Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Jamal Lewis gained 128 yards on 26 rushes and Joshua Cribbs had a 76-yard punt return for a score as the Cleveland Browns downed the San Francisco 49ers, 20-7, to close out the 2007 regular season for both clubs.
Derek Anderson completed 11-of-20 passes for 152 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Browns (10-6), who will now have to wait for the outcome of Sunday night's game between the Titans and Colts to see if their season is over, or if they're headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
The outcome of the Browns game only matters if Tennessee and Indianapolis tie. Otherwise, a Titans win and they are in the playoffs, a Colts win and the Browns take the last wild card spot in the AFC.
Braylon Edwards had three catches for 67 yards and a score for Cleveland, which rebounded nicely from a deflating 19-14 loss to the Bengals last week, a defeat which put the Titans in the driver's seat for the last playoff spot in the AFC.
Frank Gore gained 94 yards on 23 carries for the Niners (5-11), who finished their franchise-record fifth consecutive losing season. Chris Weinke got the start in place of Shaun Hill, who sat with back spasms, and completed 13-of-22 passes for 104 yards with a touchdown. Darrell Jackson had three grabs for 28 yards and a score.
"We are disappointed," said Niners head coach Mike Nolan. "We thought we would be a better team record-wise at this point. That is the biggest disappointment."
Cribbs brought the crowd to its feet again to start the second half, as he took the kickoff back 94 yards for a score. Lennie Friedman was called for a holding penalty, though, negating the touchdown.
The Browns took over at their 23-yard-line and Anderson, who left in the second quarter with a right hand injury, returned and drove the offense all the way to the San Francisco eight-yard-line, where it stalled. Nate Clements broke through and blocked Phil Dawson's 25-yard field goal attempt, though, keeping the Niners within 10 points.
San Francisco couldn't get anything going through the air or on the ground, though, and Dawson added a 49-yard field goal with 10:16 left in regulation to pad Cleveland's lead to 13 points.
The only time the Niners entered Browns territory the rest of the way came on their next drive, when they drove to the Cleveland 40-yard-line. Weinke was sacked on third down, though, and the Niners had to punt.
"Those guys have a lot of pride on the defensive side, even though they've been beaten up all year," said Browns head coach Romeo Crennel. "They bend but don't break."
Cribbs got the Browns started with his electrifying return late in the first quarter. Settling under Andy Lee's punt at the Cleveland 24, Cribbs sidestepped a would-be tackler, cut to his left, then stopped and found a wall of blockers down the right side of the field. His 76-yard return gave Cleveland a 7-0 lead with 1:37 remaining.
The Browns air attack broke through with a big play early in the second quarter. On 3rd-and-8 at the Niners 45, Anderson went deep to Edwards, who came up with the grab for the long score, and Cleveland led 14-0 with 11:44 to play in the second quarter.
Anderson hit Niners safety Michael Lewis' helmet on a follow-through of a throw on the last play of the next Browns drive, and had to head to the locker room to have his right hand looked at.
Meanwhile, Weinke led the Niners on a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jackson, and the Niners pulled to within 14-7 with 3:20 left in the half.
Brady Quinn, the former Notre Dame star taken 22nd overall in the 2007 draft, saw his first action on the last Browns drive of the half. Brady Quinn completed 3- of-8 passes for 45 yards on the drive, and had two chances at his first career touchdown pass dropped, by Edwards and Winslow, before Dawson came on for a 23-yard field goal with 1:04 left in the first half. With that, the Browns took a 17-7 lead into the break.
Game Notes
The 10 wins for the Browns is their most since returning to the league in 1999...Cleveland finished 7-1 at home this season, and Anderson went 6-0 at home...Edwards extended his own record for TD catches in a season to 16...Winslow gained 62 yards on four catches...Arnaz Battle had three catches for 19 yards for the Niners...Cleveland outgained San Francisco, 358-185.
