Showing posts with label Cleveland Browns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleveland Browns. Show all posts

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Ravens force 5 turnovers in 24-10 win over Browns

The Ravens are making a habit of converting turnovers into victories.
Baltimore relentlessly harassed two Cleveland quarterbacks, Joe Flacco ramped up his production with a pair of touchdown passes and the Ravens breezed past the Browns 24-10 on Sunday.
Building on their season-opening shutout at Cincinnati, the Ravens picked off four passes and forced a fumble - giving them 10 takeaways in two games.
The victory carried a stiff price: Six-time Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda fractured his left ankle and will be lost for the season.
"Unfortunately, it's bad news," coach John Harbaugh said. "We'll have to bounce back from it, and we'll have to handle it."
Most of the defense's damage came against Browns rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer, who left with a migraine headache in the second quarter after four ineffective series: a three-and-out, a lost fumble, an interception and a punt.
The former Notre Dame starter was replaced by second-year pro Kevin Hogan, who would become the third quarterback in two games to be intercepted by the Baltimore defense.
Kizer said the headaches are hereditary, and that he hasn't had one crop up in a game since high school. He received medication, underwent concussion protocol, and finally received clearance to return in the third quarter with Baltimore up 21-10.
On his second series back, Kizer moved the Browns to the Baltimore 7 before being picked off in the end zone by Lardarius Webb.
Brandon Carr's interception with 6:09 remaining all but sealed the victory.
Coming off a solid performance in his debut against Pittsburgh, Kizer went 15 for 31 for 182 yards with three interceptions and a lost fumble.
Hogan completed five of 11 passes for 118 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
"The turnovers will always stick out because it stops you from scoring points or leads to points for the other team," coach Hue Jackson said.
Both were outdone by Flacco, playing his second game since returning from a sore back that kept him sidelined the entire preseason. After going 9 for 17 in a keep-it-simple outing against the Bengals, Flacco went 25 for 34 for 217 yards in the encore.
"Get a lead and get pressure on the (other) quarterback is a good winning recipe," Flacco said. "Putting guys in that situation the last two weeks has been big for us."
As he matures, Kizer ultimately will come to understand the problem of holding the ball too long in the pocket - a mistake that put the Browns in an early hole.
On Cleveland's second series, Kizer was looking for a receiver when sacked by Terrell Suggs. The rookie fumbled, Baltimore recovered, and minutes later Terrance West scored on a 4-yard run.
Kizer's next turnover wasn't entirely his fault: With the Browns at the Baltimore 26, his pass glanced off the hands of running back Duke Johnson into the arms of safely Eric Weddle.
Baltimore went up 14-0 in the second quarter when Flacco completed two straight passes totaling 43 yards to tight end Benjamin Watson before Javorius Allen caught a 9-yard TD throw.
Hogan entered and promptly took the Browns on an 83-yard drive that ended with his first career touchdown pass, to David Njoku.
But Flacco countered with a 2-yard TD pass to Jeremy Maclin on the final play of the half, and that was enough to hand Cleveland its 14th consecutive road defeat.
NEXT MAN UP
The Ravens will be looking at another shuffle of an already thin offensive line with Yanda out.
"It's a big loss for us," center Ryan Jensen said, "but you got to keep pushing and keep going. You can't dwell on that situation."
OH, SNAP!
Browns left tackle Joe Thomas passed the 10,000-mark with his remarkable streak of consecutive snaps played.
Thomas hasn't missed a snap since breaking into the league in 2007. He reached 10,000 in a row on the first play of Cleveland's second series, and began work on his next 10,000 snaps immediately thereafter.
Houston Texans defensive star J.J. Watt said on his Twitter account: "10,000 consecutive snaps. That's unbelievable. Hats off to you good sir."
INJURIES
Browns: WR Corey Coleman's afternoon ended after he hurt his hand on a fourth-quarter play. The Browns later tweeted that LB Jamie Collins sustained a concussion.
Ravens: Rookie backup LB Bam Bradley tore his ACL and is lost for the season. ... DT Brandon Williams hurt his foot in the third quarter and did not return. ... Maclin missed time in the first quarter with a right shoulder stinger.
UP NEXT
Browns: Cleveland has another road game, this one against the Indianapolis Colts, who have won seven of the past eight games in the series.
Ravens: Baltimore heads abroad for its first game in London, a matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Ravens lost the first eight games in the series and have since won nine of 12.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Brown's clutch catch gives Steelers 21-18 win over Cleveland

For Pittsburgh's first road game, Antonio Brown wore a bow tie and purple and black suit embroidered with fire-breathing gold dragons. He completed his outlandish outfit with ruby red-sequined sneakers.
The flashy look was both dazzling and jaw-dropping - just like Brown's game.
The All-Pro wide receiver made a crucial, leaping catch with less than three minutes left and Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to tight end Jesse James as the Steelers, with minimal help from Le'Veon Bell, opened the season by holding off the Cleveland Browns 21-18 on Sunday.
Roethlisberger improved to 21-2 in his career against the Browns, who led by rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer gave their rivals all they could handle - a positive sign for coach Hue Jackson and Cleveland fans after a horrid 1-15 season.
But the Browns couldn't stop Brown. With the Steelers clinging to their 3-point lead, he somehow caught and held onto Roethlisberger's throw in traffic for a 38-yard gain with 2:26 left to seal Pittsburgh's win. Brown finished with 11 receptions for 182 yards.
"I've watched him make unbelievable plays like that from the stands," said Steelers rookie running back James Conner, who played at Pitt and grew up rooting for Pittsburgh. "So to be out there with him when he does it is crazy. He's an amazing football player."
Kizer, who ran for a TD and threw a scoring a scoring in an impressive debut, had pulled the Browns within three on a 3-yard TD pass to Corey Coleman followed by a 2-point conversion with 3:36 left.
With Pittsburgh needing a big play, Brown delivered one - as usual.
Roethlisberger rolled left to buy some time and lobbed his deep pass near Pittsburgh's sideline toward Brown, who went up over defensive back Jason McCourty and hauled in the game's biggest catch. Jackson challenged the call, but it held up after a video review and the Steelers improved to 32-6 against the Browns since 1999.
"It's not our first rodeo," said Roethlisberger, who passes for 263 yards. "I see AB go and I'm going to take that shot. I've got all the trust in the world in him, he's got it in me. I don't think there are any two guys who have worked together more than him and I do.
"So, it's fun to watch him play and be on the same team with him."
The Browns have lost 13 straight openers, but they showed some promise, especially with Kizer and a vastly improved defense that played well despite not having top overall pick Myles Garrett, who injured his ankle earlier this week.
Bell, who skipped training camp in a contract dispute, ran tentatively and gained just 32 yards on 10 carries. He rejoined his teammates last week and signed his $12.1 million franchise tag, far less than he feels he deserves.
MORE WATTAGE
The Steelers sacked Kizer seven times, two by rookie T.J. Watt, the younger brother of Houston star J.J. Watt. The first-round pick also had an interception in a memorable debut.
With the Browns driving late in the third, Watt picked off Kizer.
"I was dropping back in coverage and it came right to me," Watt said. "Once I caught it, I just tried not to fumble it."
HADEN'S HOMECOMING
Steelers CB Joe Haden began the day looking for the visitors' locker room. He ended it holding the game ball.
Released recently by Cleveland, Haden faced the team he played with for seven seasons. He exchanged jerseys with Browns LB Christian Kirksey at midfield following the game and got some good-natured kidding by his new teammates for finally winning an opener.
Haden said he doesn't hold a grudge with Jackson.
"Me and the coach have a really good relationship. "It's strong."
PREGAME UNITY
In a show of unity, the Browns ran from their tunnel and onto the field before the game accompanied by Cleveland police officers, firefighters, military personnel and emergency workers.
After being criticized for kneeling in prayer during the national anthem before an exhibition, several Browns players, who felt their gesture had been misinterpreted, met with owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam to discuss ways to help Cleveland - and the nation - heal during a time of division. As part of better connecting to the community, the Browns asked to be joined by the public servants.
They all stood together for the national anthem and were joined on the sideline by the Haslams and Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams.
"We love our police department and our military and everything they do for us, and we respect what they do," Jackson said. "We showed that today, and we showed that we are all together in this."
UP NEXT:
Steelers: Host Minnesota on Sunday.
Browns: Travel to Baltimore on Sunday.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Green's catch highlights Bengals' 31-17 win over Browns

 A.J. Green juggled oranges on a postgame show after a win earlier this season, showing off for the cameras. His latest sleight-of-hand got a touchdown and turned a game.
And maybe the Bengals' season, too.
Green's one-handed catch in the middle of an end zone scrum highlighted Cincinnati's day full of big plays, and the Bengals pulled away to another lopsided victory over their intrastate rival, beating the winless Cleveland Browns 31-17 on Sunday.
Green's 48-yard touchdown catch on the final play of the first half helped the Bengals (3-4) regain their footing in the injury-depleted AFC North.
"We needed it in a big way," said Brandon LaFell, who caught a 44-yard touchdown pass.
The defending division champions piled up their most points since they beat the Browns 37-3 last December.Jeremy Hill had a 74-yard touchdown run as part of his 168-yard effort, the best by a Bengals running back in seven years.
After failing to score more than 23 points in any of the first six games, the Bengals finally got their act together against one of the league's worst defenses, piling up 559 yards - their most since 1990.
"It's definitely a start for us," Hill said. "We're not satisfied, but it's a start in the right direction."
For Cleveland, it was just another step in a downward trend since the season opener.
The Browns (0-7) extended their worst start since 1999, when they were a first-year expansion team. The NFL's only winless team also lost yet another quarterback - the theme of their season.
Cody Kessler got hit hard while throwing a shovel pass in the second quarter, then went to the locker for a concussion evaluation and was ruled out.
"Quarterbacks only have so many hits in them," Browns coach Hue Jackson said. "It's unfortunate. On we go."
The concussion left the offense in the hands of undrafted rookie Kevin Hogan, the Browns' sixth quarterback of the season.
Hogan - Cleveland's last quarterback standing - kept it close for a while by scrambling 28 yards for his first NFL touchdown, the longest TD run by a quarterback in team history. He finished as the Browns' top rusher with 104 yards.
"Running is something I've always felt confident in, that I could get a first down or a big gain," Hogan said.
With cornerback Joe Haden sidelined, the Browns had nobody who could cover Green, who had eight catches for 169 yards. The entire Browns defense couldn't stop him on the final play of the first half.
Green reached with his right hand and pulled in the tipped ball for a 21-10 halftime lead.
"I beat everybody down there, so I had first dibs on the ball," Green said. "I tapped it to myself a couple of times."
He also had a 48-yard catch down the sideline that set up a field goal as the Bengals pulled away in the third quarter.
ONE-SIDED RIVALRY
The Bengals have won the past four in the series by scores of 30-0, 31-10, 37-3 and 31-17. The Bengals' 37-3 win in Cleveland last December was Cincinnati's most lopsided in the series and matched the biggest margin of victory by either team.
INJURIES
Browns: Haden was sidelined with a groin injury. Terrelle Pryor, who leads the Browns in receiving, played with an injured hamstring and had two catches for 18 yards.
Bengals: TE Tyler Eifert was active for the first time following offseason ankle surgery and a back injury. Eifert got onto the field on the second series and finished with one catch for 9 yards.
ORANGE YOU CONFUSED
It was tough to distinguish the teams by uniform. Both have orange helmets. The Browns wore white jerseys and orange pants. The Bengals wore orange jerseys and white pants. And it was all the same shade of orange.
FANTASY IMPACT
Andy Dalton has his third straight big game against the Browns, going 19 of 28 for 308 yards with two TDs. In his past three games against Cleveland, Dalton is 54 of 74 for 762 yards with seven TDs and no interceptions.
UP NEXT
The Browns host the Jets, whom they haven't beaten since 2007. They've dropped their past three against the Jets, including a 31-10 defeat in 2015.
The Bengals make their first trip to London, facing former offensive coordinator Jay Gruden's Washington team. The Bengals have won their past three against Washington.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Mariota throws 3 TDs as Titans beat winless Browns 28-26

 Andre Johnson grabbed the ball going out of bounds on Cleveland's second onside kick within two minutes, finally allowing the Tennessee Titans to relax.
It's the kind of winning play the Titans simply haven't made enough in recent years on their own field.
Marcus Mariota threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns, and the Titans held on to beat the Cleveland Browns 28-26 Sunday for their second straight victory - the first time they've won consecutive games since the end of the 2013 season.
"I'm not sure in the last couple years that we win that game," Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. "This year we found a way to win the game. Obviously, we don't want to make it that close. We did a lot of good things in that game."
The Titans (3-3) matched their win total for all of last season when they went 3-13 and wound up with the No. 1 draft pick overall. They also beat a team other than Jacksonville on their own field for the first time since the 2013 season finale and improved to 3-16 in Nashville .
Cleveland (0-6) now is mired in its worst start since 1999 when the Browns lost their first seven as an expansion franchise.
Not that the Titans care after losing to the Browns each of the past two seasons, especially with the Browns nearly pulling off another thrilling comeback. They made NFL history here in 2014 rallying from 25 points down to win.
This time, they trailed 28-13 when Cody Kessler hit Terrelle Pryor Sr. for a 5-yard TD with 2:07 left, but his pass on the 2-point conversion failed. Browns coach defended his decision to go for 2 so early.
"I knew at some point I was going to have to take a whack at it," Jackson said. "Obviously, we didn't make it, then had to kick and try to get the onside. Gave ourselves a chance at that time. That was what we needed to do."
The Browns recovered their first onside kick, and Duke Johnson Jr. scored nine plays later.
On their second onside kick, Johnson got his hands on the ball as it went out of bounds for Tennessee. Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright said he wasn't too worried.
"They onside kicked it to a Hall of Famer," Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright said of Johnson.
OPENING DRIVE
The Titans opened the game with a 75-yard drive capped by an 11-yard TD pass from Mariota to Rishard Matthews . That was their first opening TD drive since the season opener of 2015. A big key was Mariota who showed just how fast he is on the Titans' first play from scrimmage as he kept the ball and went 41 yards up the Browns' sideline.
LONGEST TD PASS OF SEASON
Tennessee's longest touchdown pass of the season was a 30-yarder in Week 2 as the Titans rallied to beat Detroit 16-15. Mariota topped that with a 48-yard pass to Kendall Wright in the second quarter. Wright stretched out and dove for the ball, landing around the 5 and sliding near the 2 before getting up and into the end zone as he was hit. Wright finished with eight catches for 133 yards.
KESSLER HEALTHY
Kessler, knocked out of last week's game with an injured chest, was sacked six times by Tennessee. He threw for a career-high 336 yards and also had two TD passes, both to Pryor.
POYER TO HOSPITAL
Browns defensive back Jordan Poyer was taken to a Nashville hospital with a lacerated kidney and possible concussion after a being crushed on a block when chasing down Titans returner Marc Mariani when Antonio Andrews hit him, knocking Poyer to the ground with 6:33 left in the second quarter. Andrews was flagged and penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on the blindside hit.
The hit left Poyer bent over on the grass for a few minutes before he walked to the sideline. He was carted to the locker room and then to a local hospital. "Obviously, we all know that's pretty serious, so we'll see where he is from there," Jackson said

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Pumped up: Brady passes for 406 yards in return for Patriots

 Another win in the books, Tom Bradyjogged off the field as he's done so many times before.
As the Patriots fans who invaded Cleveland cheered and chanted his name, Brady waved and smiled before heading into the locker room and celebrating with his teammates.
His eyes only focused forward, he savored every second.
He missed this.
"I'm back doing what I love to do," he said.
Looking razor-sharp at times and relatively rust-free after serving his four-game "Deflategate" suspension, Brady passed for 406 yards and threw three touchdowns toMartellus Bennett in his hyped return as the Patriots thumped the Cleveland Browns 33-13 on Sunday.
New England's star quarterback was back - much to the relief of teammates and Patriots fans everywhere - following a ban for his role in the scandal in which an NFL investigation found that the four-time Super Bowl champion Patriots under-inflated footballs in the 2015 AFC championship game.
Brady fought Commissioner Roger Goodell's ruling for more than a year before he begrudgingly accepted his punishment.
And while it appeared he took out some frustration on the Browns (0-5), Brady insisted he's not seeking revenge.
"This isn't a time for me to reflect," he said. "There's no point at looking back at anything. Whether we won Super Bowls or lost championship games or the last four weeks, none of it matters.
"I've just moved on, man."
Brady passed for 271 yards in the first half as the Patriots (4-1) rebounded from a stinging shutout last week at home to Buffalo.
Brady threw two short TD passes in the first half to Bennett before hooking up with his new teammate on a 37-yarder to give the Patriots a 30-7 lead in the third.
He thoroughly enjoyed his return, even posing like Olympic track star Usain Bolt after a 4-yard run to signal for a first down.
"I don't run much, and when I do I get excited," he said, smiling.
Coach Bill Belichick replaced Brady with 6:02 left, greeting him on the sideline with a handshake and pat on the back.
The 39-year-old was far from perfect, overthrowing Julian Edelman for a possible long TD, but Brady spread the ball around and showed a nice touch on a few passes, including a floater to Rob Gronkowski for 37 yards in the fourth.
"We hadn't seen him in a while," said Edelman, Brady's teammate for eight seasons who was not surprised by the performance.
"You train with a guy. You go to camp with a guy. You've played a number of years with a guy. To see what he's gone through, you're going to get excited."
Following the game, Brady basked in the adulation from the Patriots fans ringing the entrance to the tunnel, Following his news conference, Brady stylish as always in a blue tailored suit, posed for a few photos with fans before he was greeted by friends, including former Browns tight end Aaron Shea, who threw his arms around his Michigan teammate.
LeGarrette Blount added a 1-yard score for the Patriots, who all drew inspiration from Brady's return.
"We were all intense today, all amped up," said Gronkowski, who had five catches for 109 yards. "Tom always brings the ampness to the table."
Unfortunately for the Browns, a rebuilding season is spiraling out of control.
Cleveland has dropped seven straight and 14 of 15, and Browns coach Hue Jackson is running out of quarterbacks after rookie Cody Kessler was knocked out in the first half with rib and chest injuries. Charlie Whitehurst replaced him, becoming the fifth quarterback to play for Cleveland in five games.
When Brady ran onto the field for New England's first play, thousands of fans, many wearing his No. 12 jersey, cheered.
At that moment, all was right again from Cambridge to Maine's coastline.
Brady completed his first pass to his favorite target, Edelman, and connected twice on New England's opening drive with Gronkowski, who sidestepped a couple of tacklers and looked like the indomitable "Gronk" while bulling his way to the Cleveland 1.
It was a new beginning, a fresh start for Brady, who found comfort after so many months of angst.
"It was fun to come out and play and fun to win," he said. "That's the most important thing."
BROKEN BROWNS
Kessler took a hard shot from Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower while trying to throw a swing pass to Duke Johnson at the Cleveland 10.
The pass was behind Johnson and skipped out of the end zone, giving the Patriots a safety. Jackson said Kessler did not break anything and his status will be addressed in the next few days.
Charlie Whitehurst played the second half, but sustained a knee injury in the final minutes.
JONES JETTISONED
Patriots rookie cornerback Cyrus Jones was ejected in the third quarter for unsportsmanlike conduct.
A second-round pick from Alabama, Jones got tangled with Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins on the opposite side of the field.
After the game, referee Bill Vinovich said Jones was ejected because "it was deemed that he threw a punch."
GROUNDED GAME
The Patriots held the NFL's top rushing team to 27 yards on 22 carries. Cleveland came in leading the NFL with 149.3 yards rushing.
Isaiah Crowell picked up just 22 on 13 attempts, a far cry from 6.4-yard average in Cleveland's first four games.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Redskins thrive in red zone, force turnovers to beat Browns

Cashing in with four red zone touchdowns and taking the ball away at crucial moments allowed the Washington Redskins to win a game they could've easily lost to the Cleveland Browns.
Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes, including two to tight end Jordan Reed, and the Redskins forced three second-half turnovers to complete a 31-20 victory Sunday that kept the Browns winless on the season.
"It's just what we needed to do," said Cousins, who was 21 of 27 for 183 yards and also had an interception. "The defense did a great job at getting us momentum with those turnovers. We ran the ball well. ... I think being able to run the ball effectively certainly got us going."
Washington (2-2) scored more touchdowns in the red zone against Cleveland (0-4) than it did in the first three games of the season, when it was 3 for 14 . Cousins connected with Reed for 8- and 9-yard touchdowns, Chris Thompson for a 5-yard score, and running back Matt Jones scored from 1 yard out as part of his 117-yard performance.
"We just found a way to execute, found some mismatches," Thompson said. "The run game is key. Matt had a great day today and it was able to help out our pass game, help Kirk out."
The Redskins blew a 14-0 lead and fell behind 20-17 before shutting down Cleveland's running game and taking the ball back. Linebacker Will Compton forced a fumble by fullback Malcolm Johnson - on the first carry of his career - late in the third, Ziggy Hood knocked the ball out of Duke Johnson's hands early in the fourth and Josh Norman picked off Cody Kessler to set up Jones' touchdown.
"We've got to get stuff corrected," Compton said. "But we won the game. We made big plays when we needed to make big plays."
Browns running back Isaiah Crowell ran for 112 yards and a touchdown, and Kessler was 27 of 38 for 215 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
NEED FOR REED: With his 8-yard touchdown in the first quarter, Reed became the fastest tight end in NFL history to 200 career receptions. Reed hit the 200 mark in his 38th game, one faster than Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr., and had his fifth multi-touchdown game.
Reed made nine catches for 73 yards.
WHO RECOVERED?: Shortly after Duke Johnson's fumble, he stood up and raised the ball, but the Redskins were given possession. The Browns weren't exactly sure the call was the right one.
"Within half a second, Duke stood up and held it up in his hand. I think the ref was still trying to find out where the ball was," Kessler said. "And Duke was yelling, `Hey, I got it right here! It's right here!' And unfortunately the call didn't go our way."
For his part, the running back said he was sure he had recovered the ball but blamed himself for losing it in the first place, not the refs for possibly ruling incorrectly.
PUT IT IN PARKEY: After missing three field goal attempts last week, including a 46-yarder at the end of regulation that could have won the game, Browns kicker Cody Parkey bounced back in a big way. In his second game with Cleveland, Parkey was good from 51 and 45 yards out.
REDSKINS DEFENSIVE BLOWS: Already without cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland and DaShaun Phillips, the Redskins' defense lost three more players against the Browns. Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan left in the second quarter with an elbow injury, linebacker Su'a Cravens in the third with a concussion and safety David Bruton in the fourth with a concussion.
Coach Jay Gruden said Kerrigan would have an MRI on his elbow.
On the Cleveland side, center Austin Reiter injured his left knee, and tight end Randall Telfer injured his ankle.
JACKSON'S CLEATS: Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson wore cleats with a design of yellow police "caution" tape to "start dialogue about the senseless killings of both citizens and police." Originally set to wear them just in warmups, Jackson said he felt it important to wear the cleats during the game, too.
"I felt like I've been silent long enough," Jackson said. "Whatever the response is, that's what it is, but I feel it's time for me to make a stance."
PRYOR CHANNELS LEBRON: After his first career touchdown catch, Terrelle Pryor mimicked LeBron James' famous chalk celebration, throwing the ball into the air. He earned a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his trouble.
QUOTABLE
Redskins cornerback Will Blackmon on Norman, penalized for a bow and arrow celebration following his interception: "I didn't know they got him for that, and Josh did it like way off the sideline too. Josh. Josh is a honey-baked ham."
Browns running back Duke Johnson: "That's what's most upsetting: We're knocking on the door. ... We're just not finishing."

Monday, September 26, 2016

Ajayi scores in overtime, Miami tops Cleveland 30-24

Jay Ajayi got a second chance, and so did the Miami Dolphins.
They made the most of both.
Ajayi scored on an 11-yard run with 8:26 left in overtime, and the Dolphins escaped with a 30-24 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday - the first victory for first-year head coach Adam Gase.
"We come out here in our first game and showcase to our home fans what we're about, and offensively we're out there flopping it around," said Gase, who was in no celebratory mood afterward. "It irritated me a little bit."
Ajayi's game-winner came one play after Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehillfound a wide-open Jarvis Landry for a 32-yard gain, as the Dolphins (1-2) avoided what would be their first 0-3 start since 2011.
Tannehill threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns for Miami, and Landry caught seven of those passes for 120 yards.
Cody Parkey, who was signed Saturday after Patrick Murray was hurt the day before in practice, missed three field goals for Cleveland, including a 46-yarder as time expired in regulation. The Browns had a golden chance to win afterCorey Lemonier stripped the ball from Tannehill and recovered the fumble himself with 20 seconds left.
Parkey went wide left, some Dolphins fans who were leaving turned around in the stairwells, and to overtime they went.
"I know everybody will say it came down to the field goals, but I'm not going to put that kind of pressure on Cody," Browns coach Hue Jackson said. "Cody just got off a plane with us and I don't know him as well as I know this chair right now."
Cleveland started Cody Kessler at quarterback, making him the third player in as many weeks to hold that job for the Browns. The Browns lost Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown in the season's first two weeks, and ultimately got a spark from quarterback-turned-wide-receiver.
Terrelle Pryor became the first Browns player since 1977 to have multiple receptions, rushes and passes in the same game. The former Ohio State quarterback, now primarily a receiver, started taking some snaps in the game's second series and finished with eight catches for 144 yards - along with 35 passing yards and 25 rushing yards. Pryor even played safety on the last play of the first half.
"Dynamic athlete," Miami defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said. "Whether he's playing quarterback or wide receiver he's obviously effective."
Miami trailed 13-10 at the half. Landry caught a 42-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to put the Dolphins on top, and the lead got stretched to 24-13 when Tannehill hit Damien Williams with what became a 10-yard scoring throw early in the fourth.
Cleveland's first offensive touchdown in its last 16 series came with 10:12 left, when Pryor scored on a 3-yard run. The two-point conversion got the Browns within 24-21, and Parkey's 38-yard field goal later in the fourth pulled Cleveland into a tie.
And in OT, Ajayi - who didn't even fly with the team to Seattle for its season opener - capped it with a run around the left side.
"I'm always happy to get a win. It was ugly, we didn't play well at times today, but we stuck together and found a way," Tannehill said.
WELCOME, ROOK
Briean Boddy-Calhoun was inactive in Week 1 and Week 2 for Cleveland. He made his debut one to remember, becoming the first player in franchise history to run back an interception for a score in his first NFL game.
GOOD CALL
Cleveland won the coin toss prior to overtime and let Miami have the ball, even though a Dolphin touchdown on that possession would have ended the game. Miami wound up punting. "The way we were playing offensively, it was probably a good idea," Gase said.
QUOTABLE
Patriots coach Bill Belichick offered a memorable "We're on to Cincinnati" series of quotes in October 2014, not wanting to answer questions about Tom Brady after a bad loss to Kansas City. Gase, whose club goes to Cincinnati on Thursday, channeled some Belichick on Sunday. "We're moving on to Cincinnati," Gase said.
INJURIES
Dolphins C Mike Pouncey (hip) missed a third straight game, and his replacement - Anthony Steen - left with an ankle injury 15 seconds into the fourth quarter, so Miami turned to third-stringer Kraig Urbik. The Dolphins also lost LBJelani Jenkins (quad), LB Koa Misi (neck) and TE Jordan Cameron (assessment for concussion).

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Joe Cool: Flacco rallies Ravens to 25-20 win over Browns

The Ravens were in a huge hole and about to be buried.
Joe Flacco dug them out.
Flacco threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Mike Wallace and Baltimore, sparked by returning a blocked extra point, rallied from 20 down and beat the Cleveland Browns 25-20 on Sunday.
Justin Tucker kicked three field goals - the last with 2:56 left - and the Ravens (2-0), who were down by nearly three touchdowns less than 10 minutes into the game, withstood Cleveland's final drive to improve to 15-2 against the Browns under coach John Harbaugh.
In his second game back after undergoing knee surgery that ended his 2015 season, Flacco again showed why he's one of the NFL's top quarterbacks and one of the game's most unflappable leaders.
"I've probably never been around someone as cool as Joe," said Wallace, who signed as a free agent this winter. "Nothing ever bothers him."
The Ravens scored 25 unanswered points and hung on when linebacker C.J. Mosley intercepted Browns quarterbackJosh McCown at the goal line with 13 seconds left.
"It was a good way to end it, on defense," Mosley said. "We just had to pull it out."
Baltimore, which went an uncharacteristic 5-11 last season, was in danger of getting blown out after McCown's second TD pass to rookie Corey Coleman in the first quarter made it 20-0.
But Ravens defensive end Lawrence Guy got a hand on Patrick Murray's extra point and rookie cornerback Tavon Young scooped up the bouncing ball and returned it for a rare, two-point defensive conversion - a play that ignited the comeback.
"Nobody cracked. Nobody panicked," Harbaugh said. "Nobody pointed a finger."
It was the second-biggest comeback in Baltimore's history, and Flacco told his teammates afterward he was proud to be part of it.
"It wasn't pretty, it wasn't great," he said. "Do you want to play that kind of game in September? Not necessarily, but every single game in January and come February, where we hope to be, is going to be like that."
McCown stayed in the game despite an injured left shoulder for the Browns (0-2), who were hurt by a missed field goal and three costly penalties in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland was driving for a go-ahead TD in the final minute behind McCown, who completed a 20-yard pass to Terrelle Pryor to the Baltimore 10 with 27 seconds left.
However, the big play was nullified because Pryor, who was held on the play by Webb, was called for taunting when he flipped the ball toward the Ravens defensive back.
Webb said he wasn't sure if Pryor said anything.
"If he said some things, I guess the referee heard it," Webb said. "They are real tough on those things now. Good call, that's what I'm going to say."
Pryor felt he did nothing wrong.
"I'm just saying there's other people that can catch a ball and spin it and look at players in the face," Pryor said. "But if I get up and drop the ball, clearly I wasn't trying to drop it on nobody."
HEAVY HEARTS: The Ravens dedicated the win to defensive line coach Clarence Brooks, who passed away Saturday at 65 from cancer.
Brooks joined Baltimore's staff in 2005 and helped the Ravens develop one of the NFL's top defensive fronts. He spent time with the team during training camp.
"That was for Clarence Brooks," Harbaugh said. "I think what the players did out there in his name says it all."
HURTING QB: Filling in for Robert Griffin III who broke a shoulder bone in last week's opener, McCown showed amazing heart in playing hurt.
Following the game, McCown couldn't lift his left arm and his eyes welled with tears as he talked about staying on the field. He said his "plan" is to play next week against Miami, but the Browns may have to turn to rookie Cody Kessler.
"I'd go to war with that guy anytime," Browns guard John Greco said of McCown. "That guy gets the (stuff) knocked out of him seven, eight times a game, keeps getting up and making throws."
STUNNING START: Nobody expected the Browns to do what they did in the first 15 minutes, which ended with them leading 20-2.
It was the team's largest lead after one quarter since Dec. 3, 1961, when the Browns led Dallas 21-0 en route to a 38-17 win.
BLOCK PARTY: Down 20-0 and needing something, anything, to get them going, the Ravens executed the blocked extra point, which Harbaugh said embodied his team's fight.
"It's the toughest two seconds in football," he said. "Then a rookie (Young) is exactly where he's supposed to be in case it gets blocked, he's right there to scoop and score. That's the kind of thing as a coach you feel really good about."
AS THE CROW FLIES: Isaiah Crowell's 85-yard TD run helped the Browns back finish with 133 overall. Taking a handoff up the middle, Crowell got an excellent block from fullback Malcolm Johnson, blasted through the secondary and went untouched for the second-longest TD run in Cleveland history. Bobby Mitchell ripped off a 90-yarder in 1959.