Browns score big win over Titans in push for playoffs
Offensive outburst in first half holds up as Cleveland inches closer to playoff spot
Baker Mayfield tied a franchise record held by Otto Graham and the Cleveland Browns set a franchise mark with 38 first-half points Sunday in a 41-35 win over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.
Mayfield completed 25 of 33 passes for 334 yards and four scores for a near-perfect passer rating of 147.0. All four touchdowns occurred in the first half, matching Graham's feat that was accomplished in 1951.
Cleveland (9-3) scored on all six first half possessions, and could have easily made it six touchdowns. But rookie Donovan Peoples-jones dropped a potential scoring pass just before Cody Parkey initiated scoring with a 27yard field goal with 10:43 left in the first quarter.
Peoples-jones made up for it in the second quarter. On the Browns' first play after Tennessee got on the board with Ryan Tannehill's 17-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis, Peoples-jones burned Breon Borders with an out-andup. Mayfield hit Peoples-jones in stride for a 75-yard score and a 24-7 advantage with 13:04 left in the first half.
That was part of a 28-point second quarter outburst for Cleveland. On the quarter's first play, Mayfield lofted a one-yard touchdown pass to offensive tackle
Kendall Lamm. Mayfield added a 17-yard strike to Rashard Higgins and Nick Chubb capped the half by leaping a yard with 55 seconds remaining.
The Titans (8-4) tried to rally in the third quarter. They drew within 38-21 on two TDS by Mycole Pruitt. He caught a 22-yard pass from Tannehill, then recovered a fumble by A.J. Brown at the three and dove into the end zone.
Parkey's 43-yard field goal upped the Browns' lead to 20 points, and M.J. Stewart intercepted a tipped pass at the Cleveland nine-yardline with 15 seconds remaining to keep Tennessee from drawing within two scores at the time.
Tannehill finished 29 of 45 passing for 389 yards with three touchdowns and the pick. He hit Cameron Batson with an eightyard scoring strike with 28 seconds left to pull Tennessee within six points, but Andy Janovich fell on an onside kick to seal it.
League rushing leader Derrick Henry was held to 60 yards on 15 carries for Tennessee.
The Titans fell into a first-place tie in the AFC South with Indianapolis, a 26-20 winner in Houston.
LATE TURNOVER LIFTS COLTS PAST TEXANS
Anthony Walker recovered a fumble with 1:22 left and the visiting Indianapolis Colts escaped with a tense 26-20 victory over the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.
Texans centre Nick Martin handcuffed quarterback Deshaun Watson with a bad snap on second down at the Indianapolis two-yard line and Walker pounced on the loose football to seal the victory and lift the Colts (8-4) into a firstplace tie with Tennessee atop the AFC South.
Watson passed for 341 yards but had a hand in both Houston (4-8) turnovers.
Kenny Moore stripped a pass from Brandin Cooks with 54 seconds left in the third quarter for the first interception of Watson since Week 5 against Jacksonville.
The Colts sacked Watson five times, with Justin Houston notching his third in the end zone for a safety that spotted the Colts a 2620 lead with 6:02 left.
That play followed the Colts' failed 4th-and-1 run at the Houston five-yard-line where Nyheim Hines was stopped by Texans linebackers Zach Cunningham and Tyrell Adams.
The Texans, depleted at receiver, got 141 yards on eight receptions from Keke Coutee and five catches and 101 yards from Chad Hansen, who was elevated from the practice squad.
Philip Rivers completed 27-of35 for 285 yards and two touchdowns for the Colts, and Jonathan Taylor added 91 rushing yards on 13 carries.
The first half was an offensive extravaganza with the teams combining for 502 yards.
Indianapolis' point total was a season high for the first half. Hilton posted 110 yards on eight catches for his first 100-yard game since Dec. 23, 2018.
HILL, KAMARA PACE SAINTS PAST FALCONS
Taysom Hill threw for two touchdowns as the visiting New Orleans Saints became the first NFL team to clinch a playoff berth by posting a 21-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Alvin Kamara added a rushing touchdown for the Saints (10-2), who won their ninth consecutive game and clinched their fourth consecutive playoff berth after Chicago dropped a 34-30 decision to Detroit.
The victory gave the first-place Saints a three-game lead over idle Tampa Bay (7-5) in the NFC South. New Orleans is seeking its fourth consecutive division title.
Hill improved to 3-0 while replacing Drew Brees, who is eligible to come off of injured reserve next week.
New Orleans beat Atlanta (4-8) for the second time in three weeks after Matt Ryan's pass fell incomplete in the end zone as time expired.
Kamara's 11-yard touchdown run increased New Orleans' halftime lead to 21-9 with 9:01 remaining in the third quarter.