CLEVELAND, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Tim Couch, who struggled against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday night before being sidelined with a concussion in the fourth quarter, unleashed a profanity-laced verbal tirade on fans of the Cleveland Browns after the contest.
On an errant snap by center Dave Wohlabaugh, who was playing with a broken hand, Couch chased the ball down and took a shot to the head from Baltimore linebacker Peter Boulware in the end zone. He finished 16-of-26 for 216 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
Couch left the game with 10:09 remaining with what was described as a mild concussion. Before getting hurt, he struggled and the fans at Municipal Stadium were chanting for his backup, Kelly Holcomb, to replace him earlier in the second half.
"I've been in this city four years now and I've laid it on the line," Couch said. "For them (fans) to turn on me and boo me, it's a joke, it's a (bleeping) joke. I'm lying in the end zone hurt, and they're cheering. That's (bleeping) bull(bleep). Today really got to me. I do feel the players and coaches believe in me, but it's tough having to fight two battles, playing against the Baltimore Ravens and being booed in your home stadium. This is not how I wanted it to be, but I guess this is the way it is going to have to be."
Holcomb finished 13-of-23 for 180 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.
Browns Coach Butch Davis was not sure or would not say if the contest led to a quarterback controversy.
"I'll have to see the film to see exactly how Tim played," Davis said.
Couch, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft, was sidelined by arm and elbow ailments when the regular season began and was replaced by Holcomb, who completed 44-of-69 passes for 524 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in the Browns' first two games.
