Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Instant takeaways from Browns 39-38 win over Indianapolis Colts …1. Unbelievable: Who had the over in a Browns-Colts tilt featuring P.J. Walker relieving Deshaun Watson for three quarters and the No. 1 Jim Schwartz defense facing Gardner Minshew? Yet the teams combined for 77 points with some zany big plays coming from all three units. The Browns prevailed, 39-38, when Kareem Hunt barely broke the goal line plane with :15 left. The Browns received some huge breaks when Colts cornerback Darrell Baker committed two defensive penalties inside the 5. The Browns failed to convert three times from the 1 until they loaded up with a jumbo formation and Hunt pressed his helmet over the plane on fourth down. The win validated huge efforts from Myles Garrett and Dustin Hopkins. The Browns struggled offensively after Watson left the game in the first quarter. And Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew accounted for four touchdowns (two running, two passing) and 305 yards passing. It looked like the backbreaker would a 75-yard catch-and-run by receiver Michael Pittman with 5:38 to play. But the Browns pulled it out. Garrett had two strip-sacks and blocked a field-goal attempt. Denzel Ward had an interception. And Hopkins made field goals from 44, 54 (twice) and 58 yards. But they weren’t enough until Walker's 80-yard drive at the end with the help of two Colts penalties.2. Watson MIA: Watson did not return the first half after leaving the field with 3:13 to play in the first quarter following a hit by defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. Watson was running from pressure and released the ball, which was intercepted, but the play was called an incompletion upon replay review. Watson lay on his back for several moments and left under his own power. He was checked for a concussion, the Browns said, but was cleared. Watson watched the rest of the half from the sideline. There was no reason given why he did not return. Watson’s first two passes were short and off the mark. His third pass was intercepted as he slung it downfield for Marquise Goodwin toward the right sideline. Watson’s fourth pass was a 5-yard completion to Donovan Peoples-Jones on third-and-11. And his fifth pass was ruled incomplete.
Deshaun Watson did not return after he got hit hard rolling to his right with 3:13 to play in the first quarter. He was cleared for a concussion, but the Browns did not specify a reason for him not returning.
The Browns retook the lead, 33-31, when Dustin Hopkins kicked a 58-yard field goal with 6:33. It was Hopkins’ fourth field goal of the game and third from 50+. What a kicking exhibition.
4. Ford recall: Running back Jerome Ford, who opened the day’s scoring with a 69-yard touchdown run on the game’s third play, made a blunder that helped push the Colts back into the lead. On a fourth-and-1 gamble from the Colts’ 40, the Browns lined up Ford behind Kareem Hunt in the backfield. Walker faked a quick handoff to Hunt and Ford split to the left for a pitchout. But Ford fumbled the ball. Looked like Ford had lots of running room. The Colts took over at the 50. A 32-yard Minshew completion to Alec Pierce over M.J. Emerson, who turned the wrong way, set up a Matt Gay chip shot field goal from 27 yards. Less than a minute in the fourth quarter, the Colts were up, 31-30.
5. Colts rediscover run game: The Colts climbed back into the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter spurred by Jonathan Taylor. The running back ran six times for 30 yards, including five yards for the TD, and gained another 20 yards when Minshew beat a Denzel Ward blitz with a short pass to Taylor. The touchdown cut the Browns lead to 30-28.
6. Defense takes over: Although the Browns’ defense was solved early on by Minshew, that unit went beserk after the Browns fell behind, 14-7. Myles Garrett had two strip-sacks of Minshew, resulting in two touchdowns. The first strip and recovery by Alex Wright gave the Browns the ball at the Colts’ 36. From there, a 17-yard reverse run by Goodwin set up a 2-yard TD run by Kareem Hunt on a direct snap. The second Garrett strip occurred in the Colts’ end zone when the Colts bizarrely had Minshew take a deep drop on second-and-15 from the 6. Garrett smothered Minshew in the blink of an eye and linebacker Tony Fields recovered for the touchdown.
7. Special teams take over: The Browns’ special teams had a big hand in the 27-21 halftime lead, also, in Bubba Ventrone’s return to Indianapolis. Garrett – there’s that guy again – blocked a 60-yard field goal try of Matt Gay and Denzel Ward recovered and returned to the Colts’ 26. That led to a 44-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins. Hopkins also made a field goal from 54 yards on the last play of the half. Hopkins added another 54-yarder in the third quarter after a Ward interception. Also, Corey Bojorquez averaged 53.1 yards on three punts.
8. Delpit’s tough first quarter: Safety Grant Delpit’s had a good season, to be sure, but he was victimized on both of the Colts’ first two touchdowns. On the first, he lost coverage of Josh Downs off the line of scrimmage and Minshew connected for a 59-yard touchdown. On the play, Garrett jumped offsides. On the second TD, Delpit appeared to bite on a great play-fake by Minshew to Zack Moss. Minshew kept the ball, ran through the hole vacated by Delpit and scored from 17 yards. After that one, Delpit played angry and made a few pulverizing hits.
9. Ford to the house: The Browns scored on the third play of the game when Jerome Ford did a pretty good impersonation of Nick Chubb. On third-and-2 from the Browns’ 31, Ford carried the ball on an inside run, found a lane and ran to the end zone, untouched, for a 69-yard TD.
10. All the stops out: Lucas Oil Stadium has a roof that can be opened and also a huge window behind one of the end zones that can be opened. They keep track of their records when both are closed, both are opened, and one or the other. The Colts were 10-0 when the roof is open and the window closed. And that’s what they chose to do on Sunday. Also, the Colts broke out an alternative black helmet for the first time.
11. Pre-game notes: Running back Kareem Hunt (thigh) was not on the team’s inactive list. It was a minor surprise in that the team signed Deon Jackson to the 53 roster from the practice squad on Saturday, as if they were going to be down one running back. In any case, Jackson is guaranteed the NFL minimum for three weeks, which is a lot better than practice squad dough. Browns inactives were: quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, receiver Cedric Tillman, cornerback Kahlef Hailassie, safety Ronnie Hickman, linebacker Sione Takitaki, defensive end Isaiah McGuire and defensive tackle Siaki Ika.
