CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Jamie Meder has made plenty of plays during the 2016 regular season, but it was one that he made which did not result in a tackle that had the biggest impact in Saturday’s 20-17 win over the San Diego Chargers at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Meder blocked a field goal that would have tied the game in the fourth quarter.
“It was amazing,” Meder said. “Special-teams coordinator (Chris) Tabor called the right play, Carl (Nassib) helped execute it.”
In-between Cody Kessler’s fourth-quarter drives, the Chargers marched the ball all the way to the Browns’ 14-yard line, but kicker Josh Lambo’s 32-yard field goal was blocked by Meder. A Valley Forge High School product, Meder forced his way through the line, got a hand up and batted the ball out of the air.
“He is awesome,” Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said. “I love a blue-collar guy like that. He is a man after my own heart. You do not hear a lot from the guy during the week, but he is a guy that has fought his way from the bottom, and he has made a huge impact on this team. If he was standing here, I would love to give him a hug.”
Coach Hue Jackson added, “I just was amazed that it happened, I will be honest with you. I just heard ‘pop.’ You hear those things. Then, all of the sudden, I heard the crowd. Then, I knew all of the sudden, something good happened for us. Today was a good day for the Browns.”
Prior to the win over the Chargers, the Browns had lost 17 straight games dating back to last December and 14 consecutive to start the season, both of which were franchise records for futility.
Following the first win in over a year, the players celebrated jubilantly on the field after the victory.
“It feels great,” Meder said. “This is what Cleveland should feel like every week. We need to take this momentum and roll with it into next game, and then, next season. We need to remember this feeling. It was amazing. Being from here, it was just amazing.”
