Jacoby Brissett leads Browns to OT win in doubtless final begin

CLEVELAND — In what was doubtless his closing begin with the Cleveland Browns, quarterback Jacoby Brissett went out a winner.

On fourth down Sunday, Brissett tossed the game-tying landing cross close to the tip of regulation. Then late in extra time, he engineered the game-winning landing drive, because the Browns rallied to knock off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 23-17.

“No disrespect, however within the phrases of Tom Brady,” Brissett mentioned afterward, “that was f—ing superior. F—ing superior.”

This week, Deshaun Watson will take over for Brissett as Cleveland’s starter. Watson served an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s private conduct coverage by committing sexual assault, as outlined by the NFL, on therapeutic massage therapists. Watson was additionally fined $5 million and has needed to bear a compulsory remedy program.

Shortly after giving the Houston Texans three first-round picks to commerce for Watson this previous offseason, the Browns signed Brissett in free company to be the fill-in starter within the occasion Watson confronted a suspension. Watson has been accused by greater than two dozen girls of sexual assault and different inappropriate sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage periods.

The Browns went simply 4-7 through the video games Brissett began. However Brissett nonetheless shined in his 11 video games, coming into the weekend ranked sixth within the league in QBR (62.4).

Brissett saved his finest efficiency for final.

Cleveland trailed 17-10 within the closing seconds of the fourth quarter and confronted fourth-and-10 from the Tampa Bay 12-yard line. Brissett fired a strike to tight finish David Njoku, who made a one-handed seize in the back of the tip zone to tie the sport.

“After I threw it, I assumed I threw it too excessive and I used to be about to start out crying,” Brissett mentioned. “However I seen him pull it down and I wished to go up and kiss him.”

Brissett adopted that up with the defining play in extra time.

He discovered Amari Cooper open dashing down the sidelines for a 45-yard cross to the Tampa Bay 3-yard line. Two performs later, working again Nick Chubb punched within the landing to offer Cleveland the win.

Brissett completed the sport finishing 23 of 37 passes for 210 yards. He additionally had a 17-yard scramble. Within the postgame locker room, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski gave Brissett the sport ball.

“I am actually joyful for Jacoby, he is an awesome chief,” Stefanski mentioned. “He battled like loopy. It was an awesome effort by him.”

A number of Cleveland gamers, together with Njoku and Cooper, famous how essential it was for the workforce to ship Brissett out with a victory. Brissett mentioned he’ll “determine” how one can nonetheless assist the Browns for the ultimate six regular-season video games as Watson’s backup. However he admitted he was “grateful” for his alternative to start out this yr.

“Tremendous particular,” he mentioned of getting the sport ball in a win in his final begin. “This was an awesome one to finish it on.”