NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Cleveland Browns' 29-28 comeback victory against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field included seven penalties against each team.
The seven on the Titans were more costly.
Rookie Marqueston Huff made a nice play recovering a punt muffed by Travis Benjamin, but was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for running out of bounds in coverage and failing to get back in quickly as rules say a player must do in such a situation.
Cornerback Jason McCourty intercepted Brian Hoyer and returned it 59 yards to the Cleveland 1-yard line in the fourth quarter, but it was washed away because of an illegal contact penalty against fellow corner Brandon Harris.
“We had crushing things when we got the turnovers, two of them,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “All of a sudden it changes and that is a hard thing to overcome.”
Additionally, the Titans didn’t feel like they got good spots by officials on back-to-back crucial plays.
Initially, Delanie Walker was ruled to have gotten a first down with 3:12 left in the game. The Browns challenged, and referee Gene Steratore changed the spot, marking Walker short.
Then a sneak by Charlie Whitehurst didn’t get to the marker either, and that spot withstood a Titans challenge.
“We thought he made it,” Whisenhunt said.
Walker thought he made it a play earlier.
“They said the ball was behind [me],” Walker said. “If my body is slipping off the orange marker, I’m pretty sure the ball should be where my body is. Again, that’s one of those calls that we get. I guess when you play for the Titans, you get the short end of the stick. Since I’ve been here, we haven’t got calls our way. DBs not touching the receiver, PI. Quarterbacks getting hit late every time, no flags. I mean, you tell me, you’ve seen the games. ... Hopefully that changes.”
Walker has been one of the team’s only bright spots this season.
The Browns did well holding him to four catches for 57 yards.
I didn’t think he got the ball to the first-down marker on the play in question. I don’t think officials regularly make unfair calls against the Titans. Walker was understandably frustrated after a terrible loss, but he was also misplacing blame.
