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The Cleveland Browns won their first game in over a year

AMERICAN sports fans just witnessed something they haven’t seen in a very long time, and they’re absolutely loving it.

3 min read
December 25, 2016 - 7:23PM
What a time to be alive.
What a time to be alive.

WHAT a time to be alive.

After more than 12 months of waiting, hoping and praying, Cleveland Browns fans had a reason to smile. Not in that, ‘Life’s so bad you can’t help but laugh’ kind of way, but in a genuine, ‘Oh, so this is what happiness feels like’ fashion.

Their favourite NFL franchise won its first game in more than a year, beating the San Diego Chargers 20-17 on Sunday (AEDT). They blocked a late field goal attempt from Chargers kicker Josh Lambo to hold on for the victory.

The team’s last win came on December 13 2015, and they’ve gradually turned themselves into the laughing stock of the league since then. They were 0-14 this season and were looking likely to join the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams in NFL history to produce an 0-16 season. Including games from last season, their winless streak stood at 17 matches.

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Before today’s game they were ranked the league’s 31st worst side in both offence and defence. They’d lost six games in a row by 13 or more points and had tried five different quarterbacks.

Quite simply, they were up a certain creek without a paddle. Until now.

Sure, one win doesn’t cure all the ills of what’s been a horrible season, but it’s obviously the biggest bright spot of the past 12 hellish months. And it’s Christmas, so what a way to celebrate.

Amazingly, Cleveland won despite copping nine sacks. The last time a team’s quarterback was pummelled that badly and won was in 1999 when the Miami Dolphins outscored the New England Patriots.

The drought-breaking win prompted a flood of reaction on the internet. Even the Chargers couldn’t believe it.

The Browns lost quarterback Robert Griffin III in the fourth quarter when he suffered a concussion.

Philip Rivers flipped one-yard touchdown passes to Antonio Gates and Tyrell Williams but the Chargers fell to 5-10.

Cleveland’s Isiah Crowell scored on an eight-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and again on a four-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that gave the Browns the lead for good.

Cody Parkey added fields goals of 49 and 27 yards to boost Cleveland’s lead to 20-10 and the Browns defenders held tough at the finish.

Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.

In other NFL action, the Patriots trounced the New York Jets 41-3 to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Superstar quarterback Tom Brady delivered a dominant performance at Gillette Stadium, completing 17 of 27 pass attempts for 214 yards, tossing three touchdown passes and not throwing any interceptions.

All three of Brady’s TD passes came in the first half, which ended with the Patriots on top 27-0.

By contrast, Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a miserable day, completing just eight of his 21 pass attempts for 136 yards, throwing two interceptions and ending the game with a QB rating of just 21.2.

The visitors’ only score came with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter on a 29-yard field goal by Nick Folk.

Jets head coach Todd Bowles, who was hospitalised on Friday after coming down with an undisclosed illness at the team’s practice facility, was given medical clearance and was on the sidelines for the game.

The Patriots improved to 13-2 with one game remaining in the regular season and will be one of two AFC teams that have a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Jets fell to 4-11.

Elsewhere, the Washington Redskins routed the Chicago Bears 41-21 and the Green Bay Packers topped the Minnesota Vikings 38-25.

The Atlanta Falcons cruised past the Carolina Panthers 33-16, the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Tennessee Titans 38-17 and the Miami Dolphins narrowly topped the Buffalo Bills 34-31 in overtime.

— with AFP and AAP

Originally published as The Cleveland Browns won their first game in over a year

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/american-sports/the-cleveland-browns-won-their-first-game-in-over-a-year/news-story/75cd513d03b5b1a1fc6cf42f7e8aba89