Cowboys vs. Browns: Recap of Every Possession

Possession 4, Dallas Cowboys: (continued)

Nov 18, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones (28) runs with the ball against the Cleveland Browns at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Romo then hit Witten on a quick out to get a 1st down at the Browns 13. Romo then hit Bryant on a slant, and Bryant powered through a few defenders to get the first down. The Cowboys, from the Browns 3, ran the ball with Felix Jones behind FB Lawrence Vickers for the touchdown. Jones made a nice second effort to drive the ball over the goal line.

Dallas Cowboys 10 – Cleveland 13

 Possession 5, Cleveland Browns:

On the kickoff, it was ruled that Josh Cribbs fumbled the ball, and that the Cowboys recovered. After review, Cribbs was ruled down by contact. The Browns were stuck with 1st and 10 on their own 7. DeMarcus Ware came back into the game.  Ware almost had a sack; he forced a terrible pass fropm Weeden that should have been an interception. On 2nd down, Weeden again hit Richardson in the flat for a short gain (CB Brandon Carr has made several open field tackles on Richardson. On 3rd down, Gerald Sensabaugh made a fantastic tackle on Richardson to force a punt.

Possession 6, Dallas Cowboys:

Nov 18, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) throws in the pocket against the Cleveland Browns at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

After a decent punt return from Dwayne Harris, the Cowboys started their drive at the 42. After the refs called offsetting penalties, Tony Romo talked to the ref, and they changed their mind and overturned the intentional grounding penalty on Romo. That set the Cowboys up with 1st and 10 on their 47, Romo handed the ball to Jones out of the shotgun and they picked up 9 over the right side.

On the next play, Bryant had the DB beat long, but Romo under-threw him and it resulted in an incomplete. On 3rd down, Jones rushed for no gain, bringing up 4th and 1 at the Browns 43. Garrett decided to go for on it on 4th down.

On a play-action out of a tight jumbo formation, Romo floated one to the FB Vickers who made an amazing catch to get the 1st down. After a pass to Dunbar that resulted in no gaibn, Romo threw a slant to Bryant who got hammered, twice. Say what you want about Dez. The kid is pretty tough. Romo then went non-hurry-up-no-huddle, and hit Witten for another first down. The young Browns CB Skrine, who is playing for the injured Hadenn, got called for another defensive penalties. (Could he beat Mo Claiborne’s 5 penalties from last week?)

Nov 18, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant (88) runs after a catch against Cleveland Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown (24) in the second quarter at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

On 2nd and 19 from the 28, Romo through a beautiful touch pass to Dez Bryant in the endzone.

The TD gave Dez Bryant a carrir best 124 yards receiving.

Dallas Cowboys 17 – Cleveland Browns 13

Possession 7, Cleveland Browns:

With less than 7 minutes left in the game, the Browns started near their own 10. After a short rush, and then an incompletion that almsot resulted into a interception by a near sack by BT Jay Ratliff. Ratliff was called for taunting, wich gave the Browns a first down. On firt down on their 29, Weeden threw the ball away due to pressure from DeMarcus Ware. On 2nd down, Weeden sat in the pocket way way too long, got sacked, then fumbled, and the Cowboys recovered on the Browns 18.

The sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery?  All Anthony Spencer.

Possession 8, Dallas Cowboys:

On 1st down, Jones ran right for no gain, but Bernadeau and Vickers were both called for holding. On 2nd down, Romo was again under pressure; he got sacked; he fumbled; the Browns recovered.

Possession 9, Cleveland Browns:

Nov 18, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end Benjamin Watson (82) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass with quarterback Brandon Weeden (3) against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE

Cleveland started on their 35, their first play was a completion to Little (covered by Carr) to get them into Cowboys territory. The Browns 1st down play was a quick screen that netted only 1 yard. On 2nd down, Weeden had plenty of time to survey the field, he eventually found Josh Gordon for a big gain down to the Cowboys 22.  RB Richardson then picked up 7 yards over the right side of the line. The Browns stayed with the run on 2nd down, Danny McCray, having returned from injury, dropped the ball carried in the backfield to bring up an important 3rd and 3.  Weeden found his TE Watson over the middle for the completion and a first and goal. Richardson was dropped for no gain; two-minute warning.

On 2nd and goal, Richardson set the Browns up with 3rd and goal from the 1. After failing to get the TD on 3rd down, the Browns decided to try for the TD. The Cowboys defense held on a terrible pass by Weeden.

Possession 10, Dallas Cowboys:

The Cowboys took over at their own 1 yard line. Cleveland had 3 timeouts. There was about 1:40 minutes left in the game. After 3 runs for 3 yards, the Cowboys got set to punt it back to Browns (who then had no timeouts left).

Possession 11, Cleveland Browns:

Chris Moromon had to punt from his endzone; Josh Cribbs returned it to the punt to Cowboys territory; a questionable horse-collar penalty on John Phillips set the Browns up inside the Cowboys 25. Weeden then threw a TD pass to TE Watson to give the Browns their first lead of the 2nd half.

Possession 12, Dallas Cowboys:

With the Cleveland Browns leading 20-17 and 1:07 remaining in the game, the Cowboys took over on their own 20.

Romo hit Witten for a 3 yard gain, and Witten got out of bounds quickly. Romo then tried to fit in a tight ball to Ogletree who was between two defenders; Kevin Ogletree was hit hard on the play; he stay downed for several minutes. A penalty was called on the play.

The Cowboys ended up having 16 seconds left, no timeouts, with 2nd and 5 from the Browns 10. On 2nd down, Romo threw the ball away. On 3rd down, the Cowboys were called for delay of game. The third down play also resulted in a throwaway.

Dan Bailey hit the FG from 35 yards to tie the game.

Dallas Cowboys 20 – Cleveland Browns 20

The Cowboys kickoff ended regulation.

END of 4th Quarter

Cleveland chose tails; the Cowboys won the toss and chose to take the ball.

Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

Overtime Possession 1, Dallas Cowboys:

The Dallas Cowboys started on their own 20. Facing a blitz on first down, Romo quicly hiit Dwayne Harris for a gain of 7. On 2nd down, Romo stuck with a short drop and quick release to Dez Bryant on a button hook for another 9 or so yards. Romo was then sacked again (7th time), to bring up and 20. He came back with an 8 yard pass to Bryant.

My gamepass blacked out.

When it came back on, the Cowboys had 2nd and 10 near the Cleveland 30, and then Romo hit Miles Austin at the Browns 22 to bring up 3rd and 2. RB Dunbar rushed through the middle for a first down. The Cowboys ran Dunbar up the middle for a gain of 2. On 2nd down, Garrett elected to kick a FG,

Dan Bailey is still money.

Final Score:

Dallas Cowboys 23 – Cleveland 20

EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was published minutes after the conclusion of the first half and therefore it is unedited.