Isaiah Crowell couldn't wipe the grin off his face in the visiting locker room after the Browns last-second, 26-24 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
"That was special," Crowell said. "Real special."
More than 40 of Crowell's family and friends watched the 23-year-old scamper all over the Atlanta defense with 12 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
"I just wanted to give my family a show," said Crowell, still smiling. "They came to see me play so I wanted to give them what they came to see."
Those who were puzzled about why the Browns released Ben Tate found their answer on Sunday at the Georgia Dome.
"He is amazing," Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said of the undrafted rookie. "The runs that he makes, he almost never misses a cut. He always gets his shoulders downhill…I love that guy. I love giving him the ball when he's in the backfield, because you know good things are going to happen."
"He was pumped up and ready to play and was one of the reasons I made him captain today," said coach Mike Pettine.
The play that still has the entire city of Cleveland abuzz was Crowell's 27-yard touchdown in the third quarter. On a play call that was designed for Crowell to run by right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, Crowell saw a Falcons defensive back snuff the play out, so he cut the ball back all the way towards the left side of the field. With his patented vicious style, Crowell kept bouncing off tacklers like a bowling ball.
Eventually Crowell found daylight back towards the right side, finishing off the astonishing play in the end zone for a touchdown.
"I wasn't going to let them bring me down," Crowell said.
After the game Crowell hugged aunts and uncles and posed for selfies with cousins and friends.
The Crowell family should get used to this. They should book a trip up to Cleveland and check out the Dawg Pound. With the way Crowell is running the football, it's going to be hard for the Browns to keep him off the field.
