It is taking the Cleveland Browns a little longer to convince some skeptics than others, despite winning five of their past six games and taking over first place in the AFC North. The doubts are fair, however, based on their narrow margins of victory and their dubious history.
But the Browns took another step toward winning them over with their 27-24 victory against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. Cleveland’s defense uncharacteristically allowed a late tying touchdown, but its offense was able to respond with another game-winning drive led by quarterback Deshaun Watson.
That is why Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman said he’s starting to believe the Browns are “legit,” because they are having success on both sides of the ball.
“I’m starting to want to take them more seriously, for sure. Deshaun Watson, this is one of his better games as a Cleveland Brown. Quinshon Judkins seems like he’s regaining his previous form that he had before the injury. KC Concepcion got involved on the ground. His best game as a receiver, though, in this game, eight catches for 129 yards. Harold Fannin had that huge catch late in the game to help set up the game-winning field goal. I’m starting to believe. This is a game where their defense, which has been the strength of their team for a number of years, struggled, and their offense picked them up. And I think that’s what you want to see if you want to see a team that’s really playing well when their strength fails them, can the rest of their team respond? And this Browns offense responded in a big way. And I think that’s giving me confidence in this team. They’re a legit 5-2,” Sherman said.
After Watson gave the Browns a 24-17 lead with a 9-yard touchdown run, it seemed a foregone conclusion that their defense would then be able to shut down a Titans offense piloted by quarterback Cam Ward to secure the victory. Instead, Tennessee marched 63 yards on 11 plays, with Tony Pollard’s third touchdown run of the game tying the score with less than a minute left.
It took Cleveland’s offense just three plays to get into field goal range, with a 36-yard pass to Fannin setting the stage for Andre Szmyt’s third game-winning kick of the season. It was the second straight week it came on the game’s final play.
In the Browns’ three other victories, their defense made a game-ending stand. That includes a last-second interception against the desperate Pittsburgh Steelers in a 27-24 home win in Week 4.
Now, Cleveland will visit Pittsburgh for the rematch this Sunday. A victory would give the Browns an important tiebreaker advantage over the defending division champions and put them in line for their first title since being reinstated into the NFL in 1999.
Cleveland’s defense allowed two fourth-quarter TDs to the Steelers in that first meeting, so the Browns’ offense might have to step up again to finish a season sweep of their rivals.
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