INDIANAPOLIS — In a raw display of defensive power, Myles Garrett flexed his muscles on Sunday and P.J. Walker had a gritty performance to help the Cleveland Browns pull off another fourth quarter comeback with a 39-38 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
“We needed moxie, we needed grit, and we needed toughness at the end,” Stefanski said. “We got all of that. We poured everything we had into this game, and we needed every bit of it.”
Walker was called into action in the first quarter, replacing injured quarterback Deshaun Watson, and directed a second straight fourth-quarter comeback. Walker was 15 of 32 with 178 yards and one interception.
Watson, was making his first start since Sept. 24, but departed in the first quarter after taking a big hit that left him laying on the turf for several minutes. Team doctors evaluated him for a head injury and later cleared Watson to return. However, Stefanski decided to hold his franchise quarterback out for the remainder of the game.
Jerome Ford ran for 74 yards on 11 carries, with 69 of those yards coming on the third play of the game to give Cleveland a 7-0 lead.
Cleveland's defense entered the game ranked among the league's top five in most of the major defensive categories. But one category they didn't hold a top spot in, was takeaways. Prior to Sunday, they had just four takeaways — a number they doubled Sunday despite allowing a season worst 456 total yards.
Garret dominated the Colts in the first half, having two strip-sacks and leapt over the long snapper to block a 60-yard field goal. All three plays by Garrett led to points for Cleveland.
He finished with nine tackles and Za'Darius Smith added a third strip-sack that the Browns recovered with 2 seconds left.
The Colts (3-4) lost their second straight as quarterback Gardner Minshew committed four more turnovers — three of which Cleveland turned into scores with the last one sealing the victory. He now has seven turnovers in his two starts since rookie Anthony Richardson injured his right shoulder.
But despite all that, Minshew still had the Colts in position win thanks to two touchdown runs in the first half — which matched his pervious career total.
After Cleveland (4-2) took the lead on a Dustin Hopkins' field goal, Minshew would put the Colts back in front with a touchdown pass of 75 yards to Michael Pittman Jr., giving Indianapolis a 38-33 lead with 5:38 left.
Trailing by five with 2:35 remaining, Walker and the Cleveland offense marched 80 yards in 12 plays to complete the comeback. But not without controversy.
Walker would drop a pass between two defenders to Elijah Moore for a 30-yard gain to put Cleveland to midfield. He later hit Donovan People-Jones, crossing over the middle, for a 19-yard gain to put Browns on the Colts 19.
Three plays later, Cleveland would be aided by questionable an illegal contact call, erasing what would have been a game-sealing fumble recovery. Then on the very next play, a pass interference call, to give Cleveland a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Hunt barely nosed his way across the goal line on fourth down with 15 seconds left.
Minshew finished the afternoon 15 of 23 for 305 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Jonathan Taylor carried the ball 18 times for 75 yards and his first score of the season. Josh Downs led all Colt receivers with five receptions for 125 yards.
The Browns will head out west to face Seattle next Sunday.
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