The Cleveland Browns are now 3 and 3 for the season with the win over the Seattle Seahawks.

By JAMES W. WADE III

Staff Reporter

The Cleveland Browns pulled out a tough one against Seattle Seahawks beating them 6 to 3 at Cleveland Stadium. The Browns broke a 3-3 tie with 11:18 left on a 53-yard field goal by Phil Dawson. He made a 52-yarder in the second quarter, giving him two of 50-plus in the same game for the first time in his career. 

This game had a few blocked field goals by the Seahawks. It wasn’t a pretty win, but we will take it. The Browns weren’t very effective on offense, but they did a good job keeping the ball. The almost 43 minutes of time of possession paid off, as Montario Hardesty ran 33 times for a career-high 95 yards.

The Browns also got an unexpected contribution from Chris Ogbonnaya, who was signed off Houston’s practice squad this week. He rushed three times for 15 yards and caught five passes for 43.

Quarterback Colt McCoy was 20-for-35 for 178 yards, an interception and a 59 rating. Both teams were hurt by injuries. The Browns improved to 3-3 overall, while the Seahawks dropped to 2-4 following the game.

The Browns and Seahawks were tied at 3-3 heading into the final 15 minutes after Seattle kicker Steven Hauschka’s 20-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter of play.

Hauschka’s kick capped off a nine-play, 60-yard drive that took 2:39 off the clock and featured a defensive penalty when tackle Ahtyba Rubin drew a flag for contacting Seattle running back Leon Washington’s facemask on second-and-goal from Cleveland’s nine-yard line.

Earlier in the third quarter, it looked as though the Seahawks would take a 7-3 lead over the Browns, but a penalty negated Leon Washington’s 81-yard punt return for a touchdown. On Seattle’s first play following the penalty, Browns defensive back Sheldon Brown out-battled wide receiver Sidney Rice for the ball and collected an interception.

In the second quarter, Dawson broke a scoreless tie with the Seattle Seahawks when he kicked a 52-yard field goal through the uprights beyond the East end zone at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

The Browns held a 3-0 lead over the Seahawks after two quarters of play. The seven-play, 18-yard drive took 3:57 off the second quarter clock and was extended when the Seahawks were whistled for an encroachment penalty on a fourth down punt by Brad Maynard.

Browns safety T.J. Ward set up the scoring drive when he forced a fumble that linebacker D’Qwell Jackson recovered near midfield at the 11:23 mark of the second quarter. Ward registered a sack of Seattle quarterback Charlie Whitehurst on third-and-seven from Cleveland’s 40-yard line and jarred the ball loose before Whitehurst’s arm went forward.

A replay challenge upheld the ruling on the field and Seattle was charged with its first timeout and the Browns took over possession of the ball at their own 47-yard line.