Written by Jonathan Knight

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Useless nuggets of information from Sunday’s Browns game that you can certainly live without…

 

FIRST!: By collecting their first-ever win over the Panthers, the Browns have now recorded a victory against every NFL team. Not only was this the first time the Browns had ever defeated the Carolina Panthers after three failed attempts, it marked the first time they’d scored more than 17 points against them. The Browns had averaged just under 12 points per game in their three losses to Carolina.

 

DAWSON DELIVERS: Though Phil Dawson’s field goal with 2:42 would be overshadowed by several events that followed, technically he did kick the game-winning field goal, marking the 13th time in his career he’s provided the game-winning points in the final five minutes of a contest.

 

BRINGING OUT THE WORST: What makes the Browns’ struggles against Carolina all the more incomprehensible is the fact that each time they’ve played, the Panthers have not been a clearly better team. While the Panthers have had their fair share of competitive squads in their brief existence, they’ve never posted a winning record in any season in which they’ve played the Browns. Consider, too, the records the Panthers have brought into each Browns game: 3-6 (1999), 3-8 (2002), and 2-2 (2006), and 1-9 (2010). Yet they completely controlled and won the first three and were in a position to take the fourth.

 

PEYTON’S PACE: Your friend and mine, Peyton Hillis, has topped the 900-yard mark for the season (905 on 199 carries, 4.6 avg.) and now has 11 rushing touchdowns on the season (most by a Brown since Leroy Kelly in ’68) and 13 total. He’s got a shot to surpass the 1,300-yard mark and give chase to Jim Brown’s record of 17 rushing touchdowns in a season (1958 and 1965). He’s currently the league’s ninth-leading rusher in 2010 and is second only to Arian Foster in touchdowns.

 

BY A WHISKER: This was the 15th one-point victory in Browns’ history, their first since a 13-12 comeback victory in San Francisco in September of 2003. They’ve lost 18 one-point games – most recently last November in Detroit (38-37).

 

THE JAKE’S ON US: If you’re keeping score at home (and God knows you are), Jake “Just Manage the Game and Don’t Lose It” Delhomme has now thrown six interceptions and just a single touchdown pass for the season. His interception percentage is a Vinny Testaverde-esque 6.3% and his quarterback rating for the season stands at a woeful 54.2 (13 points lower than Brady Quinn in 2009). In 132 fewer attempts, Delhomme has now thrown one more pick than Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace combined.

 

A QUARTET OF CENTURY MARKS: Hillis’ performance marked his fourth 100-yard game of the year and the 214th 100-yard rushing game in Browns’ history.

 

STILL ALIVE: The Browns continued their legendary streak - now having held a lead in 16 consecutive games. It matches their longest string since 1980. If they can take a lead against Miami next Sunday, they’ll extend the string to 17, tying for the fourth-best in franchise history (December 1959-October 1961).

 

MOVING THE CHAINS: The Browns’ 26 first downs were the most they’ve picked up in a game since they collected 30 in a thrilling overtime victory over Seattle in November of 2007 (they had 28 at the end of regulation).

 

SAY WHAT?: Though the Panthers had no trouble scoring points, they actually did not run a single offensive play from inside the Cleveland 20.

 

A STEP BACKWARD: The Browns’ defense has gradually improved all year in terms of avoiding the big play. Sunday was a disastrous recession. The Panthers racked up five plays of 25 yards or more (two on their final drive with the game hanging in the balance), three of 30 or more. The good news was that for all the long gains, the Panthers still only averaged 5.6 yards per play, much more in tune to the Browns’ 5.4, despite the Browns not picking up a single play longer than 25 yards.

 

ALSO LEADING: Now with 414 receiving yards on 46 receptions on the season, Peyton Hillis leads the team in catches and is second only to Ben Watson in yardage (474). A running back hasn’t led the Browns in receptions for a season since Earnest Byner did it in 1995 (61). (Jerome Harrison tied Mohamed Massaquoi for the lead in receptions last year, each with 34).

 

WHERE WE STAND: The Browns’ offense comes in this week at 25^th in the NFL (averaging 5.2 yards per play), while the defense climbs up to No. 16 (allowing 5.4).