It was heartpounding, it was inches from agony, it was slow and sloppy and a sliver-thin in its final score.

Yes, it was a characteristic Browns win, a 17-16 home squeaker over the Dolphins.

No doubt that the Browns’ defense kept them in the game by keeping the Miami backs and receivers in front of them. No rushes longer than 11 yards. Only three passes that gained more than 16. Five sacks!

But surely the most ironic facet of this win is this: both Browns touchdowns came from fantastic leaping catches in the end zone by wide receivers, the team’s most maligned unit. And both Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi had missed most of the practice week with injuries. Yet they came up big to bail out Colt.

Montario Hard-too-see emerged for the first time in his young career as the go-to feature back, with the illness to workhorse Peyton Hillis. Hardesty was not hard to watch though. The big back showed a bit of a burst and proved reliable enough to not only avoid fumbling but to earn the call as the target of a critical fourth-down pass on the game-winning drive.

Thee 2-1 first-place Browns will next host the Titans, who will likely be without their best receiver, Kenny Britt. His knee injury yesterday may very well cost him the balance of the season.

I really like what I’m seeing from the Heckert draftees. Luvauo and Pinkston helped keep McCoy from getting sacked. Skrine had nice coverage during the ‘Fins failed last gasp. Taylor and Sheard are key starters on a surprisingly effective D-line. Haden kept a stud receiver in check. And the Colt-to-Little combo came up with three connections during the all-or-nothing final drive.

The GM’s penchant for finding instant contributors gives me even more hope for next year, when the Browns have two first-rounders in hand. Their extra pick, of course, will depend on the record of the Atlanta Falcons, who fell to 1-2 yesterday when the Bucs stopped ’em.