Browns gaining believers

They're in good standing after rallying to beat Seahawks in OT

Rookie running back Marshawn Lynch put the Bills ahead with this fourth-quarter TD pass, then on Buffalo's next possession ran for another score. (DON HEUPEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, and the Cleveland Browns passed one of their toughest tests to date.

They just might be for real.

Phil Dawson kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to give the Browns a 33-30 comeback win over the Seattle Seahawks yesterday, sending a crowd of more than 70,000 in Cleveland into a frenzy.

Lewis rushed for a career-high four touchdowns, the last with 2:17 remaining in regulation, for the Browns (5-3), who trailed, 21-6, in the first half and were down, 27-22, in the fourth quarter.

Anderson, though, brought them back, and Cleveland's poor defense, which came in as the NFL's worst-ranked unit, made a stop - helped by a review - on a fourth-down play in OT. Dawson, who hooked an extra point in the first half, booted the winner on second down 5:43 into the extra period.

The Browns went just 4-12 last season and were given little chance of being competitive this season. Now they have their first three-game winning streak since 2001 and are near the top of the AFC North and in the playoff mix.

Anderson was 29 of 48 for 364 yards, and Kellen Winslow, shrugging off a painful knee, matched a career-high with 11 catches for 125 yards. Lewis scored on runs of 2, 1, 2, and 1 yards on a day his single-game rushing record of 295 yards was topped by Minnesota rookie Adrian Peterson.

Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck was 30 of 47 for 318 yards and two TDs for the Seahawks (4-4), who also got a 94-yard punt return from Nate Burleson in the first half to open a 15-point lead.

After Lewis's fourth TD gave the Browns a 28-27 lead with 2:17 left in regulation, they chose to go for 2 because of Dawson's earlier missed extra point. Anderson jammed a pass to Joe Jurevicius to make it 30-27.

Hasselbeck then drove Seattle to Cleveland's 2 and Josh Brown booted a 22-yard field goal as time expired in regulation.

Seattle won the toss and got the ball first in OT. The Seahawks appeared to pick up a crucial first down when Hasselbeck ran 9 yards on third and 8, but the play was reviewed and officials determined the quarterback's left elbow had hit the ground short of the marker.

On fourth down at Cleveland's 44, the Browns stuffed Maurice Morris up the middle. Again, the play was reviewed, and for the second straight time the call went in Cleveland's favor as the Seahawks came up inches short.

Cleveland took over and Anderson hit Lewis with a screen pass to the 21. Anderson ran for 10 yards and after another run inside, Dawson, the only Browns player left from the 1999 expansion team, came in and booted the Browns to victory.

Cowboys 38, Eagles 17

Nearly two years to the day Terrell Owens was banished from the Eagles, Dallas's star receiver caught 10 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown to help the Cowboys roll in Philadelphia and improve to 7-1 for the first time since 1995.

Tony Romo threw three TD passes, Marion Barber had 106 total yards and one score, and the NFC East-leading Cowboys dominated both sides of the ball in dropping the Eagles to 3-5, their worst start since Andy Reid became coach in 1999.

Donovan McNabb fumbled on the first play from scrimmage, and the Cowboys converted it into a 2-yard run by Julius Jones. Dallas increased its lead to 28-7 on the first drive of the third quarter, Owens turning a short pass from Romo into a 45-yard TD catch.

Redskins 23, Jets 20

Clinton Portis rushed for 196 yards and a touchdown and Shaun Suisham tied a Redskins record with five field goals, including a 46-yarder with 7:43 left in overtime that gave visiting Washington a victory over New York.

The Jets (1-8) tied it at 20 with 10 seconds left in regulation on Mike Nugent's 30-yard field goal, but New York couldn't do much after getting a 39-yard reception by Jerricho Cotchery to open the extra period.

Washington (5-3) stuck to the ground as Portis gained 37 yards to get the Redskins into field goal position. Suisham, who also hit from 46, 40, 22, and 40 yards, then nailed the winner.

Bills 33, Bengals 21

Rookie running back Marshawn Lynch threw a touchdown pass and ran for another on consecutive fourth-quarter possessions, sparking Buffalo's popgun attack in a home win over Cincinnati and its porous defense.

Lynch's 8-yard pass to tight end Robert Royal put the Bills (4-4) up for good, 26-21, with 5:51 remaining. Buffalo has won three straight, its best stretch since winning six in a row in 2004, and produced 479 yards of total offense, its most since gaining 579 at Seattle to end the 2000 season. The 33 points were also the most Buffalo has scored since a 37-27 win at Cincinnati Dec. 24, 2005.

The Bengals (2-6) not only lost for the sixth time in seven games, they also might have lost receiver Chad Johnson, who was carted off the field with two minutes left after he was sandwiched by two defenders while attempting to make a diving catch over the middle. The Bengals announced Johnson, who had his neck immobilized, had movement in all extremities, and he returned to Cincinnati with the team.

Saints 41, Jaguars 24

Drew Brees threw for 445 yards and three touchdowns, and Mike McKenzie returned an interception 75 yards for a score as New Orleans (4-4) won its fourth straight by rolling past visiting Jacksonville.

Brees had 35 completions on 49 attempts without an interception, hitting Reggie Bush, Lance Moore, and David Patten for scores, and connecting with Marques Colston 10 times for 159 yards. Bush was impressive as well, gaining 115 total yards to surpass the 100-yard mark for the third time in four games. He also had a short scoring run.

Quinn Gray opened well for the Jaguars (5-3), but his performance dipped after he sprained his left ankle early in the second quarter. He finished 20 of 33 for 354 yards and two touchdowns, and was intercepted three times.

Titans 20, Panthers 7

Vince Young and LenDale White each ran for a touchdown, and Albert Haynesworth had three of the Titans' season-high seven sacks as Tennessee (6-2) stuffed Carolina in Nashville for its third consecutive victory.

The Panthers (4-4) intercepted Young twice and sacked him twice, but Young looked recovered from a strained right quadriceps that slowed him a week ago. He opened the game by hitting his first four passes and scrambling twice, the last on a 3-yarder up the middle for a 7-0 lead.

Falcons 20, 49ers 16

Warrick Dunn became the first Falcons back to run for 100 yards this season and Ovie Mughelli had the first rushing TD of his career, but Atlanta (2-6) can thank hustling safety Chris Crocker for preserving a home win over San Francisco.

Trailing, 17-13, midway through the fourth, Alex Smith led the 49ers (2-6) down field to set up first and goal at the 10. On second down, Smith dumped a pass in the flat to open tight end Vernon Davis, but Crocker sped over and tripped him up at the 1. The 49ers settled for a field goal, and didn't threaten again.

Buccaneers 17, Cardinals 10

Jeff Garcia threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Joey Galloway and Earnest Graham scored on a 2-yard run and had the first 100-yard rushing performance of his career, carrying Tampa Bay (5-4) to a home win over Arizona (3-5).

Texans 24, Raiders 17

Sage Rosenfels found Andre' Davis for a 42-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter to help Houston (4-5) get by host Oakland (2-6) and snap a three-game skid.