A collection of notes, anecdotes and thoughts from the press box at Cleveland Browns Stadium …

6:23 P.M. EDT: Champ Bailey could have practically fair-caught his third interception in as many weeks, an end zone lob that sailed wide of intended target Braylon Edwards. Bailey returned it to the Denver 26, and a few thousand fans promptly turned and headed for the exits with 14:48 still remaining on the clock.

6:27 P.M. EDT: Ninety-nine seconds later, some liveliness returns to the stadium as Andra Davis intercepts a Jake Plummer pass that sailed high and beyond Rod Smith. Cleveland takes over at the Denver 18 — by far its best drive-opening field position of the afternoon and early evening.

6:29 P.M. EDT: The moral of the story is that the Broncos only seem to give up touchdowns when they’re ahead by 17 points. Cleveland became the second team to breach the Broncos end zone, ending a touchdown-less streak of 177 minutes and 30 seconds by Broncos opponents that began after the Patriots’ Doug Gabriel snagged a fourth-quarter touchdown pass with a 17-0 deficit back in Week 3.

6:34 P.M. EDT: After ceding some ball-toting responsibilities to Mike Bell on recent possessions, Tatum Bell comes back into the game and promptly sprints 12 yards off the left side to move Denver to the Cleveland 32.

6:36 P.M. EDT: Three plays later, the Broncos surrender the ball after a near-interception by Ralph Brown. Those Browns fans that didn’t leave have hit a crescendo; meanwhile, Paul Ernster’s punt hangs up in the swirling winds and goes out of bounds at the Cleveland 40 after sailing 27 yards; the Browns begin the ensuing possession with 9:31 on the clock.

6:41 P.M. EDT: Third-and-11 from the Denver 43 yields a fairly important snap to the game’s progress … and it lands in favor of the Broncos, as Ebenezer Ekuban drags Frye down (thanks to some pressure from Elvis Dumervil) at the Denver 42, setting up fourth-and-10 … which ends in an incompletion that Domonique Foxworth thought he’d intercepted. Nevertheless, the Broncos get a crucial stop and regain control of the football with 7:45 remaining.

6:47 P.M. EDT: For the second time today, Ralph Brown loses the handle on a potential interception. If he hangs on, he gives the Browns 35 yards of field position; instead, Paul Ernster’s punt forces the Browns to start back at their 15-yard-line.

6:50 P.M. EDT: Elvis Dumervil is officially on pace to replicate his college sack total. Wow.

6:51 P.M. EDT: The elevators heading down to the field level are filling up … so I shall return, either from downstairs if I can snag a wireless connection or later tonight upon our return to Denver.

Tags: Cleveland Browns

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