Mayfield stars, Browns rally past injury-plagued Broncos

Watson leads Texans to 29-22 comeback win over Darnold, Jets

DENVER, Dec 16, (AP): Baker Mayfield capitalized on Denver’s depleted cornerback corps and dubious coaching decisions in leading the Cleveland Browns past the Broncos 17-16 on Saturday night, keeping alive their slim hopes of ending the NFL’s longest playoff drought. Mayfield’s 2-yard TD toss to Antonio Calloway with just under 12 minutes left provided the winning margin for the Browns (6-7-1). They snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Broncos (6-8).

Improving to 3-28 on the road over the last four seasons, the Browns still have a shot at their first winning season since 2007 and even their first playoff berth since 2002 thanks to their first win over Denver since 1990.

Calloway’s touchdown made it 1713 and came with safety Justin Simmons in coverage because the Broncos were down five cornerbacks.

The Broncos responded with a 13-play drive that ate up more than seven minutes, but after Phillip Lindsay was stuffed for no gain on thirdand-1 from the Cleveland 6, coach Vance Joseph sent in kicker Brandon McManus for a field goal instead of going for it.

It didn’t happen, at least not right away.

Chubb reeled off a 40-yard run on the first play, and on fourth-and-1 from the Denver 10, Cleveland interim coach Gregg Williams went for it – and Chubb was dropped for a 2-yard loss by Adam Gotsis.

The Broncos got the ball back at their 13 with 1:49 remaining and reached the 50-yard line with 52 seconds left. But a spike, two incompletions and a sack by Peppers all but ended Denver’s playoff hopes. They could officially be eliminated with Sunday’s slate of games.

The Broncos began the night with cornerbacks Chris Harris Jr and Isaac Yiadom sidelined and they lost Brendan Langley to a concussion in the first half and newly-signed Jamar Taylor to an ejection in the second half on the same play Bradley Roby went out with a laceration in his mouth. Roby later returned.

With safety Dymonte Thomas, who had his first career interception in the first half, subbing at cornerback, Von Miller broke Simon Fletcher’s franchise record of 103½ sacks, including playoffs.

Denver’s depleted defense, however, was forced right back out onto the field when Keenum’s first-down heave was easily picked off by T.J. Carrie at the Broncos 48, after just eight seconds had ticked off the game clock.

Six plays later, Mayfield put the Browns ahead for good.

The teams were tied at 10 after a mistake-filled first half in which both quarterbacks were thwarted by interceptions in or near the end zone.

Keenum, who was implored by his coach during the week to let it rip and quit worrying about being intercepted, was picked off for the first time since October when Peppers came down with his 29-yard floater to Courtland Sutton in the end zone.

Mayfield had the Browns in field goal range at the Denver 30 in the final minute before halftime when Thomas recorded his first career interception at the 2 on a throw to Jarvis Landry.

In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Deshaun Watson threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins with 2:15 left, lifting the Houston Texans to a 29-22 comeback victory over Sam Darnold and the New York Jets on Saturday night.

After Darnold and the Jets took their first lead of the game on Elijah McGuire’s 2-yard touchdown run, Watson and the Texans (10-4) answered right back.

A holding call on cornerback Morris Claiborne on third down prolonged the drive, and Watson completed passes of 20 and 3 yards to Demaryius Thomas and 7 yards to Hopkins to get to New York’s 14. Watson then found Hopkins streaking down the left sideline and

launched a pass that the receiver somehow came down with despite being tightly covered by Claiborne.

Hopkins appeared to injure a leg on the play, and Watson and Alfred Blue helped him to the sideline as the Texans celebrated. The receiver was OK, though, and finished with 10 catches for 170 yards and two TDs.

Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 40-yard field goal – his fifth kick of the game – made it 29-22 with 54 seconds left.

Darnold and the Jets (4-10) had one more opportunity to try to tie – or win – but Houston held on.

The loss ruined what was a terrific night for Darnold, who made plays with his arm and legs all game. The No. 3 overall pick was 24 of 38 for 253 yards and touchdown passes to Robby Anderson and Andre Roberts. He set up an impressive 15play, 73-yard go-ahead drive late during which he converted three third-down plays and a fourth-down opportunity.

On third-and-10 from the 19, Darnold took off for 14 yards – and a holding call on Aaron Colvin put the ball on the 2. After Darnold was stopped for no gain on a quarterback draw, he handed the ball to McGuire who pushed up the middle – surrounded by a surging mass of blockers who helped shove him all the way into the end zone for the score.

It set off a wild celebration by the Jets. But Watson and the Texans – whose nine-game winning streak was snapped by Indianapolis last Sunday – weren’t going to go down