Week 1
Recap: Cleveland vs. Minnesota
By Sports Network
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Adrian Peterson ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns and Brett Favre threw a touchdown pass to rookie wideout Percy Harvin, as the Vikings started out a very different 2009 season with a convincing 34-20 win over Cleveland.
Favre was a bit rusty early on, mostly completing underneath routes to members of the backfield and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. The grizzled veteran finished 14-of-21 for 110 yards and a six-yard TD toss to Harvin, who made three catches for 36 yards.
Peterson, though, stole the show with a bruising 64-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter after a pair of short TDs early on for the Vikings (1-0), who ended a three-year playoff drought in 2008.
Minnesota wasn't the only team with a quarterback storyline heading into Sunday as Brady Quinn led Cleveland's offense, ending a rather poorly kept secret of whom would quarterback the Browns in the opener.
First-year head coach Eric Mangini, who guided the Jets and Favre last season before being dismissed, ch
ose to keep his decision secret until gametime, although the former Notre Dame standout could be seen leading the first-team offense in practice during the week.
The clandestine strategy did little to bolster a stagnant offense as Quinn ended 21-for-35 with 205 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception.
However, much of that damage came on the Browns' final possession -- a nine- play 80-yard drive capped by a 26-yard TD pass to tight end Robert Royal. It was the first offensive touchdown for Cleveland since Week 10 of the 2008 season on November 17.
Cleveland's other score came on special teams when return man Josh Cribbs brought back a punt 67 yards to the end zone.
The Browns (0-1) went 4-12 under former coach Romeo Crennel last season and missed the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year.