Hell Yeah

Ah, man that was great. I'm on perma-smile today....

...and thinking. As enjoyable as Sunday's game was, there isn't a clear cut list of things the Browns did right which will transfer to games in the weeks ahead. They won, and won big, in a manner that might be difficult to do (just as the Steelers and their new offensive philosphy). So, of all the good stuff, here are the really, really good things that came out of last night's big win:

• Anthony Henry -- the ability for Anthony Henry to face off against oppinent's big #1 receiver is becoming a huge asset to this defense. You can't overstate it. Henry has been incredible.
  
• D-Line -- There weren't many fantastic highlights, but the d-line came to play and did a very good job. They handled the run well, which was a huge factor as it forced Maddox to pass even on running downs. That allowed for things like McCutheon's big INT/TD. They also got a little pass pressure, although I suspect just about any other NFL QB would have handled it better than Maddox.
  
• Couch -- Two big things. In the first half, he threw the ball down the field and did so with success; I'd thought he forgot how to do it. And in the second half, he more-or-less played smartly. Couch had an aggressive, but steady hand. That's a hard combination to get.
  
• Pass-protection -- I'd say the offensive line gave Couch as much time as the Steelers' gave Maddox. But the Steelers occasionally blitzed and the Browns usually had more guys running routes to throw to. Tip your hat.

Against the Raiders this week, these things will be the keys to victory. Except the Raiders have better corners, and perhaps a better rushing attack. Overall, let's hope the Browns aren't as happy as us fans today. They have some work to do to get back into this thing.