The Cleveland Browns traveled to take on the 1-5 Titans, who were looking to win two games in a row for the first time in four years. It was the Browns first of three-straight road games and the Browns prevailed in typical fashion with a 27-24 walk off win to improve to 5-2 as Andre Szmyt hit the game winning field goal as time expired.
The 5-2 record is tied for the best start the Browns have had since the team returned in 1999, tying the 2020 season.
The Browns will play the 5-2 Steelers next Sunday in Pittsburgh for first place in the AFC North.
Here are some Takeaways from the game:
Watson does it Again for the Fifth Time
Quarterback Deshaun Watson continues his magical comeback season with his fifth game-winning drive of the season. He actually had a fourth quarter drive to put the Browns up 24-17 but the Titans were able to tie the score at 24 with :58 seconds to play.
Watson then led the Browns 55 yards down the field in four plays and Andre Szmyt hit the game winner as time expired, 27-24.
Watson is just the third quarterback since the 1970 merger to have a game-winning drive in each of his team’s first five wins of a season, joining Troy Aikman in 1990 and Matthew Stafford in 2016.
On the winning drive, the big play was a 36 yard pass to Harold Fannin, who rambled to the Titans’ 19. After an offside penalty to move the ball to the 14 before the winning kick.
The Browns started on their own 31 and Watson threw a six yard pass to Denzel Boston before an eight yard pass to Dylan Sampson to the Browns’ 45. With 28 seconds to play, Watson threw to Fannin, who was able to get all the way to the Titan’s 19. The Browns let the clock run to :03 before calling a timeout and kicking the field goal.
It was the first time that Watson has went over the 300-yard passing mark since he’s been with the Browns. Watson was 25-of-36 for 308 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. His QB rating was 84.0. It was Watson’s 21st time in his career to throw for over 300 yard and first since Jan. 3, 2021.
Watson also rushed three times for 19 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Browns a 24-17 lead with 4:34 to play in the game.
On the final three possessions of the game, Watson had the offense in position to score points. Beside the touchdown and field goal on the final two possession, Watson had led the team to the Titans’ 25 yard line on the first drive of the fourth quarter, but Szmyt missed a 43-yard field goal off the right upright to keep the score 17-14, at the time.
The Browns final three possessions accounted for 183 yards (57-, 71-and 55-yards).
Offense has Best Rushing Game in Three Seasons
The Browns have been waiting to get their rushing game going and finally did against the Titans. The Browns had their best rushing game since the 2023 season as the offense rushed for a season-high 183 yards with three touchdowns and a 6.3 average. It was the team’s most rushing yards in a game since totaling 198 at Pittsburgh on Sept. 18, 2023.
The duo of Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson combined for 141 rushing yards and 181 all-purpose yards as they returned to the lineup. Judkins missed the Ravens game with an ankle injury and Sampson came off injured reserve after missing five games.
Judkins had 96 yards rushing (5.6 avg.) and caught a pass for eight yards. He also had a season long run of 30 yards. Judkins rushed for a season-high 96 yards with two touchdowns. It marked his third career game with multiple rushing touchdowns. Judkins had 104 all-purpose yards.
He has three rushing touchdowns this season and 10 in his career.
Sampson had 45 yards on six carries (7.5 avg.) and caught three passes for 32 yards for 77 all-purpose yards. He had a long run of 19 yards and caught a pass for 22 yards.
KC Concepcion also rushed three times for 23 yards (7.7 avg.), including a long of 18 yards. Deshaun Watson rushed three times for 19 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown.
Defense has Huge Goal Line Stand, Denzel Ward Interception Key in Win
Trailing the Titans 14-7, the Browns had a game-changing goal line stand in the second quarter.
The Titans converted on third down to have a first-and-goal on the Browns’ three yard line. On first down, Tony Pollard ran for an apparent touchdown that would have put the Titans up 21-7. However, on review, Pollard’s knee touched down just short of the goal line.
On second-and-goal, Cam Ward tried a quarterback sneak and was stopped short of the goal line by Sam Kamara and Quincy Williams.
On third down, Ward tried again and was stopped by Adin Huntington.
Electing to go for it on fourth down, Pollard was tackled for no gain by Winston Reid and the Titans came out of the 14 play drive with no points, keeping it 14-7 game.
After the Browns took possession, Fannin fumbled after a reception, but Cam Ward threw it down the field on the ensuing play and the Browns Denzel Ward intercepted the pass from Cam Ward and the Browns scored a touchdown off of the turnover.
Defense Starts Slow, Again
After vowing to start faster, the Browns defense gave up their fourth-straight touchdown drive to open a game. The Browns have now allowed an opening drive touchdown in five of the first seven games.
After the defense allowed a 65 yard touchdown drive on the first series, Watson threw an interception at the Browns’ 24 yard line and the Titans scored quickly to take a 14-0 lead with 8:35 to play in the first quarter.
The Titans came into the game tied for 31st in the NFL in scoring, with an average of 14.0 a game
Overall, the defense gave up 322 yards (141 rushing, 181 passing) to the Titans, who came into the game ranking last in the NFL in offense at 236.3 yards a game.
After the Browns took a 24-17 lead with 4:34 to play in the game, the defense allowed the Titans to drive 63 yards on 11 plays to tie the game on a one-yard touchdown by Pollard, his third of the game. On the drive, the Titans overcame a third-and-long and fourth-and-long to keep the drive going.
The Browns defense has now gone 52 straight games without allowing a 300-yard passer, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest streak by any NFL team since the Colts went 52 games from 2005-08. It is the Browns longest run since a 67-game stretch between 1974-79. The last QB to throw for 300 yards against the Browns was Gardner Minshew for the Colts on Oct. 22, 2023.
Pollard had 87 yards in the first quarter with two touchdowns and finished the game with 129 yards rushing on 25 carries (5.2 avg.), including three touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 26 yards for a total of 155 all-purpose yards.
Quincy Williams and Ronnie Hickman led the Browns with 10 tackles. Williams had two tackles for loss and Hickman recovered a fumble that was stripped by Tyson Campbell, who had four tackles and a forced fumble.
Carson Schwesinger had eight tackles, while Grant Delpit had two passes broken up and a pass batted down.
Ward had two tackles, three passes broken up and a key interception. Adin Huntington had the Browns only sack of the game.
Mason Graham had no tackles as he returned after missing two games. Graham did limp off the field with trainers, but returned.
KC Has a Break Out Game
Up until recently, rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston was getting most of the attention, but KC Concepcion had a monster game against the Titans with 152 all-purpose yards. Concepcion had eight receptions for 129 yards, including a long of 32 yards, all in the first half.
He also rushed for 23 yards, including an 18-yard end around that gave the Browns a first-and-goal to set up a touchdown.
Concepcion Jr. set career highs for receptions (eight) and receiving yards (129) and added 23 yards rushing.
His 129 receiving yards were the eighth-most by a Browns rookie in a game. He is the first Browns rookie wide receiver to record a 100-yard receiving game since Corey Coleman in 2020. Concepcion's game could have been much bigger as he could not hang on to a deep ball that went off his hands in stride and likely would have been a long touchdown.
Rookie Denzel Boston finished with three receptions for 27 yards and Jerry Jeudy had four receptions for 21 yards. Boston had a 15 yard catch.
Boston’s 372 receiving yards on the season are the most by a Browns rookie after the first seven weeks.
Fannin Reappears, Passes Ozzie Newsome
After not being involved in the offense in recent games, tight end Harold Fannin contributed in a big way with six receptions for 91 yards, including the 36 yard reception that set up the game-winning field goal.
He passed Ozzie Newsome (93) for the most receptions by a Browns tight end in their first two seasons and his 97 receptions are the sixth-most by any Browns player in their first two seasons. The record is 137 set by Josh Gordon in 2012-13.
Fannin was targeted nine times and had his best game of the season with 91 yards. He also lost a fumble after a reception.
Andre the Great
For the second-straight week K Andre Szmyt kicked a game-winning field goal after missing a kick earlier in the fourth quarter. It was his third game winning kick this season and fifth of his career.
Extra Points
Penalties: The Browns had eight penalties for 48 yards. The Browns had 12 men on the field when the Titans were punting with the kicker after the punter was injured and he punted the ball just 28 yards, but the penalty gave the Titans a first down. Zion Johnson had a costly holding penalty aafter Wartson scrambled for a first down and Judkins had a holding penalty on play after the runner was past him.
Inactive: QB Taylen Green (3QB), LB Justin Jefferson, CB Noah Igbinoghene, RB Audric Estime, DT Mike Hall Jr., and C Parker Brailsford.
Moves: The Browns elevated DT Sam Kamara from the practice squad and activated RB Dylan Sampson from injured reserve.