The Cleveland Browns have played exceptionally well in their home games this season, and Sunday’s game at Cleveland Browns Stadium was no exception. The Browns made a late comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points and beating the Bears with a final score of 20-17. With this win, they have improved their overall season record to 9-5, and at home, they have won seven out of eight games played.
At the center of that win was 38-year-old QB Joe Flacco. Flacco, who is 2-1 as the starter for Cleveland, continues to give the franchise magical moments as they make a playoff push.
Joe Flacco Leads Browns in Second-Half Comeback
Flacco, who completed 28 of 44 passes for 374 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks, made big plays when it mattered most. Cleveland’s rollercoaster season has put the team in one of the most peculiar situations that we’ve seen in years. The Browns are close to clinching a Wild Card berth despite playing a fourth-string QB who was signed off the street a month ago.
This was an ugly slogfest of a game. Cleveland was down 17-7 at the end of the third quarter. Chicago Bears receiver Darnell Mooney, who dropped the game-winning touchdown catch on a Hail Mary as time expired, said the offense “got comfortable” with their lead.
The weather played a significant role in the game, with both teams only managing to score a total of 14 points, gain 274 total yards, achieve 13 first downs, and accumulate nine penalties in the first half.
However, things picked up before halftime and continued in the second half, as the Browns finally got into a good offensive rhythm. They went on to win the game with a dramatic game-winning, eight-play, 63-yard drive.
Flacco was at the center of that. He completed 11 of 13 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter alone, setting a franchise record for yards in a single frame, per ESPN. He has as many 300-yard performances in his three games with the team as Kenny Pickett has had in 25 contests with Pittsburgh.
In the defining moment of the game, Flacco threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to WR Amari Cooper with only 3:17 left in the game.
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Cooper managed to catch the pass while under pressure, turn around, and stay inbounds as he ran toward the end zone to score the touchdown. The extra point that followed tied the game, making the score 17-17.
Following a successful defensive stop, the Browns moved down the field once again with two significant receptions by David Njoku, one for 31 yards and the other for 34. The latter reception brought the Browns well within Dustin Hopkins’ range, and with just 32 seconds left to play, his kick secured the Browns’ first lead of the game.
No one will claim that Flacco is perfect, as he’s completing 57.9% of his passes with five interceptions. But he’s keeping Cleveland not only alive in the playoff race but also contributing to an offense that has struggled with its identity since acquiring Deshaun Watson.
Watson, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury, barely looked as comfortable as Flacco does after spending over one calendar year with the franchise.
Having a veteran who trusts head coach Kevin Stefanski’s scheme and taking what the defense gives him has made a massive difference for Cleveland’s offense.
Flacco is overcoming an offensive line that’s been ravaged by injuries, a fleeting running game without Nick Chubb, and a receiving corps that can only rely upon Cooper when he’s healthy.
After defeating the Bears, Cleveland has secured its position as the fifth seed in the AFC, although even if they had lost, their spot would have remained unchanged.
A victory this Sunday would place the Browns in a favorable position to advance to the playoffs with just one more win. In Week 16, the Browns are set to face the Houston Texans, who improved to 8-6 today, in a critical game.
What’s happening with Flacco in Cleveland is truly magical for a franchise that hasn’t had many of these runs of joy.
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