CLEVELAND -- The Arizona Cardinals lost three fumbles and had an interception, but they overcame those miscues and scored 24 straight points in the second half en route to a 31-20 win over the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday.
Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer completed 23 of his 38 throws for 374 yards and threw four touchdowns in the victory, as the Cardinals improved to 6-2 overall. With the loss, the Browns dropped to 2-6 heading into Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Cardinals wasted little time in marching down the field, as on the opening drive of the game, they travelled 82 yards in 11 plays, and Palmer capped off the possession with an 11-yard touchdown pass to reserve tight end Troy Niklas with 7:59 to play in the first quarter.
Palmer's 17th touchdown pass of the season gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead over the Browns.
The Cardinals managed to stay on the field during the drive because of their ability to convert third downs.
Just three plays into the possession, the Cardinals had a third-and-one from their own 27-yard line, and backup running back Andre Ellington ran behind left guard for a gain of three yards and a conversion. Then, three plays later, Palmer and the Cardinals faced a third-and-eight.
However, Palmer found wide receiver J.J. Nelson with one-on-one coverage from cornerback Tramon Williams and no help over top of the defense. Nelson laid out and made a one-handed catch over Williams for a gain of 38 yards and a new set of downs at the Browns' 30-yard line.
The Cardinals again faced a third-and-two, but Palmer patiently stood in the pocket until tight end Jermaine Gresham came open over the middle of the field for a gain of six yards and the third third-down conversion of the game.
The Browns took full advantage of the Cardinals' first miscue on offense when they recovered a fumble, and then, found their way into the end zone for the game-tying score just three plays later.
On third-and-goal from Arizona's 10-yard line, Browns quarterback Josh McCown took the shotgun snap and rifled a touchdown pass to wide receiver Brian Hartline, a score that drew Cleveland even with the Cardinals, 7-7 with 2:41 to play in the first quarter.
Hartline ran a slant route from the right side of the formation, got inside position on an Arizona defensive back and hauled in his first touchdown pass as a member of the Browns.
The Browns' touchdown was set up by the play of the defense.
On second-and-six from his own 30-yard line, Cardinals running back Chris Johnson ran behind left tackle for a gain of 13 yards. However, Browns linebacker Karlos Dansby ran with Johnson stride for stride before poking the ball loose. Outside linebacker Armonty Bryant recovered and returned the ball 34 yards down to Arizona's nine-yard line.
Arizona was flagged for holding on the play, but the Browns declined the penalty and took possession with a first-and-goal from the nine.
Browns tight end Gary Barnidge proved to be a playmaker for the offense during the first seven games of the season, and he was up to his old tricks again in the second quarter against the Cardinals.
On third-and-goal from Arizona's three-yard line, McCown dropped back and threw a pass to the left sideline, where Barnidge fought off coverage from a defender, and then, hauled in the pass. After controlling the catch, Barnidge made sure he got both feet down in the end zone before falling out of bounds, which gave him a team-best six touchdown catches on the season.
The big play of the drive came when McCown delivered a pass to running back Duke Johnson on the right side of the formation. After catching the ball, Johnson cut across the field and down the left sideline for a gain of 52 yards before being taken down by Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson.
The Browns travelled 66 yards in six plays and took just over two minutes off the clock on the go-ahead scoring drive.
It was questionable as to whether or not McCown would be able to play in today's game against the Cardinals after suffering a right shoulder injury in last week's 24-6 loss to the St. Louis Rams, but he has erased those questions through the first two quarters of play.
McCown gave the Browns a 20-7 lead over the Cardinals when he threw a touchdown pass to Hartline with 4:56 to play in the first half.
On third-and-goal from the two-yard line, McCown took the shotgun snap and rifled the pass to the back of the end zone, where Hartline caught the pass and got both feet down in bounds for his second score of the first half.
Earlier in the drive, the Browns were facing a second-and-12 from Arizona's 20-yard line when McCown escaped the pocket and scrambled up the middle for a gain of 10 yards. McCown slid near the first-down marker, but absorbed a high hit from Cardinals linebacker Kevin Minter, which moved the Browns to the five-yard line.
The Cardinals cut the Browns' lead to 20-10 with a 37-yard field goal from Chandler Catanzaro as the first-half clock expired.
The Cardinals took over possession of the ball at midfield after the defense forced a three-and-out and Browns punter Andy Lee mishit a kick and gave Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson a chance for a modest five-yard return.
After a false-start penalty on first down, Palmer moved the offense down to Cleveland's 27-yard line when he delivered a 28-yard pass to wide receiver Malcolm Floyd down the left sideline. Then, Palmer found wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald over the middle for a gain of eight yards.
After Palmer spiked the ball to stop the clock, he found Floyd over the middle for a 19-yard touchdown. However, Floyd's one-handed catch in the end zone was wiped out because of offsetting penalties. The Cardinals were flagged for an illegal shift, and the Browns were penalized for pass interference.
Earlier in the half, the Cardinals were driving down the field and got to Cleveland's eight-yard line when Palmer found Fitzgerald for a 15-yard gain. However, on his way to the turf, Fitzgerald was stripped of the football and the Browns recovered their second turnover of the game.
Palmer needed just four plays to move the offense 72 yards and score a touchdown that cut the Browns' lead to single digits, 20-17, with 11:46 to play in the third quarter.
On first-and-10 from his own 40-yard line, Palmer dropped back to pass and found Floyd behind the one-on-one coverage of Browns defensive back Joe Haden. Floyd hauled in the pass, high-stepped his way out of the tackle and glided the final 20 yards into the end zone for the touchdown.
On the next possession, Palmer threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Niklas, which gave the Cardinals a 24-20 lead over the Browns with 7:35 to play in the third quarter.
On third-and-goal from the Browns' one-yard line, Palmer found Niklas in space and delivered the pass for the touchdown, his third of the game and second to the second-year tight end out of Notre Dame.
The Cardinals' scoring drive started at the Cleveland 48-yard line after Peterson returned a 56-yard punt from Lee 38 yards.
The Cardinals built their lead over the Browns to 31-20 with Palmer's six-yard touchdown pass to Fitzgerald with 9:32 to play in regulation.
On first-and-goal from the six, Palmer quickly went through his progressions and found Fitzgerald breaking free near the left sideline. With Browns defensive back Johnson Bademosi focused on face-guarding rather than looking back for the ball, Fitzgerald caught the pass and got both feet down in bounds for the score.
In order to keep alive the scoring drive, the Cardinals converted three third-down attempts, including a third-and-four from the Browns' nine-yard line when Palmer escaped the pocket and rumbled his way into the end zone. However, an official review of the play ruled that Palmer was down inside the one-yard line, but had gained enough yardage for the first down.
