CLEVELAND — 4:32 p.m.-Browns fall to 2-4 after loss to Seahawks
The Cleveland Browns got out to a fast start offensively with touchdowns on their first three drives and kept the Seattle Seahawks out of the end zone for much of the first half, but in the end, quarterback Russell Wilson led six scoring drives to secure the road victory.
With a touchdown late in the first half and 14 second-half points, the Seahawks (5-1) earned a 32-28 come-from-behind victory over the Browns (2-4) in front of a capacity crowd at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.
The Browns head into their annual bye-week break two games behind the Baltimore Ravens for the top spot in the AFC North Division after Baltimore won against the Cincinnati Bengals at home, 23-17.
Wilson outdueled Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield by completing 23 of his 33 throws for 295 yards and two touchdowns, while Cleveland’s second-year signal-caller went 22 of 37 for 249 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions while playing much of the second half with an injured left hip.
In addition to his passing prowess, Wilson rushed for a touchdown, as did Seattle running back Chris Carson. Carson rushed for 124 and one score on 24 carries.
Individually, running back Nick Chubb gained 122 yards and scored two touchdowns on 20 carries, while wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. turned his six receptions into 101 yards.
4:15 p.m.-Carson puts Seahawks back in front
After a touchdown was taken off the scoreboard when wide receiver Tyler Lockett was marked short of the goal line following a pass from quarterback Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks went to their workhorse rusher, Chris Carson, and he finished off the go-ahead scoring drive with a touchdown run.
Carson’s touchdown run gave the Seahawks a 32-28 lead over the Cleveland Browns with 3:30 to play in the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
Carson’s scoring play capped off a nine-play, 79-yard drive.
3:58 p.m.-Browns go back in front of Seahawks
The Cleveland Browns turned over the ball on downs at the Seattle one-yard line, but after forcing a short punt from the Seahawks just three plays later, they found their way across the goal line for the go-ahead score.
On first-and-goal from the Seattle three-yard line, quarterback Baker Mayfield handed off to Nick Chubb and the second-year running back plowed through the line of scrimmage and extended the ball to break the plane of the end zone for the touchdown.
Then, Mayfield completed a two-point conversion pass to tight end Demetrius Harris that gave the Browns a 28-25 lead over the Seahawks with 9:02 to play in the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
The Browns’ scoring drive lasted only two plays and covered 24 yards in less than one minute.
Earlier in the drive, Chubb had a 21-yard run to set up the Browns’ fourth touchdown of the game.
3:13 p.m.-Wilson throws Seattle into lead over Cleveland
If Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is given too much time in the pocket, he is bound to make a play, and the Cleveland Browns found that out the hard way midway through the third quarter of their inter-conference game at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
With several seconds to survey the field, Wilson took the snap on third-and-goal from the Cleveland six-yard line and fired a throw over the middle of the field to wide receiver Jaron Brown for the go-ahead touchdown.
With the extra point conversion, the Seahawks took a 25-20 lead over the Browns with six minutes remaining in the third quarter. It marked the first time Seattle had a lead in the game.
Seattle’s touchdown drive was set up by a fumble after a catch by running back Nick Chubb.
2:36 p.m.-Russell Wilson finds Jaron Brown for the TD
The Seattle Seahawks struggled to find the end zone for much of the first half against the Cleveland Browns, but they found their way down the field late in the second quarter and got a touchdown to cut the deficit to a single possession heading into the locker room for halftime.
On third-and-five from the Cleveland 17-yard line, quarterback Russell Wilson took the shotgun snap from center and found wide receiver Jaron Brown breaking free while running toward the sideline on the right side of the formation.
With a step on the defender, Brown gave Wilson enough of a window to complete the pass for the touchdown.
The Seahawks went for two, and while they were stopped short of the goal line on the conversion attempt, the late score drew them to within just two points of the Browns, 20-18, in the waning seconds of the second quarter.
Seattle’s eight-play, 88-yard drive was set up by an interception of quarterback Baker Mayfield in the end zone on a pass intended for wide receiver Jarvis Landry.
1:55 p.m.-Seattle settles for field goal
After blocking a punt, the Seattle Seahawks got the ball at the Cleveland 20-yard line, but the Browns’ defense settled in and forced a field goal attempt that kicker Jason Myers converted.
Myers’ successful 20-yard field goal attempt cut the Browns’ lead down to 20-12 with 7:25 to play in the first half of their inter-conference game at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
It was the second straight Seattle drive that ended in a field goal, as Myers capped off a nine-play, 55-yard possession with a 38-yard conversion early in the second quarter.
1:42 p.m.-Baker Mayfield finds Ricky Seals-Jones for TD
How would Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield respond after struggling through a lopsided loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football earlier in the week?
Well, if the first half against the Seattle Seahawks is any indication, the answer to that question is extremely well and emphatically.
Mayfield engineered three straight scoring drives to start the game, and on the third, he found tight end Ricky Seals-Jones open along the right sideline for a 31-yard touchdown, which gave the Browns a 20-6 lead over the Seahawks with 14:54 to play in the first half from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
On first-and-10 from the Seattle 31-yard line, Mayfield took the snap under center, utilized a play-action fake to freeze the defense, and after reading the progressions from left to right, found Seals-Jones well behind the coverage of a Seahawks defender.
After securing the catch at the Seattle nine-yard line, Seals-Jones hustled his way into the end zone for his second touchdown of the season.
It was the second touchdown of the game that Mayfield was responsible for, as late in the first quarter, he rushed for a 10-yard score. Mayfield’s rushing touchdown against the Seahawks was the first of his young NFL career.
While Mayfield and Seals-Jones punctuated the drive, it was running back Nick Chubb who carried the mail early in the possession.
On second-and-one from the Cleveland 17-yard line, Mayfield handed the ball to Chubb, and after initially going behind left guard Joel Bitonio, he cut back right, powered through the first and second levels of defense and hustled his way to a 52-yard gain.
1:26 p.m.-Baker Mayfield rushes for touchdown
Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield saw Russell Wilson’s touchdown run and decided to do his best impersonation on the ensuing drive, as on second-and-nine from the Seattle Seahawks’ 10-yard line, he rushed for a touchdown over the middle of the field.
With tight coverage against the receivers and tight end, the middle of the field was wide open and after going through his progressions, Mayfield tucked the ball and sprinted 10 yards for the touchdown, which extended the Browns’ lead over the Seahawks to 14-6 with 4:43 to play in the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Mayfield’s touchdown run against the Seahawks was the first of his young NFL career.
1:16 p.m.-Russell Wilson calls own number, scores TD
The Cleveland Browns defended against the tight end a little too well on Seattle’s opening drive of the game.
By focusing their attention on down the field action, the Browns left open the middle, and quarterback Russell Wilson took advantage by calling his own number, hustling toward the goal line and working his way into the end zone for the rushing touchdown.
The ensuing point-after was no good, which allowed the Browns to maintain a 7-6 lead over the Seahawks with 8:52 remaining in the first quarter of the inter-conference game at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
1:06 p.m.-Browns take early lead on Nick Chubb TD run
The Cleveland Browns received the opening kickoff from the Seattle Seahawks, and they wasted no time or field position by building a three-play, 23-yard drive that running back Nick Chubb capped off with a seven-yard touchdown run.
With Austin Seibert’s successful point-after attempt, the Browns held a 7-0 lead over the Seahawks with 13:01 to play in the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
Chubb took a handoff from quarterback Baker Mayfield and with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. serving as a lead blocker, got to the outside and glided across the goal line for his team-leading fifth touchdown run of the season.
11:45 a.m.-Williams, Ward inactive again
The Cleveland Browns’ secondary was plagued by injuries through the first five weeks of the season, and while the starting safeties have returned, it is a trend that continued before today’s game against the Seattle Seahawks at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
For the fourth consecutive game, cornerbacks Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward will be out of the lineup because of hamstring injuries. In their places, veteran defensive backs Terrance Mitchell and T.J. Carrie will get the starting nods against the Seahawks.
This season, Carrie has registered 17 total tackles, including 15 solo stops and two assists, with one interception, two passes defended and one fumble recovery. Mitchell has made 12 tackles, including 10 solo stops, with two passes defended.
“Denzel and Greedy are good players, but we have been playing with some pretty good guys, too,” Kitchens said. “I have total confidence in the guys. Whoever it is that goes out there on the field, we have confidence that they will do their job.
“I think all three days were very focused and the concentration level was very high. The speed in and out of the huddle, and defensively, getting lined up and things like that, things that are very necessary to be successful were very good this week.”
Williams and Ward continue working their ways back from hamstring injuries sustained within 10 minutes of each other during the Friday practice before hosting the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football on September 22.
Along with Ward and Williams, the Browns deactivated wide receivers Taywan Taylor and Damion Ratley, defensive end Genard Avery, center Austin Corbett and tackle Kendall Lamm. Lamm is the only non-healthy scratch, as he is working his way back from a knee injury suffered in the season-opening loss to the Tennessee Titans on September 8.
10:30 a.m.- Browns look to even record before bye week break
There is no time to rest in the National Football League, not at least for the Cleveland Browns before they head into their annual bye week break on October 20.
Standing in the way of the week off are quarterback Russell Wilson and a Seattle Seahawks team coming to FirstEnergy Stadium hungry to get a win and keep pace with the undefeated San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West Division.
“Another extremely good team this week,” Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said. “Seattle, they are 4-1. They have won a lot of close games. Extremely well coached. Offensively, everything goes through Russell (Wilson).
“He does a great job in the pocket and outside the pocket creating plays. They have a great running game. They are hard to run the ball against. They have great a defensive unit. They have Bobby Wagner, and he makes everything go and has been there a long time.”
The Browns never got on track offensively and struggled to get drive-ending stops on defense, and that combined to add up to the 28-point loss to the 49ers in a game seen by the entire country on Monday Night Football.
The Browns surrendered 275 rushing yards to the 49ers (4-0, first in NFC West) and managed 180 yards of total offense on the way to their third loss of the 2019 regular season.
But after responding to the first two losses of the season with convincing victories, the Browns believe another solid week of practice will put them in position to even their record heading into the bye before taking on the New England Patriots in a road game on October 27.
“Our sense of urgency is at an all-time high right now,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said in his weekly press conference. “I think we have guys that are locked in. We realize exactly what we need to do. We are going to take this short week and see what we can do on Sunday.”
Running back Nick Chubb added, “We’ve done it before. After every loss, we came back harder, and that’s what I expect this team to do every time. Hopefully, we can stack some wins, but I know when we do face adversity, we bounce back harder.”