The Browns keep finding new ways to survive, and somehow the math keeps coming out the same: 5-2.
Cleveland had to shake off another miserable opening stretch in Nashville, then leaned on a late drive, a late kick and just enough poise to beat the Titans 27-24. Harold Fannin Jr. sparked the finish with a 36-yard burst that set up Andre Szmyt’s 31-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Browns their fifth win in six games.
It was the kind of game that asked plenty of questions before finally handing Cleveland the answer. The Browns fell behind 14-0, absorbed two first-half turnovers and watched Tony Pollard carve up the defense for 61 rushing yards and a touchdown on the opening drive. But Mike Rutenberg’s unit steadied itself with a key goal-line stand and two huge takeaways, while the offense kept chipping away until the final sequence put Szmyt in position for his second straight game-winning kick and third of the season.
Deshaun Watson was central to the recovery. He opened the day with an interception that helped fuel Tennessee’s early surge, but he settled in and turned in one of his cleanest performances of the year.
Watson said yes to the read-option when it mattered most, punching in the go-ahead score with 4:34 left. Then, after Cam Ward answered with an 11-play, 63-yard march to tie it at 24 with 58 seconds remaining, Watson calmly guided Cleveland 55 yards in four plays.
Quinshon Judkins also gave the Browns a jolt in his return to the lineup after missing one game. He looked like the version Cleveland had been waiting for, ripping off a 30-yard run in the first quarter to set up his own touchdown and later adding another score before halftime. Judkins finished with 96 yards on the ground, averaging 5.6 per carry.
KC Concepcion was just as dangerous, even if the stat line could have been even louder. The rookie posted the first 100-yard receiving game of his career and finished with 152 scrimmage yards after touching the ball 10 times in the first half. The one miss on the day stung: a 48-yard throw from Watson that would have gone for an easy touchdown had Concepcion hauled it in early in the third quarter.
Watson’s final line backed up the bounce-back. After the early mistake, he got the ball out quickly and completed 14 of his next 19 attempts. He topped 200 passing yards by halftime and finished with 327 total yards.
The Browns also had to navigate a messy injury report as the game wore on. Right tackle Tytus Howard left early in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. Nickel corner Myles Harden and defensive tackle Mason Graham both exited with injuries as well, with Graham back in action for his first game since suffering knee and ankle injuries in Week 4 against the Steelers before returning in the fourth quarter.
There was also a big defensive stop that may have mattered just as much as any touchdown. Jared Verse’s sack drought stretched to seven games, but midway through the second quarter he helped blow up a critical fourth-and-goal from the 1. Tennessee kept the offense on the field, trying to push the lead to 21-7, but Verse’s pressure slowed Pollard just enough for Cleveland to stone the run and force a turnover on downs.
Dylan Sampson added a late spark in his first offensive snaps of the season. He made his presence felt with a 22-yard catch and a 19-yard run in the second half, another useful piece in a game Cleveland never made easy on itself.
In Other News...
Browns Still Have A QB Crunch They Need To Solve Fast
The Browns are running up against another quarterback decision, and this one is tied to Dillon Gabriels 21-day practice window coming to an end. Cleveland has a few paths it can take from here, including activating him to the 53-man roster, sending him back to injured reserve, or exploring a trade or release, though the most likely outcome appears to be far less dramatic than the list of possibilities suggests.
For now, the team is operating with three quarterbacks on the active roster and reportedly would like to keep all four around if it can, including Gabriel and Taylen Green. There is no sense of a trade market being built, unless an offer comes along that is too strong to pass up, while Shedeur Sanders is expected to stay in the backup role as Cleveland tries to sort out the numbers without creating a bigger problem at the position. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Rookie WR Just Flashed Bigger Potential Than Fans Expected
KC Concepcions latest outing gave the Browns another glimpse of why they were intrigued by his upside in the first place. Against the Tennessee Titans, the rookie wide receiver piled up 129 receiving yards, a total that landed him eighth in franchise history for receiving yards by a rookie wideout in a single game and put him in some notable company for a first-year player in Cleveland.
Derrick Alexander still owns the Browns rookie benchmark at 171 yards, a mark he set back in 1994, so there is still a long way to go before Concepcion starts threatening that place in the record book. Even so, his season line of 30 catches for 315 yards suggests this was more than a one-game spike, and it gives the Browns another reason to keep watching how quickly his role can grow from here. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Defense Has Cleveland Rolling But One Concern Still Lingers
The Browns have ridden their defense to a 4-2 start and the top spot in the AFC North, with the unit carrying much of the load through the first six weeks. Cleveland has gotten timely contributions from players like Carson Schwesinger, whose knack for forcing turnovers has helped swing games, including a key fumble against Baltimore that helped the Browns get even in a tough divisional battle.
For all the reasons to like where Cleveland stands entering Week 7, there is still one area the staff wants to see sharpen up: takeaway production. The defense is already ranking well in several categories, but creating more turnovers would give the Browns even better support for an offense that can use every extra possession it gets. [Read more 🡒]