The Cleveland Browns beat the Atlanta Falcons, 26-24, on Sunday when Billy Cundiff hit a game-winning field goal as time expired. Cleveland was up late in the fourth when quarterback Brian Hoyer threw a pair of interceptions, giving Atlanta a one-point lead after a Matt Bryant field goal. Cleveland got the ball back with under a minute to go, and Hoyer redeemed himself by leading Cleveland into scoring position.
Browns vs. Falcons 2014 final score: 3 things we learned from Cleveland’s 26-24 win
The Browns came back to beat the Falcons with a game-winning field goal as time expired.
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Hoyer hit multiple receivers for big gains and the Browns took their final timeout with 16 seconds remaining, despite being able to spike the ball. Hoyer hit Miles Austin again beyond the 20-yard line and the Browns managed to spike it there, with five seconds to go and in field goal range. Cundiff wound up making the 37-yard field goal for the win.
Running back Isaiah Crowell had a big game for the Browns, running for 88 yards on 12 carries. He had a pair of touchdowns in the game, with a big 26-yard touchdown score in the third quarter that was one of the most impressive runs of his short career:
Both teams played good defense in the first quarter, but the first big mistake came from the Browns. Safety Donte Whitner got both hands on a Matt Ryan pass and should have had the interception ... but he dropped it. That gave the Falcons a second chance, and Ryan eventually found Julio Jones for a touchdown and the first points of the game.
Cleveland responded on the following drive, getting wide receiver Josh Gordon involved in his first action back from a 10-game suspension. Gordon had receptions of 12 and 22 yards, leading to an eventual Crowell touchdown that tied the game. The Browns added a field goal after Joe Haden picked off a sloppy deep pass from Ryan.
The mistakes continued for both teams. Ryan fumbled on the next drive and Cleveland recovered, but the offense stalled again and the Browns settled for another field goal, taking a 13-7 lead. The Falcons punted on the next drive, and then Cleveland committed its first turnover of the game when Hoyer was intercepted by Kemal Ishmael. Atlanta then went 50 yards in seven plays before Jacquizz Rodgers caught an 8-yard touchdown pass, putting Atlanta up to close out the half.
The Browns managed a field goal to take the lead back in the third, and increased their lead with the aforementioned Crowell touchdown. Atlanta did keep it close, scoring a 1-yard touchdown to make it a two-point game early in the fourth quarter. But the Browns were responding with a long drive of their own, taking the clock to under five minutes remaining before Hoyer tried to find Gordon in the end zone to increase their lead ... but he was intercepted. Gordon gave up on the play and Desmond Trufant came up with the interception and the touchback.
The final minute was crazy, though, with the Falcons nailing a 53-yard field goal with 44 seconds left and the Browns making the 37-yard game winner as the clock hit zero.
Three things we learned:
1) Josh Gordon is still pretty good
When Gordon returned this week after serving a 10-game drug suspension, the Browns were adamant that he would slowly be worked into the offense. Throughout the week, head coach Mike Pettine tried to temper expectations, and it all turned out to be nothing but him trying to mislead everyone.
Gordon started the game and played in most of it, too. If the suspension made him rusty in any way, it wasn’t obvious from watching him. He looked just as fast as ever, and contributed plenty to Cleveland’s offensive effort. He finished with 120 yards off of eight receptions, though he didn’t find the end zone.
It was a decent game from Gordon in all. However, the interception late in the game was definitely a big deal, given that he didn’t try to go up for the ball or disrupt the defender.
2) Offensive linemen can run, too
The Browns managed the play clock poorly at the close of the first half. With all three timeouts remaining, the Browns let the clock tick down and they found themselves just outside of field goal range because of it. Still, they lined up for the 60-yard field goal and attempted it, even with Devin Hester back ready to receive.
Hester took the attempt and tried to fake out the Browns, acting as though he was going to down it in the end zone. He instead ran it out and came so close to take it back for a touchdown. He made multiple players missed, and made it out past the 50-yard line with only one or two others to beat. Then he was tackled by an offensive lineman ... from behind:
That's left guard Joel Bitonio making that tackle, running down Hester from behind. He looks like a fullback on that play, and he may have saved a touchdown.
3) Gordon’s suspension may have been good for the whole Cleveland offense
Cleveland was 6-4 coming into this game, with the No. 14 pass offense and No. 15 run offense in the league. That's all without Gordon, the team's best offensive weapon and with quite a few unproven players on that side of the ball. But without Gordon to throw it to on every play, the Browns have discovered that Andrew Hawkins is a more than decent receiver, and they've found that both Crowell and Terrance West are capable running backs. With Gordon in action and getting his share of looks on Sunday, Hawkins still finished with plenty of looks and yards, and Crowell had another big game.
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