The Cleveland Browns keep leaving themselves little room for error, but their latest escape put them in the NFL record book.
Cleveland became the first team in league history to have its first six wins of a season all come by four points or fewer, ESPN Insights noted after Sunday’s game.
The Browns rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Houston Texans 27-24, snapping a two-game losing streak and improving to 6-4 heading into their bye. Quinshon Judkins delivered the deciding touchdown on a 5-yard run with 53 seconds remaining.
Cleveland’s six victories have come by a combined 19 points. The Browns beat Tampa Bay 23-19, Carolina 21-18, Pittsburgh 27-24, Baltimore 13-10 and Tennessee 27-24 before adding Houston to the list.
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The four-point victory over the Buccaneers remains their most comfortable finish. Every win since has been decided by a field goal.
There is another common thread: Deshaun Watson has led a fourth-quarter go-ahead scoring drive in all six victories. Against the Texans, Cleveland needed him to do it after surrendering a lead it had spent most of the afternoon chasing.
Browns Erase 17-Point Deficit Against Texans
Houston scored on its first three possessions to build a 17-0 lead, putting the Browns in danger of carrying a three-game losing streak into their break.
A 65-yard completion from Watson to Jerry Jeudy helped change the game. Watson followed with a 6-yard touchdown run, bringing Cleveland within 17-10 before halftime.
KC Concepcion’s 6-yard touchdown run tied the game, and Andre Szmyt’s field goal pushed the Browns ahead 20-17. Houston answered with a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Dalton Schultz, forcing another late response.
The decisive possession began at Houston’s 49-yard line. Harold Fannin Jr.’s 30-yard catch-and-run moved Cleveland to the 5, and Judkins finished the drive on the next play.
The defense then protected the three-point lead, with Donovan McMillon breaking up Houston’s fourth-and-20 pass to end its final possession.
Watson finished with 312 passing yards, an interception and 49 rushing yards with a touchdown.
Browns Enter Bye With Playoff Opportunity
NFL Next Gen Stats gives the seventh-seeded Browns a 45% playoff chance and a 7% chance to win the AFC North. They’re chasing the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers in the division.
New England’s 35-10 loss to Detroit earlier Sunday dropped the Patriots to 5-5. The Browns had entered the week behind New England on a tiebreaker for the conference’s final playoff spot, but Sunday’s results put Cleveland a game ahead.
The schedule gives the Browns a chance to build on that position. Cleveland is 4-0 at home and will return from its Week 11 bye to host the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 29, followed by home games against Cincinnati and Atlanta.
Todd Monken’s team still has work to do before it can turn that opportunity into a postseason berth. Sunday’s early deficit and missed scoring chances offered reminders of how difficult Cleveland continues to make the games.
But the Browns can address those problems during the bye week with a winning record and three straight games ahead at a stadium where they have yet to lose this season.
Browns Make NFL History with Win Against Texans