CLEVELAND — It had been eight games since Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. last reached the end zone, but that streak came to an end late in the first quarter of the inter-division game against the Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.
On the Browns’ third drive of the game, the offense faced a first-and-10 from the Miami 35-yard line when second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield threw a touchdown pass to Beckham Jr. in the waning minutes of the first quarter.
The Mayfield to Beckham Jr. connection, and ensuing extra point, gave the Browns a 14-0 lead over the Dolphins with 1:51 remaining in the first period and capped off a five-play, 60-yard drive that took nearly three minutes off of the clock.
Earlier in the quarter, former Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield.
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Beckham Jr. began on the play in the slot on the right side of the formation.
Mayfield took the snap under center and used a play-action fake to running back Nick Chubb to distract the defense before taking a deep drop and firing a pass down the left side of the field to Beckham Jr., who ran unguarded nearly the whole way to the end zone.
Beckham Jr. caught the ball, and despite momentum taking him toward the back of the end zone, got both feet down in bounds for the touchdown, his second as a member of the Browns.
With the catch, Beckham Jr. moved into a second place tie on the Browns with tight ends Demetrius Harris and Ricky Seals-Jones for the most receiving touchdowns on the season. Beckham Jr.’s close friend, Landry, leads the way with four touchdown catches.