By Patrick Warren, Browns Staff Writer Intern
JACKSONVILLE – The Cleveland Browns improved to 1-1 on the season after an 18-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Browns offense developed a rhythm as QB Deshaun Watson finished with 186 passing yards and a rushing touchdown, with WR Jerry Jeudy tallying 73 receiving yards off five receptions.
The Browns defense also played well throughout the game, holding the Jaguars to three punts, a missed field goal and a safety.
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The Browns offense got off to a great start on their first drive of the game, taking over nine minutes to find the end zone to jump to an early lead. Watson went 7-for-8 for 83 yards, including two completions over 20 yards to Jeudy and Elijah Moore, and capped it off with a one-yard rushing touchdown.
A week after only converting one first down in the first half of their Week 1 game against the Cowboys, the Browns had seven first downs on their way to the end zone.
The Browns defense continued to stifle the Jaguars, forcing a three-and-out on their second possession after forcing them to punt following five offensive plays on their opening drive.
Watson led another scoring drive, that saw QB Jameis Winston take his first snap in a Browns uniform – a one-yard run to convert on fourth down. Watson found WR Amari Cooper for what would have been a first down, but Cooper dropped the pass and the Browns had to settle for a 53-yard field goal.
The Jaguars were threatening to score their first touchdown of the game after a 33-yard run from QB Trevor Lawrence, who stepped out of bounds at the Cleveland 2-yard line. After LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and DT Dalvin Tomlinson tackled RB Travis Etienne Jr. for a loss of two yards and consecutive incompletions from Lawrence, the Jaguars had to settle for a field goal. It was their only score in the first half.
The Browns third and final drive of the first half ended in another field goal from K Dustin HopkinsHopkins. RB Jerome Ford kept the drive alive when the Browns lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1. It appeared that Winston would once again run the QB sneak, but instead he handed the ball off to Ford, who took it for a 36-yard gain to set the Browns up in field goal position. The Browns led the Jaguars 13-3 at the close of the first half.
After the Browns began the second half going three-and-out, the defense forced the Jaguars offense to do the same. Owusu-Koramoah started the drive with a tackle for loss on Etienne and LB Jordan Hicks had the team’s first sack of the game – and his first of the season.
The Browns offense started in good field position at the Jacksonville 49-yard line but had to settle for the third field goal of the game.
Jacksonville drove 45 yards downfield, but stalled in the red zone. S Grant Delpit made a tackle for loss on second down and DE Myles Garrett had a sack fumble on Lawrence to force a field goal attempt – which K Cam Little missed.
WR Brian Thomas Jr.’s first reception of the game was an impactful one in the third quarter, catching a 66-yard deep ball in stride to bring the Jaguars deep in Cleveland territory to set up a rushing touchdown from Etienne — their only touchdown of the game.
The Jacksonville offense continued to bounce back in the second half, once again getting deep into the red zone. The Browns committed three defensive penalties on the drive as the Jaguars drove 83 yards downfield. The pass rush got after Lawrence to close out the drive, forcing two straight incompletions, and the Jaguars kicked a field goal.
Watson and Jeudy connected for a crucial first down on third-and-8 and, on the following play, hooked up for a 30-yard completion. When the Browns once again faced fourth-and-1, Winston picked up his second first down of the game on a quarterback sneak.
Penalties killed the Browns drive late in the game, with back-to-back holding calls against C Ethan Pocic and RT Wyatt Teller pushing Cleveland out of field goal position. After reaching the Jaguars 24-yard line, the Browns faced third-and-26 at the 50-yard line.
However, P Corey Bojorquez executed a perfect punt, with the ball bouncing right at the goal line and landing out of bounds at the Cleveland two-yard line. DE Alex Wright sacked Lawrence in the end zone for a safety and to give the Browns the ball back. It would seal the win for the Browns.
Jacksonville had a chance to drive downfield and win the game, but Cleveland’s defense held strong despite the Jaguars throwing two deep balls to the end zone.
