What went wrong during Browns loss to Vikings in London

Some things just feel like destiny.

The Cleveland Browns, at least for a while, seemed to have a few things go their way in a 21-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Former Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins notched his first game with 100 rushing yards or more this season as he continued his successful streak from scrimmage.

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who had attempted a total of four passes going into his first NFL start, ended the day with 190 passing yards and two passing touchdowns against a Vikings defense that ranks third in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game.

But when you're the Cleveland Browns, you'll always find some way to keep being the Cleveland Browns.

While Cleveland's defense held strong in the fourth quarter, destiny still arrived in the form of a near-literal last-second touchdown off a 10-play drive that all but derailed the Browns' chances of earning their second win of the season.

The Browns had forced a fumble and a punt in the quarter while watching a Will Reichard kick sail wide right, but the offense just couldn't counter a Brian Flores-led defense known to be innovative and unpredictable. Cleveland fell to 1-4 on the year with the loss, which includes a close victory over the Green Bay Packers, as they match their record from this point last season.

Oct. 5, 2025; Cleveland Browns v. Minnesota Vikings. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images — Oct 5, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) gets tripped up against Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2) during the third quarter of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"We need to do a better job closing out," Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said in a postgame conference. "That's an offensive thing, defense, special teams, coaches, players, you name it. We've got to come away and be at our best in those moments. We were not.

"That's the disappointing and frustrating part for me. We'll keep grinding, we'll get back and get back to work."

Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz threw for 236 yards in his third start of the year. Receiver Justin Jefferson picked up 123 receiving yards as he hauled in seven of his 11 total targets. Tight end David Njoku proved to be one of Gabriel's favorite targets as he caught six passes on nine targets, including one touchdown that gave the Browns their final lead of the game.

Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. brought in the team's only other touchdown, a quick strike close in the red zone to draw first blood in the London matchup.

Cleveland's defensive line, a usual point of pride for the Browns, still made key plays for a defense that ranks near the top of the league in yards allowed per contest. Defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who signed with the Browns last March, proved to be a leader on the line as he ended the game with two sacks, two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss.

Defensive end Alex Wright followed suit with a sack of his own, along with one quarterback hit and two tackles for loss. Whether it be destiny or not, it would fall into the hands of linebacker Mohamoud Diabate and safety Grant Delpit to ultimately push the turnover battle into Cleveland's favor as they recovered a fumble each. Delpit had recovered two fumbles in his career before the bout in London, while Diabate last recovered a fumble in 2023.

"We knew this was going to be a very hard-fought football game," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said during his postgame conference. "That's one of the best defenses in the NFL. They do a lot of challenging things, running the football and keeping you off balance defensively. I knew we would have to battle, play well in the kicking game, try to win the turnover and do some of the little things right."

The Browns will move on to face the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday at 1 p.m. in Acrisure Stadium.