Browns quarterback Jameis Winston finally gave the home crowd at Huntington Bank Field in downtown Cleveland a reason to cheer.
After losing five of their first six games and their starting quarterback to an Achilles injury, the scene was initially bleak heading into the Week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Winston, who was making his first start since 2022 for the injured Deshaun Watson, was fearless in attacking Baltimore’s beleaguered secondary. In the game’s final minute, he delivered the biggest play for the Browns all season.
Winston threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds remaining for a 29–24 victory, snapping a five-game losing streak. The Browns improved to 2–6m, and while it might be difficult to turn the season around completely, Winston has given the fans some hope.
Winston completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards with three touchdowns. However, he had good luck just prior to throwing the game-winning touchdown.
In the previous play, Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton dropped an easy interception when Winston overthrew wide receiver Elijah Moore. Hamilton initially had the ball in his hands but juggled it multiple times before losing control.
“I started praying instantly,” Winston said about Hamilton dropping the ball. “It was only by the grace of God. And I think when situations like that happen, you always sit back and you’re like, ‘Man, I still got the stuff to work on,’ right? Because it could have been a matter of whatever. Who knows how we would feel right now if that would have happened?
“But I’m so grateful that that was an ‘if’. And ‘ifs’ and ‘shoulds’ and ‘woulda couldas’ don’t mean nothing in this game.”
Winston and the Browns took advantage when Tillman ran past the Ravens’ secondary and caught the ball in stride in the end zone. Baltimore snapped a five-game winning streak and fell to 5–3 on the season.
Hamilton was not the only Ravens player failing to corral an interception. Fellow safety Eddie Jackson also dropped two potential interceptions that could have changed the course of the game. The Ravens have the NFL’s 32nd-ranked pass defense, allowing 291.4 yards passing per game.
“Everyone [has] to be on one accord, continue to play [and] not get relaxed. Like I said, we have to make those plays. There’s no excuse for anything that happened out there, we just have to make those plays when they come to us.”
The win is a huge confidence builder for the Browns who play the Los Angeles Chargers next week before going on the bye. Cleveland is still in last place in the AFN North, but a winning streak could shake up the standings.
Winston has thrown for 22,187 yards with 142 touchdowns and 99 interceptions throughout his 10-year career. Winston is confident the Browns can turn their season around. At least the fans are back on their side.
“A win like this is required to change the season around,“ Winston said at his postgame news conference. ”We have to continue to come to work and apply ourselves every single day and keep scratching and climbing. We have a long way to go. I’m happy that we got this win for the fans. This was a fan base win.”
