CLEVELAND — It was the best and worst of times for Kellen Winslow on Thursday night.
With Brady Quinn replacing Derek Anderson at quarterback, Winslow was more active than he has been all season, but the Pro Bowl tight end also had a heavy hand in preventing Quinn from getting the victory in his first NFL start.
With Anderson under center, Winslow entered the game with 26 receptions for a meager 251 yards and one touchdown. With Quinn in command for the first time this season, Winslow hauled in 10 passes for 111 yards, producing the first two-TD game of his career.
But what could have been cause for celebration ended in another disappointing loss for the Browns, thanks in large part to a floundering fourth-quarter flurry from Winslow.
It began with a Winslow penalty erasing a third-down reception from Braylon Edwards that would have given Cleveland a first down at Denver’s 26.
It continued on the Browns’ next possession with Winslow fumbling away a first-down reception at the Broncos’ 38.
And it culminated with Winslow dropping a pass on fourth down that would have kept Cleveland’s final drive alive at midfield.
“I let the team down,” Winslow said. “That’s a routine catch that I always make. I love when the ball comes to me in that situation. That’s what I live for.
“That’s the first time I let my team down and it won’t happen again.”
With the Browns favoring short and intermediate routes in Quinn’s first start, it was clear the Notre Dame product was looking Winslow’s way early and often.
Both of Winslow’s touchdown catches came in the opening half, one on a 5-yard pass that Quinn threaded between two defenders, the other on a 16-yard strike that Winslow caught along the sideline. He broke a tackle after the second catch and tip-toed into the end zone for a 17-7 lead. He caught six of his passes in the first 30 minutes.
“He played huge,” Quinn said of Winslow. “They did some things defensively to try and take Braylon out of the game plan and (Winslow) was huge. When it comes down to it, he was one of the big reasons we were in it at the end.”
Winslow returned the praise to Quinn, who was a welcome sight on the field.
“He’s real calm in the huddle,” Winslow said. “He calmed me down. I was excited.”
But what could have been one of Winslow’s more memorable games for the Browns, wound up being a night he would like to forget.
“I haven’t had two (touchdowns) since high school,” Winslow said. “But I didn’t make enough plays. I didn’t do enough.”
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. 

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