The Browns drew audible boos on multiple occasions and trailed 10-0 as late as 11:29 into the fourth quarter. Then, as if out of nowhere, the boos turned to cheers.
CLEVELAND — Andre Szmyt knocked through a 55-yard field goal as time expired and the Cleveland Browns rode a late rally to an improbable 13-10 victory against the heavily favored Green Bay Packers on Sunday to avoid the team’s first 0-3 start since 2017.
Cleveland’s league-leading defense remained suffocating and kept the Browns competitive throughout the contest, holding Green Bay to 230 yards and sacking quarterback Jordan Love five times.
For about 56 scoreless minutes, however, the Browns offense reached new depths of ineptitude, drawing audible boos from the home crowd on multiple occasions. The Browns trailed 10-0 as late as 11:29 into the fourth quarter. Then, as if out of nowhere, the boos turned to cheers.
Cleveland wouldn’t put points on the board until just under four minutes remained on the clock, with rookie kicker Andre Szmyt knocking in a 35-yard field goal to cap a late series in which the Browns were bailed out by multiple Green Bay penalties.
On the next Packers possession, things went haywire.
Love had a short pass intercepted by Cleveland’s Grant Delpit, who ran 25 yards on the return before being knocked out of bounds at Green Bay’s 4-yard line. The Browns’ first takeaway of the year couldn’t have come at a better time. Running back Quinshon Judkins quickly cashed in with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game 10-10.
Green Bay quickly marched into Cleveland territory on the next possession, surviving a scare after Josh Jacobs appeared to put the ball on the turf but was called down on the field after a booth review. With less than a minute on the clock, Packers kicker Brandon McManus stepped up to take a 43-yard field goal for the lead. Cleveland’s Shelby Harris blocked the kick and Greg Newsome recovered the ball near midfield at the Browns 47.
A few short gains gave Szmyt a chance to win the game in the game’s final seconds, which the rookie took with aplomb as he belted the 55-yarder through the uprights for Cleveland’s first win of the season.
It was redemption for the rookie kicker, who missed an extra point and field goal in a 17-16 loss to Cincinnati in Week 1.
Flacco was 21 of 36 for 142 yards and the rookie Judkins had 94 yards on 18 carries, including his first NFL touchdown.
Jordan Love completed 18 of 25 passes for 183 yards, including a 3-yard TD to John FitzPatrick with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter to put the Packers up 10-0.
Injuries
Packers: RT Zach Tom, who missed last week’s game against Washington due to an oblique strain, aggravated the injury on the first offensive play. … OG Aaron Banks (groin) was injured late in the first half. … S Javon Bullard went off in the fourth quarter after appearing to be temporarily knocked out after taking a hit to his helmet.
Browns: RT Dewand Jones suffered a knee injury on the first series and did not return.
Up next
Packers: at Dallas next Sunday night. The game will take place one month after Parsons was traded from the Cowboys to the Packers.
Browns: at Detroit next Sunday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This article was published by Justin McMullen on 2025-09-21 16:12:00
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