The Cleveland Browns rewarded Jerry Jeudy after he came in big in the waning moments against the Baltimore Ravens.
Jeudy came through on Cleveland’s final possession, turning a third-and-5 completion from Deshaun Watson into a 33-yard gain that put the Browns in field goal range. Andre Szmyt finished the job with a 37-yard kick as time expired.
Afterward, head coach Todd Monken said he awarded Jeudy a game ball.
“I gave him a game ball and he deserves it. We’re better on offense when Jerry is a part of it,” Monken said.
Jeudy has mostly fallen out of the game plan. But Monken acknowledged that he can do a better job incorporating Jeudy into the offense, taking some responsibility for getting more out of a receiver who has spent much of the season fighting for opportunities.
“You can see a difference in his juice in practice and on the field. That credit goes to him,” Monken said.
Jeudy finished with four catches for 69 yards. Before his decisive reception, he also secured a throw behind him during the fourth quarter, providing another important catch for an offense struggling to sustain drives.
Jerry Jeudy Responds After Losing Starting Job
Jeudy’s contributions have come as he adjusts to a reduced role behind rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.
Monken confirmed after Cleveland’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers that Jeudy had become a rotational receiver. The veteran opened the season with just two catches for 26 yards through three games, going without a reception against both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers.
On Sunday, Monken credited Jeudy for how he has handled being passed by younger teammates.
“With KC and Denzel Boston — this is where it’s at. And as a man, he said I’m going to battle, fight, be a part of this team and help make plays,” Monken said. “It builds confidence for us to continue to play him.”
Jeudy had already shown against Pittsburgh that he could contribute in a smaller role. He caught three passes for 36 yards in that victory, with two receptions producing first downs on the winning possession.
Browns Still Need More From Their Offense
Cleveland’s finish against Baltimore masked another difficult offensive afternoon.
The Browns punted on all five first-half possessions and managed just 46 net yards before halftime. They entered the fourth quarter with three points, again leaving themselves little room for error down the stretch.
Getting more consistent production from Jeudy could help Watson and the offense avoid those prolonged stretches without moving the ball. Monken pointed to the receiver’s preparation as a reason to believe he can contribute more.
“He’s working every day on catching the ball and you can see a difference. Like I said, we’re better on offense when we’re able to utilize Jerry in terms of his explosiveness,” Monken said.
The victory moved Cleveland to 4-2 and atop the AFC North. The Browns visit the Tennessee Titans next week, looking to build on another late escape with a more complete offensive performance. The Titans will be coming off their first win of the season, topping the Indianapolis Colts.
Browns Make Move With Jerry Jeudy After Late-Game Heroics