CLEVELAND — Hi everybody from FirstEnergy Stadium, which turns out to be a very happy place on this Sunday as the Browns come from behind and record a thrilling, thrilling overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a score of 23-17.
The sameness of the way this season has gone? Well, it started once again today. The Browns score right away, but then they don't score, and they don't score some more, and the offense goes very silent and they miss a field goal.
But the difference was today was that the Browns' defense — which has been invisible for many Sundays so far this season — really showed up in this game, and they had to. After all, you're playing the greatest quarterback of all time in Tom Brady.
They did a great job against him, and they did a great job against a very talented group of wide receivers that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers possess. I mean, Mike Evans battled all day long with the rookie defensive back Martin "M.J." Emerson, and I have to tell you, in most situations, Emerson came out the winner.
But all of a sudden, when it looked as though the Browns were going to lose again down by seven, and Jacoby Brissett led them down the field (helped out by Nick Chubb, who went over 1,000 yards rushing this season in this game) and got them down close. And then, maybe the catch of David Njoku's short NFL career: On a fourth-down play — last call for the Browns to stay in the game and try to tie it up — Brissett whistled one into the back of the end zone, Njoku went up with one hand, yanked it down, landed in the end zone, and after the PAT, this game was tied.
In overtime, the Browns' defense stopped Tom Brady, led by Myles Garrett who had a couple of sacks in the game. Then, finally, the big play that the Browns needed broke loose. On a bit of a wet field, Tampa Bay cornerback Carlton Davis slips in his coverage against Amari Cooper, and Cooper's wide-open, races the ball down to the 3-yard line, and the Browns are 3 yards away from winning the game.
On first down, they don't get it, and a lot of people are saying, "Kick the darn field goal and let's get out of here!" But on second down, the went for it one more crack, and Nick Chubb beat an offside Tampa Bay defense and went in for the winning touchdown.
The Browns finally had a win, but more importantly, the had a clutch win. They came from behind (which has not been their trademark throughout this season) to get their fourth victory of the year.
Hats off to Jacoby Brissett. In his last start as the Browns' quarterback this season, he did a great job, like he's done all season long. What a pro.
Now, he hands the reins over to Deshaun Watson, because you know what, everybody? It's Opening Day coming up next Sunday, the second season for the Browns. The Watson season.
The $230 million guaranteed contract — does it start to pay off? In Houston, the team that Watson snubbed and wanted to be traded from? He goes back, and his first game as a Brown will be against the Texans, the one-win Houston Texans.
But that's a story as the week develops, because on this Sunday, this day belongs to Jacoby Brissett, to Nick Chubb, to Amari Cooper, to David Njoku, to the Browns' defense led by Myles Garrett. Yes, a team win, their fourth win of the year. Now, can they build on it?
Listen to Jimmy's calls of today's game in the player below: