NO BELICHICK THIS TIME, BUT PEDERSON NEEDS WIN
By STEVE KING
After he did his big presser for all media members, I cornered then Browns quarterback Doug Pederson following the team’s 19-11 victory over the New England Patriots almost 20 years ago to the day, on Nov. 12, 2000, at what was then known as Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Because of injuries, the Browns went through quarterbacks like water that season, eventually leading them to sign Pederson off the scrap heap as a backup to Tim Couch just as the season was starting. He eventually became the starter and did a good day that day against first-year Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s team, completing 21-of-35 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown, with an interception, as the Browns ended a seven-game losing streak and improved their record to 3-8.
But there was something else much more special about this win, in that it helped the Browns show up Belichick in his first trip back to Cleveland since being fired as head coach of the club five years before, following the 1995 season. At that time in 2000 — and there may still be some lingering feelings in this regard — Browns fans and a number of media members thought, erroneously so as we later found out, that part of the reason for owner Art Modell moving the original Browns franchise to Baltimore was the toxic environment created by Belichick from the moment he cut the ever-popular Bernie Kosar in the middle of the 1993 season with the team in first place in the AFC Central. The fans were waiting for Belichick to return so they could stick it to him, and they got their wish, thanks in no small way to Pederson’s performance.
When I mentioned all this to Pederson, he looked at me as if I had just cruised in from Mars. He had no idea what I was talking about and, in fact, appeared to think I was some kind of crazy person.
Whatever the case, he beat Belichick again 17 years later, and this time it really mattered to Perderson and a whole bunch of other people. It came in the Super Bowl following the 2017 when the head coach guided his Philadelphia Eagles to a stunning 41-33 victory over the Patriots on the strength of a trick play named “The Philly Special.”
But the Eagles have been just 22-22-1 since that Super Bowl win and stumble into Cleveland for Sunday’s game against the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium with a record of 3-5-1, Pederson needs another Philly Special — or anything that’s special — for the Eagles are in desperate need of something to get them jump-started. Belichick is not here this time, but Pederson did something memorable on that field 20 years ago and would love for it to happen again.
