Edwards dreaming big for MNF debut / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, October 13, 2008

By Tom Withers - Associated Press Sports Writer

October 13, 2008

Cleveland — Braylon Edwards left his first Monday night game angry at the world.

He had gone to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1995 as an excitable seventh grader with dreams of playing in the NFL. He sat in the stands with his dad expecting to see a rout.

A huge fan of the San Francisco 49ers, he was sure Steve Young and Jerry Rice would hook up for several touchdown passes and the defending Super Bowl champions would demolish his hometown Detroit Lions.

"I was thinking, no way in heck they lose to the Lions," Cleveland's wide receiver said.

Heck happened.

"What do you know?" Edwards said. "(Detroit's) Herman Moore and Brett Perriman had outstanding games and Barry Sanders went crazy, rushed for about 180 yards. They beat the 49ers up and there I was, mad."

Edwards can only hope his Monday night debut as a player goes better. He and the disappointing Browns (1-3) will take the field as enormous underdogs against the unbeaten New York Giants.

"This is a dream for me to play on 'Monday Night Football,'" Edwards said. "Back to when you were a kid, everybody wants to have three or four touchdowns on it and be player of the game."

Bitten savagely by the injury bug, they expected to be their healthiest this season going into the matchup. They were off last week and used the bye to heal various bumps and bruises.

Against the Giants, wide receiver Donte' Stallworth will likely make his season debut, as will right tackle Ryan Tucker, who underwent hip surgery in May.

But their return to Cleveland's sputtering offense could be offset if Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow can't play.

He was released Sunday after spending three nights in the hospital with an undisclosed illness, and was downgraded from questionable to doubtful.