Baltimore, Md---9-14-03 Jamal Lewis delivered on his promise to the Browns defense, setting a new NFL single game rushing record with 295 yds. as the Ravens torched the Browns 33-13, and gentle reader, it wasn't even that close. Lewis carried the ball 30 times with 2 TD's and had single carries of 82 and 63 yds. He had another TD of 60 yds. negated by a holding penalty. Thank the Lord for little favors....

As staunch as the Browns defense appeared last week against the Colts, my sons middle school Raptor football team could have gained over 100 yds. rushing on the Browns D today. With the minor exception of a few sacks, the entire Browns defense looked overmatched and overwhelmed, slow as molasses to react, and seemed content to try to make tackles by putting out their arms as the Raven players blazed by. It was embarrassing to this writer, and certainly the TEAM should be humiliated. They DESERVED to lose.

Further, I realize its just week 2 of the Holcomb era, but I have already tired of Kelly's "We just didn't get it done" rant. Holcomb was mired in clay, throwing flat footed or worse, off his back foot, as the "pocket" collapsed around him. Melvin Fowler particularly had a rough day guarding Holcomb's blind side, but it really didn't matter much as Holcomb's passes were floating or thrown into coverage (read: knocked down, intercepted or dropped). Mark this down: If the Browns play poorly in the San Francisco game next Sunday, look for the Couch/Holcomb controversy to start anew, if it hasn't already. The Browns longest pass of the day, a 25 yarder to Denis Northcutt, did lead to the Browns only TD ( a 4 yard pass to Kevin Johnson), but that was really it. The rest of the Browns passing consisted of 7 yard passes when they needed 10, 12 yarders when they needed 14, and...well you get the idea...

Jamal Lewis had 295 yards BY HIMSELF, while the ENTIRE Browns squad managed just 207! Think they were outplayed? Think they were manhandled on both sides of the ball? Think they got out coached? Think they got their jocks handed to them? The answer to those questions would be a hearty YES! The ONLY saving grace) on the day would be that the Bengals lost 23-20 to the suddenly geriatric Raiders, and the Chefs (I mean Chiefs), hammered the Steelers 41-20.

As mentioned, the Browns travel to "The Stick" to face the 49ers next Sunday. San Fran is coming off an overtime loss to the St. Louis Rams, so they should embody a formidable foe.

Somewhere in the shadows Arthur B. Modell is grinning and chuckling softly to himself....