals get a 19-14 victory that left the Browns scrambling for a playoff spot.
Cleveland (9-6) could have clinched with a victory over the down-and-out Bengals (6-9), who had nothing more than pride on the line and several starters out with injuries. The Browns acted more like the team playing it out.
They dropped passes. They botched a field-goal attempt. They came up short on fourth-and-short. Ultimately, they couldn't overcome a bad game by Anderson, who had his best moments when the intrastate rivals met in September.
He tied his career high with the four interceptions, leaving the Browns scuffling with Tennessee for a wild-card berth. With Cleveland's loss, the Pittsburgh Steelers clinched the AFC North title.
Anderson's interceptions on consecutive plays helped the Bengals score two touchdowns in a 39-second span late in the first half, putting them up 19-0. He also had a deflected pass intercepted in the end zone, and another picked off inside the 20.
