CLEVELAND — 7:06 p.m./ET-Browns fall flat, lose at Arizona
The Cleveland Browns headed west looking for a much-needed road win to remain in realistic contention for a playoff spot, but an inability to stop the run and generate scoring plays when they possessed the ball reduced those chances further Sunday.
Arizona Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake scored four rushing touchdowns and rookie quarterback Kyler Murray added a fifth with a passing score in the third quarter on the way to a 38-24 win over the Browns (6-8) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona Sunday.
The loss was the Browns’ second away from home in the last three weeks and extended their road losing streak to five straight after they started with wins at the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens in the first month of the year.
With the victory, the Cardinals (4-9-1) broke a six-game losing streak.
Drake finished the game with 137 yards and the four touchdowns on 22 carries, while Murray was efficient with his throws, completing 19 of his 25 attempts for 219 yards and one touchdown against one interception on the way to a 98.6 quarterback rating.
Murray outdueled Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, his former University of Oklahoma teammate and fellow Heisman Trophy winner, who completed 30 of his 43 attempts for 247 yards and two touchdowns against one interception.
Browns running back Nick Chubb powered his way to 127 yards and one touchdown, a 33-yard score, on just 17 carries, while wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry combined for 13 catches and 89 yards on 21 total targets.
6:11 p.m./ET-Drake gets hat trick with third touchdown
Arizona Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake is having himself quite the game against the Cleveland Browns’ defense.
After two first-half touchdowns, the Cardinals went back to the well following an overturned pass interference call that put the ball at the Cleveland one-yard line and Drake delivered with his third scoring run of the game against the Browns.
With the successful extra point try from former Browns kicker Zane Gonzalez, the Cardinals extended their lead over the Browns to two scores, 28-17, with 1:40 to play in the third quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona Sunday.
5:48 p.m./ET-Baker Mayfield tosses TD pass to Ricky Seals-Jones
The Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals had no shortage of connections that were discussed during the week leading up to the game, but while the conversation focused on former teammates and coaches facing off, the forgotten man was tight end Ricky Seals-Jones.
Forgotten until the third quarter that is, as Seals-Jones caught a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield and cut down the Arizona lead to a single possession, 21-17, with 8:54 to play in the third quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona Sunday.
The Browns’ scoring drive covered 75 yards in 11 plays, the biggest of which came when running back Nick Chubb broke off 12 and 29-yard runs, the second of which set up a first-and-goal from the Arizona three-yard line.
5:21 p.m./ET-Cardinals extend lead over Browns
For the third time in five possessions, the Arizona Cardinals found a way to get the ball across the goal line against the Cleveland Browns’ defense.
Unlike the first two touchdowns, which came on rushes from running back Kenyan Drake, the Cardinals took to the air for their first throwing score when rookie quarterback Kyler Murray lofted a pass to third-year tight end Dan Arnold in the right back corner of the end zone.
Zane Gonzalez’s ensuing successful extra point try was good and gave the Cardinals a 21-10 lead over the Browns with 25 seconds remaining in the first half of the inter-divisional game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
5:06 p.m./ET-Browns chip away at Cardinals’ lead
The Cleveland Browns’ defense forced a turnover on the ensuing drive after running back Nick Chubb got the team on the scoreboard with a 33-yard rushing touchdown, and when the offense stalled in Arizona territory, the coaches called upon rookie kicker Austin Seibert to chip away at the deficit.
Seibert converted a 44-yard field goal attempt and cut the Cardinals’ lead down to four points, 14-10, with 4:33 remaining in the first half from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona Sunday.
The Browns took possession of the ball when rookie linebacker Mack Wilson jumped a route run by tight end Charles Clay and intercepted a pass from first-year Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray before returning the turnover 21 yards to the Arizona 28-yard line.
4:57 p.m./ET-Chubb rumbles for Browns touchdown
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb was bottled up for the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals, but he was able to break loose midway through the second period and got the team on the scoreboard for the first time in the game.
Down by 14 points, the Browns stuck with the second-year running back, and Chubb responded by powering through several tackle attempts and breaking free inside the 10-yard line before crossing the goal line for his team-leading eighth rushing touchdown this season.
With the successful extra point try, the Browns cut in half the Cardinals’ advantage, 14-7, with 7:50 remaining in the second quarter of play from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
4:48 p.m./ET-Drake scores second rushing TD
Things are not going well for the Cleveland Browns in the desert today.
After giving up an opening-drive score and getting one defensive stop, the Browns could not prevent Arizona Cardinals rookie quarterback Kyler Murray from making plays with his feet or his arm on the third possession of the first half.
After Murray moved the offense down the field with a 35-yard run and 35 yards combined on back-to-back passes inside Cleveland territory, he handed off to running back Kenyan Drake, and the veteran ball carrier fought his way to a one-yard touchdown, his second score of the game.
With a successful extra point try from former Cleveland kicker Zane Gonzalez, the Cardinals took a 14-0 lead over the Browns with 12:02 remaining in the first half at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
4:12 p.m./ET-Cardinals take early lead on rushing TD
It did not take long for the Arizona Cardinals to march down the field against the Cleveland Browns’ defense, and they finished the opening drive of the game with a rushing touchdown on an option pitch from quarterback Kyler Murray to running back Kenyan Drake.
On second-and-goal from the Browns’ five-yard line, Murray took the shotgun snap, ran to the left of the formation and pitched the ball to Drake, who after securing the toss, cut through Cleveland’s defense and into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.
With the Zane Gonzalez extra point, the Cardinals took a 7-0 lead over the Browns with 10:09 remaining in the first quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The Cardinals covered 90 yards on the opening drive in just 10 plays.
Murray completed all five of his throws on the drive for 52 yards, while Drake rushed for 34 yards and the touchdown on three carries.
3:55 p.m./ET-Browns look to continue winning ways in Arizona
From former college teammates and coaches facing each other to Cleveland Browns coach Freddie Kitchens and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ returns to the desert, there are no shortage of storylines heading into today’s game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
But when the teams take the field, there will be no time for reminiscing, not with the Browns in need of a victory to remain in the postseason chase in the AFC over the final three weeks of the regular season.
“This is the NFL, so anybody can win any game,” Kitchens said. “I do not understand where wins become not good wins. Any win is a good win. In saying that, they have had a lot of games that their record could be totally different with a couple tipped balls here and there. Everybody around the league is that way.
“Sometimes, you win some games out of fortune. Sometimes, you lose some games out of misfortune. We have to line up and play, and we should not overlook anybody. We should line up and play our best individually, collectively, good complementary football, execute and do the best we can on Sunday.”
From those who utilize run-pass options (RPO) to pocket passers, the Cleveland Browns have faced a variety of quarterbacks throughout the 2019 regular season, and they getting ready to face another unique challenge in Cardinals rookie Kyler Murray.
Murray has had a record-setting first season with the Cardinals, and the Browns know that keeping him in check is the only way to win Sunday’s game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and also, stay relevant in the postseason chase.
“Really just trying to contain this guy as a whole because he is a dual-threat throwing the ball as well as having the ability to escape and make play with his feet,” Browns defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said. “We have to do a great job of really trying to keep him in the pocket and try to contain him. Not a lot of teams have been able to do that this year. It is going to be a difficult task on our part.”
Through 13 games, Murray has broken franchise rookie records for passing yards (3,060) touchdown passes (16), completions (293), attempts (457) and games with multiple touchdown throws (seven).
Also, Murray has rushed for 448 yards and four touchdowns, which are Arizona rookie quarterback records. Murray and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson are the only quarterbacks this year to lead their teams in rushing.
“Just really trying to pinpoint certain things you see on film with the way you incorporate things this week and how you practice,” Wilks said. “You have to be real disciplined in the things that you are doing to try to contain this guy.”