More Browns heartbreak
Browns win! Browns win! …. Oh wait. Browns lose, Browns lose. Again.
It appeared as though the Cleveland Browns had in their grasp their first win of the year. But you know where this story goes, don’t you.
The Browns led 21-7 early in the fourth quarter before hitting another late-game wall and allowing the Green Bay Packers to tie the game with 17 seconds left in regulation, on a one-yard Brett Hundleyto-Davante Adams touchdown throw, then win in overtime 27-21 on a 25-yard Hundley-to-Adams scoring connection.
Cleveland dropped to 0-13 on the season, 1-28 over the past two seasons and 2-38 in its last 40 games dating back to Oct. 18, 2015.
“I thought that was the best version of us as a football team … until the fourth quarter,” Browns head coach Hue
Jackson said. “We’ve got to finish it. We’ve got to find a way.”
The Browns have these three opportunities left to avoid becoming just the second 0-16 team in NFL history, after the 2008 Detroit Lions: their home finale this coming Sunday against Baltimore, at Chicago on Christmas Eve and at Pittsburgh on New Year’s Eve.
Green Bay improved to 7-6, tied with Detroit and Dallas in the NFC wild-card chase behind whichever two of the top three NFC South teams don’t win the division (among 9-4 New Orleans, 9-4 Carolina and 8-5 Atlanta) and whichever of 9-4 Los Angeles and 8-5 Seattle don’t win the NFC West.
QB Aaron Rodgers — who went out in October with a cracked collarbone — is expected back this week. He’ll have to pilot the Pack to three wins for them to have any shot at their ninth consecutive playoff berth.
Green Bay went 3-4 with Hundley making the first starts of his three-year career. “My No. 1 thought going into it was to keep our hopes alive and make the playoffs. We’re still in it,” Hundley said. “At the end of the day, whatever happens, happens. I’m just here and if my number is called upon, I’ll be ready. “It was my No. 1 goal and we’re still in it.” If barely.