Browns Defeat Colts On Wild Final Touchdown Drive

It couldn't have been much of a crazier ending Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Browns defeated the Colts 39-38 on a crazy 12-play sequence that, at several points, appeared to spell doom for Cleveland, who began the drive down 38-33. Kareem Hunt punched the ball in on fourth-and-goal, punctuating a rollercoaster drive that at multiple points appeared to be over for the Browns.

After two incompletions to open the drive, P.J. Walker, who replaced Deshaun Watson earlier in the game, threw a strike to WR Elijah Moore for a 30-yard gain. The play was the longest Moore has made since joining the Browns this offseason.

M🎱🎱RE football to play!

PJ threading the needle 🪡 pic.twitter.com/csWP1HmDan
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 22, 2023

The Browns continued to move deeper into Colts territory after a 13-yard run from Pierre Strong Jr. and a 17-yard connection from Walker to Donovan Peoples-Jones, but the Browns nearly saw the drive end after Walker fumbled the ball on third-and4 from the Colts’ 13.

Colts DT DeForest Buckner recovered the ball, but officials penalized CB Darrell Baker Jr. for illegal contact, which wiped out the turnover and gave the Browns a fresh set of downs and five yards.

The wildness, though, was only just beginning.

With the ball on the Colts’ 8-yard line, Baker was penalized on the next play after Walker attempted to hit Peoples-Jones with a pass in the corner of the end zone. The ball soared over Peoples-Jones’ head and didn’t seem to be catchable, but officials flagged Baker for defensive pass interference after he appeared to grab Peoples-Jones’ arm before the throw.

Despite protests from the Colts that the throw was uncatchable and brief conversation among the officials, the call stood, and the Browns were moved up to the goal line and given another four chances to take the lead.

On first down, Walker hit David Njoku with a perfect pass, but the ball was pried from his hands by Rodney Thomas II. On second down, Walker again attempted to connect with Njoku but failed. On third down, Walker was well off on a pass attempt to Moore.

The Browns finally turned to the run game on their final opportunity.

Kareem Hunt took a handoff and charged through the pile, barely breaking the ball into the plane as defenders attempted to shove him backward.

M🎱🎱RE football to play!

PJ threading the needle 🪡 pic.twitter.com/csWP1HmDan
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 22, 2023

The Colts got the ball back with 15 seconds to go, but the Browns sealed the win by recovering a fumble from QB Gardner Minshew.

Take a deep breath for now, Cleveland.

The Browns are 4-2, but they’ll still await further word on the health of Watson, who left the game in the first half after and hitting his head on the turf when he was pushed to the ground.