Droughns Was the Key to Browns 20-14 Win.

 

It has been a long time since we have seen the toughness from a Browns’ player similar to what was seen yesterday from running back Reuben Droughns.  After his arrest on a DUI charge on Monday night and people wondering if he would be suspended (which was ludicrous), the former Oregon star put the offense on his back in Sunday’s 20-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

 

Droughns carried 20 times for 116 yards, and caught four more passes for 73 yards in a game played in windy conditions.  He got stronger in the second half as well.  He even retrieved the ball rookie Jason Wright carried when he scored his first professional touchdown in the second half.  He has demonstrated that he is the type of quality person, his DUI not withstanding, that Phil Savage wants on his team.  Speaking of the trouble the running back had, he didn’t make excuses about it.  He accepted the blame and responsibility.

 

In his last three games, Droughns ran for 100 yards against the Lions, 99 yards vs. the Texans, and yesterday’s 116.  He is on pace to rush for almost 1300 yards this season, which not only would be the first season of this type by a Brown since Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner in 1985, but it is also not a cheap 1000 yard campaign.  A running back can achieve this plateau by averaging just 63 yards per game, which isn’t a good game.  Droughns is currently averaging about 80 yards per outing.

 

The former Bronco is also durable, something needed since William Green has been unreliable since being drafted, and Lee Suggs spends more time on the injured list than actually carrying the football.  Granted, he left yesterday’s game with cramps, but he has been there for every game.  Droughns may not be the featured back when Cleveland is ready to return to the playoffs, but he has given credibility to the running game this season.

 

The Browns finished the first half of the 2005 season with a 3-5 record, right on pace for the 6-10 record most felt would be the best the team could achieve.  This year’s team has character.  They responded to last week’s disaster against the winless Texans by winning their next game.  Getting players like Trent Dilfer and Droughns to teach professionalism to the young players will show up in the next few years. 

 

They will not let the Cleveland Browns quit until after the last game of the season.  That couldn’t be said in recent years.

 

JD