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Browns fend off Jaguars to avoid upset


A few misfires brought Baker Mayfield's inconsistency to the forefront again Sunday, but the Browns and their starting quarterback still had more bright moments than letdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Browns did just enough to escape what would have been a huge upset and prevailed 27-25 at TIAA Bank Field to stay on track in their quest to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

At 8-3, the Browns earned their best record through 11 games since they started the 1994 season 9-2. They defeated the Jaguars for the first time since Nov. 20, 2011, snapping a three-game skid in the series, and they're now 3-0 against AFC South opponents for the first time in a season since 1988.

Running back Nick Chubb rumbled for more than 100 rushing yards for the third week in a row after the Pro Bowler had missed four games with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Chubb finished with 144 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries (7.6 average), plus three catches on three targets for 32 yards.

Wide receiver Jarvis Landry caught eight passes on 11 targets for 143 yards and a touchdown. The five-time Pro Bowler posted his first 100-yard game and caught his first TD this season.

Mayfield went 19-of-29 passing (65.5%) for 258 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He posted a passer rating of 116.7.

Every bit of the offensive production was needed to hold off the Jaguars (1-10) while the Browns played for the first time this year without both of their top two defenders — star end Myles Garrett (COVID-19) and standout cornerback Denzel Ward (strained calf). Entering Week 12, Garrett was tied for the NFL lead with 9½ sacks and Ward led the league with 15 passes defensed.

Starting for the first time since Sept. 28, 2017, quarterback Mike Glennon went 20-of-35 passing (57.1%) for 235 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He had a passer rating of 96.7.

The Browns could have made the ending of the game less dramatic, but they missed chances earlier in the fourth quarter.

On third-and-inches from the Jacksonville 22-yard line, Mayfield rolled to his right and threw behind wide open running back Kareem Hunt. What should have been an easy first down turned into an incomplete pass with 5:42 remaining.

Then coach Kevin Stefanski decided to go for it on fourth-and-inches. Hunt rushed up the middle and fell a hair short of the first down with 5:29 left.

The Jaguars capitalized on the turnover of downs. Rookie running back James Robinson rushed for a 4-yard touchdown with 2:14 left to cut the Browns' lead to 27-25. But the Jaguars failed to convert their two-point attempt when Glennon's pass intended for receiver Collin Johnson in the back of the end zone was caught out of bounds by free safety Andrew Sendejo.

The Jaguars wouldn't even have scored in crunch time if it weren't for a crucial penalty called on Olivier Vernon with 3:37 left on fourth-and-10 from the Cleveland 24. He and fellow Browns defensive end Adrian Clayborn split a sack on Glennon, but the officials ruled Vernon led with his helmet and flagged him for unnecessary roughness.

After the Jaguars' final TD, the Browns never let them have the ball again. On third-and-12 from the Cleveland 35, Chubb gained 13 yards and a game-clinching first down on a screen pass from Mayfield.

The Browns led 17-13 at halftime.

Jaguars linebacker Joe Schobert began the second half by exacting revenge against the Browns, who let him walk as a free agent in March after he had spent his first four NFL seasons in Cleveland.

On the first play from scrimmage after halftime, Schobert forced rookie tight end Harrison Bryant to fumble after a 13-yard reception. Strong safety Andrew Wingard recovered for the Jaguars and returned it 17 yards to the Cleveland 33 with 14:48 left in the third quarter.

Six plays later, Glennon floated a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Eifert, who made a diving catch with strong safety Karl Joseph all over him in the end zone. Jaguars coach Doug Marrone chose to go for two points after defensive end Olivier Vernon was flagged for being offside on the extra-point kick, but Glennon's pass intended for receiver Keelan Cole fell incomplete, and Jacksonville led 19-17 with 11:41 left in the third quarter.

The Browns regained the lead on the next series. After their drive stalled when Mayfield couldn't connect on a deep pass to Hunt on third-and-2 from the Jacksonville 26, Parkey made a 44-yard field goal to give the Browns a 20-19 edge with 6:45 left in the third quarter.

After the Browns got a stop on defense, they extended their lead to 27-19 with 14:13 left in the fourth quarter. On third-and-goal, Chubb rushed for a 1-yard TD on a pitch to the right, capping an eight-play, 90-yard drive a play after Stefanski lost a challenge on a catch Bryant nearly secured in the back of the end zone.

Mayfield went 10-of-15 passing (66.7%) for 146 yards and two touchdowns without an interception and posted a rating of 137.8 through two quarters.

Mayfield missed what should have been a layup of a touchdown when he threw too high for wide receiver Rashard Higgins, who was wide open in the end zone on first-and-goal from the 5 with 7:48 left in the second quarter.

Mayfield's third-down throw intended for Landry on the goal line also sailed high, and the Browns settled for Parkey's 24-yard field goal and a 10-6 lead with 7:03 remaining in the second quarter.

After the Jaguars took a 13-10 lead on Glennon's 46-yard touchdown pass to receiver Collin Johnson with 4:14 left in the second quarter, Mayfield bounced back. On first-and-goal, he used play action and threw a 9-yard scoring strike to tight end Austin Hooper, who was wide open in the back of the end zone. Parkey's ensuing extra point allowed the Browns to go ahead 17-13 with 1:10 left in the second quarter.

The Jaguars attempted a field goal right before halftime, but Alex Rosas' 54-yard attempt missed wide right with time expired.

After the Browns started the game by earning a defensive stop, the offense went three-and-out, with right guard Wyatt Teller surrendering a sack to defensive end Dawuane Smoot on the first play of the series.

The Jaguars took over at midfield after Jamie Gillan punted from the end zone. Glennon launched a deep ball into the end zone, but Sendejo broke up the pass intended for Cole.

Four plays later, the Jaguars settled for Rosas' 53-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter.

The Browns countered right away with running back D'Ernest Johnson returning the ensuing kickoff 43 yards and Mayfield completing all four of his passes for 51 yards and a touchdown during the next series. On second-and-goal, Landry caught the 5-yard scoring strike from Mayfield. Landry's first TD reception of the season and Parkey's extra point gave the Browns a 7-3 lead with 3:40 left in the first quarter.

Then the Jaguars advanced to the Cleveland 6, but linebacker B.J. Goodson broke up Glennon's pass intended for Cole in the front of the end zone on third-and-goal. Another Rosas field goal, this one from 24 yards, reduced the Jaguars' deficit to 7-6 with 13:37 remaining in the second quarter.