Commanders vs. Browns Live Updates: Washington Wins On Defensive Stand
Washington Commanders football is back.
They begin preseason play by going on the road to face the Cleveland Browns at 7:30 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The most intriguing part of preseason for Washington will be how its "quarterback competition" plays out and what offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy's offense looks like. The job appears to be Sam Howell's to lose but Jacoby Brissett shouldn't be counted out, especially if the second-year quarterback struggles in tonight's game against the Browns defense.
Washington will be without tight end Logan Thomas and offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles because of calf injuries per ESPN's John Keim. John Bates and Cole Turner figure to play a lot more in Thomas' absence, while second-year pro Chris Paul will start in Charles' place.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will start in their second preseason game. Cleveland played the New York Jets in the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 3 and won 21-16.
Here's what you need to know for the game ...
WHAT: Washington Commanders (0-0) at Cleveland Browns (1-0)
WHERE: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
WHEN: Friday, August 11, 2023, 7:30 p.m. ET
TELEVISION: NBC 4 Washington / FuboTV (try it free)
RADIO: 92.9 FM The Game
TICKETS: SI Tickets
BETTING: SI SportsBook
SPREAD: Commanders +2.5
Stay here for play-by-play and live updates of the game.
First Quarter:
The game is currently under a weather delay with no official start time announced.
UPDATE: Kickoff is scheduled for 8:46 p.m.
After a one-hour and 16-minute delay, the game is finally underway. Washington gets the ball at its 25-yard line after the opening kickoff by Cade York goes for a touchback.
Brian Robinson gets the handoff and is stopped for no gain. Sam Howell drops back to pass and find Jahan Dotson for a four-yard gain. On third and six, Howell scrambles and gains eight yards for a first down.
Howell drops back to pass again and finds Curtis Samuel for 10 yards and another first down.
Howell's pass to John Bates is incomplete but a holding call moves Washington back 10 yards. Howell then gets sacked for a loss of eight yards on first and 20. Howell dumps it off to Robinson and it loses two yards. On third and 30, Howell dumped it off to Antonio Gibson for eight yards.
Tress Way's punt goes to Cleveland's 28-yard-line for fair catch.
End of possession
Deshaun Watson finds Elijah Moore for a six-yard gain on first down. Watson drops back to pass again and it's complete to Jordan Aikins for five yards and a first down.
Moore gets the handoff on a jet sweep and he runs for 18 yards all the way to Washington's 43-yard-line.
Watson keeps it and runs for nine yards. Demetric Felton Jr. gets the carry and runs for 10 yards and another first down.
Felton gets another handoff and runs for five yards inside the red zone. Watson drops back to pass and connects with David Njoku on a screen for just a yard. On third and four, Watson avoids pressure and scrambles to Washington's 10-yard-line for a first down, setting up first and goal.
Watson keeps it again and gains three yards. Felton gets another carry and runs to Washington's one-yard-line. On third and goal, Felton is stopped for no gain by Emmanuel Forbes. Cleveland goes for it on fourth and goal and John Kelly is stopped by Montez Sweat for a four-yard loss and a turnover on downs with 3:01 left in the first quarter.
End of possession
Washington's drive begins at its five-yard line. Howell's is under pressure then throws it away. On second and 10, Gibson is stopped for no gain. It's third and long and Howell's pass is incomplete as he's under more duress. A holding call on Andrew Wylie leads to a safety for the Browns.
Browns 2, Commanders 0
End of possession
Colby Wadman's kickoff goes to Felton and he returns it 13 yards to Cleveland's 40-yard-line.
Joshua Dobbs is in the game for Cleveland. Dobbs' pass is incomplete but offensive holding will move them back 10 yards. Dobbs drops back to pass again and it's incomplete. Kelly gets the handoff on second and long and runs for eight yards. On third and 11, Dobbs scrambles for eight yards and is short of a first down.
Corey Bojorquez's punt goes into the end zone for a touchback with 17 seconds left in the first quarter.
End of possession
Robinson gets the handoff and runs for 11 yards on the final play of the first quarter.
End of the quarter: 2-0 Browns
Second Quarter:
Robinson gets another handoff and runs for six yards. Howell finds Cole Turner on a crossing route on second down for seven yards and a first down.
Howell rolls right and finds Terry McLaurin for seven yards. Howell connects with Turner again for four yards and a first down.
Gibson runs for seven yards on first down to Cleveland's 40-yard-line. Howell buys time and his pass for Samuel sails out of bounds. On third and three, Howell's pass for Gibson is incomplete. The Commanders go for it on fourth and three and Howell moves outside the pocket and his pass to Turner is complete and gains 13 yards to the Browns' 26-yard line.
Howell goes deep and finds Dotson, who makes a leaping grab and runs into the end zone for a touchdown.
Joey Slye's extra point is good with 11 minutes left in the first half.
Commanders 7, Browns 2
End of possession
Felton fields the kickoff from Slye at the one-yard-line and runs it back to Cleveland's 27-yard-line.
Kelly gets the carry and runs for four yards. Dobbs' pass to Cedric Tillman is incomplete after the ball is knocked out by Christian Holmes. Dobbs looks for Tillman again on third down and can't connect with him again.
Bojorquez's punt is fielded by Dax Milne and Washington's 11-yard-line and that's where he steps out of bounds.
End of possession
Jacoby Brissett is in the game for Washington. Chris Rodriguez Jr. gets his first carry of the game and runs for eight yards. He gets the handoff again and gains 12 yards.
Brissett rolls right on first down then keeps it before running out of bounds after he gains four yards. Brissett drops back to pass again and he finds Dyami Brown for 14 yards and Washington is near midfield.
Brissett connects with Turner for seven yards. Brissett goes deep and drops it in the bucket for Byron Pringle for a 32-yard gain to Cleveland's 12-yard-line.
Brissett drops back to pass and it's incomplete. Brissett keeps it on second down and he runs it into the end zone for a touchdown.
The extra point by Michael Badgley is good with 6:08 left in the second quarter.
Commanders 14, Browns 2
Badgley's kickoff is returned by Felton to the Browns' 25-yard-line.
Dobbs finds Tillman but doesn't gain any yards after he's tackled by Percy Butler. Dobbs pass is intended for Anthony Schwartz but it's incomplete. On third and long, Brissett finds Zaire Mitchell-Paden for 26 yards to Washington's 46-yard-line. Defensive holding on Quan Martin is declined.
Dobbs' pass is complete to Mitchell-Paden is complete for four yards. Felton gets the carry and runs for seven yards. An illegal block on Tillman moves Cleveland back 10 yards. Dobbs' pass on second and long is incomplete. Dobbs drops back to pass again and he's sacked for a 13-yard loss by James Smith-Williams.
The punt by Bojorquez it caught at Washington's five-yard line and ran it back for 10 yards.
End of possession
Rodriguez gets another carry and gains 11 yards.
Brissett's pass is incomplete intended for Brown but defensive pass interference move the Commanders up nine yards and gives them a first down.
Brissett is sacked for a five-yard loss as the game reaches the two-minute warning. Brissett's pass finds Gibson for five yards as he's pushed out of bounds. On third and 10, Brissett's pass intended for Brown is incomplete.
Wadman's punt is caught by Felton at Cleveland's 16-yard line and he runs it back for five yards.
End of possession.
Dobbs looks for Mitchell-Paden as he's under pressure and the pass is incomplete. Dobbs' pass to Austin Watkins Jr. over the middle of the field is complete for 15 yards.
Dobbs scrambles out of bounds for three yards. Dobbs dumps it off to Kelly for three yards and Cleveland calls its first timeout with 55 seconds left in the first half. On third and four, Dobbs' pass to David Bell is complete for 13 yards to Washington's 46-yard-line and they call another timeout.
Dobbs' pass to Thomas Greaney is complete for just a yard. Dobbs finds Bell again for 13 yards and he gets out of bounds.
Dobbs' pass intended for Watkins is incomplete. On second and 10, Dobbs' pass is intercepted by Butler and he runs it to the Browns' 46-yard line with 17 seconds left.
End of possession.
Brissett is under pressure and he throws it deep and gets intercepted by Ronnie Hickman Jr. near the end zone.
End of possession.
Dobbs takes a knee and that's the end of the first half.
Halftime: Commanders 14, Browns 2
Third Quarter:
Slye's kickoff is returned by Felton to Cleveland's 29-yard-line
Dorian Thompson-Robinson is in the game at quarterback. Thompson-Robinson finds Watkins for nine yards. Kelly gets the carry for no gain. On third and one, Thompson-Robinson runs for two yards and a first down.
Thompson-Robinson's pass to Tillman is complete for seven yards. Thompson-Robinson keeps it on second and three and runs for four yards to midfield.
Kelly gets another carry and is stopped for no gain. Thompson-Robinson finds Mitchell-Paden for six yards. On third and four, Thompson-Robinson's pass is incomplete, but defensive pass interference on Martin gives Cleveland a first down at Washington's 34-yard-line.
A false start moves the Browns back five yards. Felton gets the carry and gains four yards. Thompson-Robinson's pass to Watkins is complete for 10 yards. On third and one, Kelly is stopped for a loss of four yards.
York attempts a 46-yard field goal and it's no good with 8:42 left in the third quarter.
End of possession
Derrick Gore gets the carry for seven yards. Gore gets another handoff and runs for four yards and a first down.
Gore gets a third straight carry and loses three yards. Rodriguez gets the handoff this time and gains five yards. On third and eight, Brissett's pass is complete to Milne for 13 yards to Cleveland's 36-yard-line and another first down.
Rodriguez runs for three yards. Brisssett finds Marcus Kemp along the sideline for 26 yards to Cleveland's nine-yard-line. The play is challenged by Cleveland. After review, the call is overturned as Kemp's foot was out of bounds. On third and seven, Brissett finds Gore for four yards to Cleveland's 31-yard-line.
Slye comes out to attempt a 39-yard field goal and it's good with 4:11 left in the third quarter.
Commanders 17, Browns 2
End of possession.
Slye's kickoff goes for a touchback.
Thompson-Robinson's pass to Miller Forristall is complete and he runs for 26 yards to Washington's 48-yard-line.
Felton gets the carry and is stopped for no gain. Thompson-Robinson finds Forristall again for 12 yards and another first down.
Thompson-Robinson scrambles to his left and the pass is deflected before falling incomplete. An ineligible man downfield moves the Browns back five yards. On first and 15, Thompson-Robinson's pass to Greaney is complete for 14 yards. Thompson-Robinson looks for Greaney again but the pass is incomplete. Thompson-Robinson keeps it on third and one and runs for five yards and defensive holding adds five more yards to the play.
Thompson-Robinson's pass to Watkins gains 10 yards for a first down at the Commanders' seven-yard-line.
Thompson-Robinson's pass is complete to Bell in the end zone for a touchdown.
The extra point by York is good with 37 seconds left in the third quarter.
Commanders 17, Browns 9
End of possession
Jake Fromm is in the game after the kickoff is returned to Washington's 23-yard-line. Fromm scrambles for four yards on the final play of the third quarter.
End of the quarter: Commanders 17, Browns 9
Fourth Quarter:
Jaret Patterson runs for three yards. On third and three, Fromm's pass is incomplete.
Wadman's puntgoes to Cleveland's 22-yard-line where Felton is tackled before gaining any yards.
End of possession
Kellen Mond is in the game at quarterback. His pass to Hassan Hall gains three. Hall gets the carry for three uatds but defensive holding gives Cleveland a first down.
Hall gets another carry for two yards. Hall gets another handoff and he fumbles. The fumble is recovered by Washington by John Ridgeway at Cleveland's 34-yard-line with 12:14 left to play.
End of possession
Fromm's pass to Fore is complete for four yards but an illegal block in the back on Mason Brooks moves Washington back eight yards.A screen to Gore loses six yards. Fromm drops back and finds Mitchell Tinsley for 26 yards and a first down.
Patterson gets the handoff and gains two yards and moves Washington into the red zone. Patterson gets another handoff and gains a yard. On third and seven, Fromm is intercepted by Hickman at Cleveland's seven-yard-line with 8:56 left in the game.
End of possession
Mond's pass is incomplete. Mond keeps it on second and 10 and he's tackled after gaining four yards. Commanders teammates collide into each other and they're both injured on the field. On third and six, Mond's pass to Forristall is complete for 10 yards and a first down.
Felton gets the handoff and gains two yards. Mond keeps it on second down and runs for three yards. On third and five, Mond's pass to Greaney only gains a yard.
Bojorquez's punt is returned to Cleveland's 45-yard-line but it's negated by a holding call.
End of possession
Patterson runs for two yards to Washington's 22-yard-line. Patterson gets another carry and gains seven yards. On third and one, Patterson runs for a yard and gets a first down with 4:22 left to play. Cleveland calls it's first timeout of the game.
Patterson is stopped for no gain on first down. The Browns call their second timeout of the game with 4:17 left in the game. Fromm's pass is complete to Kazmeir Allen for a short gain. Fromm dumps it off to Gore and he gains four yards on third and 10. Cleveland calls its final timeout with 4:04 left to play.
Wadman's punt goes to Cleveland's 22-yard-line where they call for a fair catch.
End of possession
Mond scrambles for nine yards. On second and one, Mond finds Watkins for nine yards and a first down.
Mond's pass on first down is incomplete with 2:44 to play. Mond finds Felton for four yards. On third and six, Mond's pass for Mike Harley Jr. is incomplete. On fourth and six, Mond finds Watkins for 19 yards and a first down at Washington's 37-yard-line. The game has reached the two-minute warning.
Mond's pass to Forristall gains 17 yards to Washington's 20-yard-line. The Commanders call their first timeout with 1:54 to play.
Back-to-back passes by Mond are incomplete to make it third and 10. Mond finds Harley in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.
The Browns go for the two-point conversion to tie the game, but it's not good as Mond's pass falls incomplete with 1:39 to play.
Commanders 17, Browns 15
End of possession
York kicks it off through the end zone for a touchback.
Fromm takes multiple knees and that's the ballgame.
Final: Commanders 17, Browns 15
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Washington Commanders? Click Here.
Follow Commander Country on Twitter.
Want even more Washington Commanders news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
