Browns are unstoppable!

It's amazing how three short weeks can change the entire outlook of a football team. After losing to San Diego on Dec. 6, the Browns were 1-11 and looking like they might never win another football game. Three straight wins later, and suddenly our boys look like they might actually make a splash in 2010, and Eric Mangini looks like he might actually have some idea what the Sam Hill he's doing.

Yesterday's 23-9 win over the Raiders was not exactly textbook football, but hey, a win's a win. The Raiders lost that game more than the Browns won it. Both Browns touchdowns were set up by huge mistakes by the Raiders. Jerome Harrison's 17-yard run was pretty, and he went through a gaping hole the line made for him, but it only happened because Raiders quarterback Charlie Frye made a terrible decision that led to a David Bowens interception two plays earlier.

And Derek Anderson's 19-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Massaquoi just before the half was a fine throw and catch, but that was set up by a pair of boneheaded Oakland mistakes that should embarrass the crap out of the Raiders. They provided them 30 yards via penalty on that drive: a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct call against Richard Seymour, and a 15-yard unnecessary roughness call against Stanford Routt that was so heinous it got him tossed.

Anderson was workmanlike in his return to the starting role, following Brady Quinn's injury last week. He completed eight of 17 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown, and didn't turn the ball over. When you've got Harrison running for 148 yards — about half what he got last week, but still impressive — that's plenty of production from your quarterback. The Browns were actually outgained by a fairly significant margin in this game (389 yards to 282), but the fact that Frye threw three interceptions and Anderson threw zero made all the difference.

The Browns finish up next Sunday against the 7-8 Jacksonville Jaguars, who were eliminated from playoff contention yesterday after a 35-7 blowout loss to the Patriots. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think the Browns will win that game and finish the season on a four-game winning streak. That ought to set a nice tone for '10!