BEN GALS FALL TO DOLPHINS; BROWNS BEAT TITANS
Mayfifield throws four fifirst- half TD passes as victory moves Cleveland closer to ending playoffff drought.
Baker Mayfifield NASHVILLE, TENN.— and the Cleveland Browns can do more than just run the ball, and the NFL’s longest active playoffff drought ismoving closer to an end after 18 seasons.
Mayfifieldthrewforaseason-high 334yards withall four of his touchdown passes in the fifirst half, and the Browns scored the first 17 points before holding on to win their fourth straight, 41-35 over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
With both chasing AFC playoffff berths, the Browns looked like the teamleading a division— they are second in the AFC North behind the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers — as they improved to 9-3 for the fifirst time since 1994. Cleveland has only won nine games in a season three times in its expansion era, which began in 1999.
The Titans (8-4) came in leading the AFC South and left tied after theColtsbeatHouston26- 20, though Tennessee still has the better division record. The Titans fell apart after a bad fourth-down spot on their opening drive. NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry lost his fifirst fumble this season on the next drive.
Mayfield kept the Browns fromneeding the NFL’s top rushing offense in what had been
expected to be a run-game showdownagainst the Titans andHenry. The Browns had their best-scoring half ever, leading 38-7 at halftime, topping the 35 points scored in the second half at Cincinnati in 2004.
The Titans made it interesting late.
Kenny Vaccaro picked up a fumble by Mayfield and ran it 53 yards with 48 seconds left. Ryan Tannehill hit CamBatson for an 8-yard TD pass with 28 seconds to go, but Andy Janovich recovered the onside kick to seal the Browns’ longest winning streak since they closed out 2009 with four wins.
Mayfield became the first Brownsquarterbacktothrow fourTDs in the firsthalf since Hall of Famer Otto Graham in 1951. Mayfield, who threw four of his five TDs in the second half of a win against Cincinnati on Oct. 25, had only two touchdown passes over the past four games combined.
Nobody else in the NFL has thrown four TD passes in a half this season, and Mayfield had 290 yards by halftime, just off his season high of 297 yards.
This time, Mayfield completed passes to eight different receivers with a TD pass apiece to Jarvis Landry; backuptackleKendallLamm whobecamethe firstBrowns lineman to catch a TD pass since 2001; a 75-yarder to DonovanPeoples-Jonesanda 17-yarder to Rashard Higgins.
NickChubb added a 1-yard TD just before halftime.
The Titans got a bit cute on their opening drive. Tannehill threw a pass to wideopen offensive lineman Aaron Brewer, who dropped the ball. Then Henry ran on fourth down and appeared to pick up the first down, but officials marked him short of the marker. Coach Mike Vrabel unsuccessfully challenged the spot.
Tennesseeopenedthe secondhalf scoring back-to-back touchdowns within the first six minutes. First, Tannehill threw a 22-yard pass to
MyCole Pruitt. The tight end picked up A.J. Brown’s fumble on a 16-yard catch and ran 3 yards for a TD on the next drive to pull the Titans within 38-21.
The Titans came in with five turnovers, the fewest in the NFL. Cleveland forced three, the last at the end of the third quarter. Adam Humphries, playing his first game since Nov. 1 because of a concussion, bobbled a pass fromTannehill thatwas picked off by cornerback M.J. Stewart at the Browns 9.
Tennessee’s Corey Davis had career highs of 11 catches for 182 yards, including a touchdown catch, as the Titans tried to rally through the air in the second half.
Garrett’s back
Myles Garrett got a sack of Tannehill early in the fourth quarter, giving him 10½ for the season. He came in tied for second in the league despite missing two games. He led the league in sacks when he went on the COVID-19 list.
Injuries
Browns: LinebackerMack Wilson was checked for a concussion.
Titans: Brownwent down in the first half with anapparent right ankle injury but returned.
BakerMayfield became the first Browns QB to throwfour TDs in the first half since 1951.