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RECAP: Cleveland Browns earn 26-20 victory over Carolina Panthers at FirstEnergy Stadium

The Cleveland Browns fought their way to a 26-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.
Credit: Scott Galvin
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.

4:11 p.m.-BROWNS EARN 26-20 WIN OVER PANTHERS

CLEVELAND -- Mission Accomplished!

The Cleveland Browns talked all week about wanting to get back that winning feeling after a loss to the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston last Sunday snapped their modest two-game streak, and that is exactly what happened at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Despite playing from behind or even for much of the game, the Browns got nine fourth-quarter points on the way to a 26-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers, which improved their record to 5-7-1 overall and 4-2-1 at FirstEnergy Stadium this season.

The Panthers fell to 6-7 with the setback.

Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield led the way by going 18 of 22 for 238 yards and one touchdown without a turnover and was sacked only once for a six-yard loss in the win.

Mayfield got plenty of help from the running game, albeit unconventional assistance from wide receiver Jarvis Landry.

Landry carried the ball twice, scoring a three-yard touchdown on the first carry in the first quarter, and then, rushing for 51 yards and setting up rookie running back Nick Chubb for a go-ahead four-yard scoring play in the fourth period.

3:51 p.m.-BROWNS EXTEND LEAD ON GREG JOSEPH FIELD GOAL

CLEVELAND -- Kicker Greg Joseph responded to a missed extra point with a lead-extending field goal for the Cleveland Browns against the Carolina Panthers midway through the fourth quarter of play at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

On fourth-and-eight from the Carolina 23-yard line, Joseph was called on to attempt a 41-yard field goal, and he had plenty of distance and accuracy, as it sailed over the crossbar and between the uprights for the successful try.

Joseph’s kick gave the Browns a 26-20 lead over the Panthers with 8:46 to play in regulation.

3:38 p.m.-BROWNS GO BACK IN FRONT WITH GROUND GAME

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns struggled to find rushing yardage over the first three quarters of play against the Carolina Panthers, but that was not the case on a carryover drive from the third period into the fourth at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

Running back Nick Chubb capped off the six-play, 75-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run, which gave the Browns a 23-20 lead over the Panthers with 13:05 to play in regulation.

On first-and-goal from the Carolina four-yard line, Chubb took a handoff from rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield and ran right behind right guard Kevin Zeitler untouched for the first three yards of the play. Then, Chubb muscled his way across the goal line through a tackle attempt from several Panthers defenders.

One play earlier, the Browns got a 51-yard rush from wide receiver Jarvis Landry that moved the ball from the Cleveland 45-yard line to the Carolina four.

On third-and-two, Mayfield faked a handoff to wide receiver Breshad Perriman, who was going from left to right across the formation, and then, slipped the ball to Landry in the middle of the field, and the veteran pass catcher moved the ball down the field in short order.

After an initial burst of speed through a gap at the line of scrimmage, Landry cut across the field and outraced several Carolina defenders before being chased down from behind by multi-time Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly.

3:11 p.m.-PANTHERS RETAKE LEAD ON FG

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers traded a turnover and a punt over the first two drives of the third quarter, but the Panthers got things going on their second possession of the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

The Panthers covered 38 yards in 10 plays, and kicker Chandler Catanzaro connected on a 34-yard field goal that gave Carolina a 20-17 lead over the Browns with 7:11 to play in the third quarter.

Earlier in the possession, it looked as though Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey had scored his third rushing touchdown of the game, but a holding penalty on tackle Taylor Moton negated the score and marched Carolina backward 10 yards from a second-and-goal at the Cleveland three-yard line to a second-and-goal from the 13.

2:18 p.m.-BROWNS DRAW EVEN WITH PANTHERS ON LONG FIELD GOAL

CLEVELAND -- Rookie kicker Greg Joseph has had his fair share of struggles throughout the season, but on his first field goal try of the game against the Carolina Panthers at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, he delivered in a major way.

Joseph finished off an eight-play, 44-yard drive with a 49-yard field goal that drew the Browns even with the Panthers, 17-17, with 59 seconds remaining in the first half of play.

2:07 p.m.-PANTHERS GO BACK IN FRONT OF BROWNS

CLEVELAND -- The scoring drives for both the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers have been answered in short order all throughout the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, and that held true after the Browns tallied their second touchdown of the game.

Newly-signed kicker Chandler Catanzaro converted a 30-yard field goal attempt, which capped off an eight-play, 70-yard drive that took 4:24 off the second-quarter clock and gave the Panthers a 17-14 lead over the Browns with 4:03 to play in the first half.

1:55 p.m.-BAKER MAYFIELD THROWS IMPROBABLE TD PASS TO JARVIS LANDRY

CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield is known for his ability to throw on the run, and he put that on display against the Carolina Panthers near the midway point of the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

With the Browns facing a third-and-17 from the Cleveland 49-yard line, Mayfield avoided a rush from the Panthers and muscled a throw deep down the left side of the field for wide receiver Jarvis Landry, and despite two defenders closing on him, the veteran pass catcher hauled in his third receiving score of the season.

With the extra point, the Browns drew even with the Panthers, 14-14, with 8:27 to play in the first half.

Earlier in the game, Landry rushed for a three-yard touchdown.

1:41 p.m.-PANTHERS GO BACK IN FRONT ON MCCAFFREY TD RUN

CLEVELAND -- The Carolina Panthers’ offense took advantage of a short field after a Cleveland Browns turnover and converted the extra possession into a touchdown, as well as a 14-7 lead with 14:13 to play in the first half from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey capped off the five-play, 17-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run, which was his second scoring play of the first half.

The Panthers got the first-and-10 at the Cleveland 17-yard line when wide receiver Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins was stripped of the football by Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly. Fellow linebacker Thomas Davis recovered the takeaway for the Panthers.

One play before the turnover, quarterback Baker Mayfield completed an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Jarvis Landry, but the play was negated by an illegal man downfield penalty charged to left guard Joel Bitonio.

1:18 p.m.-BROWNS ANSWER WITH TOUCHDOWN RUN

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns saw the Carolina Panthers’ opening-drive touchdown and matched it with one of their own in front of the home fans at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

The Browns marched 75 yards in just three plays, and wide receiver Jarvis Landry punctuated the drive with a three-yard touchdown run around right end. Following the play, Landry fired the ball into the stands in the West end zone.

Kicker Greg Joseph tacked on the extra point and drew the Browns even with the Panthers, 7-7, with 7:41 to play in the first quarter.

The big play on the drive came on the first snap, as rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Browns came out swinging in the form of a 66-yard pass down the left side of the field for wide receiver Breshad Perriman.

On first-and-10 from the Cleveland 25-yard line, Mayfield took a snap under center, faked a handoff to running back Nick Chubb and rocketed the ball down the numbers on the left side of the field, where Perriman had gotten behind the coverage of Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson.

Perriman secured the catch at the Carolina 19-yard line and stumbled his way to another 10 yards before being brought down inside the 10.

1:11 p.m.-PANTHERS TAKE EARLY LEAD WITH MCCAFFREY TD RUN

CLEVELAND -- Well, that sure did not take the Carolina Panthers long to drive down the field against the Cleveland Browns’ defense in their inter-conference matchup at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.

The Panthers needed 11 minutes of real time, and less than six minutes of game time to finish off a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown rush from running back Christian McCaffrey with 9:17 to play in the first half.

McCaffrey touched the ball seven times on the drive, with his four rushes going for 11 yards and his three catches going for 30 yards.

12:30 p.m.-BROWNS READY FOR 'PLAYOFF LIKE' GAME AGAINST PANTHERS

CLEVELAND -- After a tough road loss to the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston last Sunday, the Cleveland Browns look to get back into the win column when they host the Carolina Panthers at FirstEnergy Stadium today.

The Browns (4-7-1) take on a Panthers (6-6) squad that is in need of a victory to keep pace for a wildcard berth in the NFC Playoffs, as they are a half-game behind the Minnesota Vikings for the final spot in the postseason.

FOLLOW ALONG

For the latest information during the game against the Panthers and to be a part of the discussion, tweet using the hashtag, #3Browns.

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