by Mary Kay Cabot Sunday September 07, 2008, 10:29 PM
Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald tries to bring down the Cowboys' Terrell Owens during Sunday's game."It was very frustrating," said McDonald. "I knew what I was up against. I knew who I was up against, as far as T.O. and the Cowboys and I don't feel like I came out today and performed like I know I can. I'm a whole lot better than what I showed today."
McDonald, who's been gearing up for Terrell Owens since OTAs in May, let the receiver get behind him for a 35-yard touchdown catch and committed two hands-to-the-face penalties against Owens that led to two other touchdowns -- one of which wiped out a Robaire Smith sack. On the TD, however, McDonald was left on an island with no help.
"As far as the touchdown is concerned, we were in a zone coverage and it was a miscommunication on the back end," said McDonald. "It's not just one person. Everyone has a role. There are some things we need to get fixed and we will."
Explained safety Mike Adams: "We were in Cover 3 on that one and I think they ran all go-routes and they got the touchdown. It was what it was."
But McDonald faulted himself for other things, such as grabbing Owens by the facemask twice in scoring territory.
"There were little technique things I got caught up in," he said. "I got good jams on him but then I ended up putting my hands in his face a couple of times."
But more than anything, McDonald learned that he has to take his game to a new level when facing a T.O. kind of guy -- a perennial Pro Bowler with a Hall of Fame future.
Eric Wright's end zone interception of a Tony Romo pass intended for Terrell Owens in the third quarter was one of the few bright moments for the Browns defense.But, McDonald acknowledged, Owens didn't just toy with him. He did it to all the defensive backs.
"When you go back and look at the film, he utilized our defense as a whole," said McDonald. "He identified holes in our zones and our took advantage."
McDonald was part of a woeful pass defense that had no pass rush and no answer for the Cowboys' top three weapons. As the offense amassed 320 passing yards, Owens had five catches for 87 yards and the TD, tight end Jason Witten had six catches for 96 yards and Patrick Crayton had six catches for 82 yards.
Owens had another 30-yard catch nullified by an offensive interference call against him.
The Browns were without safety Brodney Pool, who sat out with a concussion, and safety Sean Jones has been limited for a few weeks with swelling in his knee. That moved Adams into the starting lineup and Terry Cousin into the nickel spot.
"We lost to a really good team, one picked by a lot of people to win the Super Bowl," said Adams. "We didn't lose to Boston College. But I promise we're going to bounce back. The only thing hurting is my pride a little bit. When we go watch the film tomorrow and see what we did wrong, Tuesday we're right back at it."
He said McDonald took too much of the blame for a poor defensive outing.
"We know the calls and where he's supposed to be and I think he really did a great job," said Adams.
On one occasion, McDonald jumped to try to pick off Tony Romo and missed. Crayton caught the ball for a 17-yard gain and the Cowboys drove to the 4. But Eric Wright bailed him out by picking off Romo in the end zone in what proved to be the defensive highlight of the game.
"Sometimes you're going to have a game that you don't play as well as you want to," said McDonald. "This was one of them for me and I just want to make sure that it's the last."
