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Posted at 12:08 p.m., Sunday, November 18, 2007

NFL: Dawson gets redemption kick in Browns win

By David Ginsburg
Associated Press

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens ran off the field, celebrating a comeback victory. While their fans gleefully headed toward the exits, many of the Cleveland Browns shrugged on their way toward the tunnel.

No one could have imagined that Cleveland would end up winning 33-30 in overtime today.

Phil Dawson's potential game-tying 51-yard field goal seemingly hit the upright, then tapped the crossbar before bouncing back onto the field.

As the stadium emptied at the end of regulation and the Ravens pumped their fists in the air, several of the Browns insisted that Dawson's kick hit the curved center support behind the crossbar. Many of the players gathered in the end zone, pointing at the spot where the football struck before bouncing back.

It turns out they were right. The officials ruled the kick went through the uprights and called the teams back onto the field.

The Browns took the kickoff in overtime and drove 43 yards in nine plays before Dawson kicked a 33-yard field goal with 9:10 left to give Cleveland (6-4) a rare season sweep of the Ravens.

Baltimore (4-6) rallied from a 13-point deficit to take a 30-27 lead on a 47-yard field goal by Matt Stover with 26 seconds left in regulation. But Derek Anderson drove the Browns into position for Dawson's redemptive attempt.

One week earlier, Dawson missed a 52-yarder that would have forced overtime against Pittsburgh. This time, he made the kick — even if the officials needed almost five minutes to confirm that it went through.