Last Minute Brownies

A slow offensive start for both teams made way for a wild finish, as the Cleveland Browns defeated the Green Bay Packers 13-10 on a 55-yard, walk-off field goal from Andre Szmyt.

While the Browns’ offense could not find the end zone until late in the fourth quarter, the defense pressured quarterback Jordan Love all game, holding the score close enough for a comeback in the final minutes.

After capitalizing on a late Love interception, blocking what would have been a go-ahead field goal with 25 seconds to play and nailing their own go-ahead field goal as time expired, the Browns walked away with one of the most shocking finishes of the young NFL season.

The Browns clearly have issues, but their defense is absolutely one of the league’s best. That defense once again gave the Browns a chance Sunday — and set up one of the more improbable comebacks you’ll see.

Grant Delpit’s interception of a stunning Love mistake set up the Browns to tie the score at 10 with just over three minutes left. All day, the Browns pressured Love and gave up few big plays to any of the Packers’ talented skill players. Through three quarters, both teams averaged just 3.5 yards per play. Things got wild in the fourth, and the Browns eventually forced their first turnover of the season on Delpit’s interception. Shelby Harris blocked a field goal in the final 25 seconds and, somehow, the Browns ended up scoring the game’s final 13 points.

It’s hard to believe the Browns won the game, considering they settled for 3 points after having first-and-goal at the 1 in the final four minutes. It’s hard to believe the same offense that struggled and sputtered all day scored at all, actually. But a strange confluence of events sparked by the defense kept giving Joe Flacco and the offense chances, and though the Packers’ rush was relentless, Flacco avoided disaster in the second half.

Eventually, Quinshon Judkins pushed the pile for the tying touchdown, and David Njoku’s catch on their final drive as part of the late scramble allowed Flacco to spike the ball and set up Szmyt’s winning kick. The Browns won’t apologize — nor should they. The Packers were willing to give it away, and the home team took it.