The Browns received three touchdowns on the ground, two from Kareem Hunt and one from Jerome Ford, and Dustin Hopkins kicked four field goals, three of those from fifty-four yards or longer including a career-long from fifty-eight yards.
P.J. Walker relieved DeShaun Watson in the first quarter and helped the Browns move down the field on their final and game-winning drive.
Cleveland improves to 4-2 on the season and will travel to Seattle next week for a pairing against the also 4-2 Seahawks.
Brownie Bits
1) Let's be fair- the Browns were aided by some tight calls for the second week in a row.
One call on the final drive really allowed the Browns to win as P.J. Walker coughed up the ball with Brentson Buckner recovering, which would have essentially ended the game.
However, the Colts were flagged for illegal contact against Amari Cooper and given an automatic first down.
I thought that was fair because Darrell Baker did grab Cooper to impede his path to the ball.
2) The next play is the one that I think the Colts have a point as Walker threw to the corner of the end zone for Donovan Peoples-Jones and overthrew him but Darren Baker again was called for the penalty, this one for pass interference, moving the ball from the eight to the one.
I think Cleveland caught a break on this call as to me, the ball was well above Peoples-Jones and I don't think he had a chance at catching it, no matter the contact from Baker.
3) DeShaun Watson had already thrown one interception in the first quarter and on the play that caused him to leave the game, Watson threw what seemed to be a second interception but after a replay appeal, the call was changed.
4) The status of Watson for next week's game in Seattle is unknown but I do know this- the status quo of defensive stands and big plays combined with officiating breaks is an untenable one for the long part of this season.
5) Myles Garrett had one of those games that he seems to have two or three times a year where he is so dominant that he literally controls the game himself.
In the first half of the game, Garrett stripped the ball twice from Gardner Minshew on sacks, one of those in the end zone for a touchdown when Tony Fields recovered, and blocked a long field goal attempt by Indianapolis kicker Josh Gay.
Garrett finished the game with seven solo tackles, a pass knockdown, and numerous hurries of Minshew.
6) The defense made plenty of big plays in this game but there were also drives that they were on the heels against a Colts team not known for their offense.
The Colts finished with 456 yards of total offense and perhaps the hype for "greatest defense" etc may have been a bit premature.
I'm not saying that they are overrated or anything similar to that but it's a bit concerning with some of the problems today.
7) One problem from the past returned and almost cost them the game when Michael Pittman Jr. broke tackle attempts by Greg Newsome and Martin Emerson and raced seventy-five yards for a Colts touchdown with just under six minutes remaining.
The touchdown put the Colts up by five and it was a failure to wrap Pittman up by Newsome and Emerson appeared to be trying for a big hit rather than tackle Pittman.
It was sloppy play that hadn't been seen often from the defense this season and I hope it isn't habit-forming.
8) I still think Andrew Berry should consider a running back before the trade deadline and an injury to Jerome Ford only bolsters that argument.
Yes, Ford did have a sixty-nine-yard touchdown run before his injury but on his other ten carries in the game, Ford totaled five yards.
Combine that with his injury and Kareem Hunt playing through one currently and the Browns have a need to add another quality back.
9) It was pretty clear that DeShaun Watson wasn't physically ready to play today.
Watson's throws had no juice on them, he was one of five for five yards with an interception and as noted above, he narrowly missed a second on the play that ended the day for him, which saw him take a hit on the sore shoulder and smack his head on the Indianapolis turf.
Watson passed concussion protocol but Kevin Stefanski made the decision to not allow him to return.
If that was a decision that allows him to skip Seattle next week in order to truly heal his shoulder, I'm in agreement with Kevin Stefanski- but if Watson is given the nod and this is the Watson that plays, what was the point pulling him today?
10) P.J. Walker was uneven and while he has played admirably in pulling the wins over San Francisco and Indianapolis out of the fire under incredibly dire circumstances and he is a better choice than rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Walker will be unlikely to continue his fortunate run of luck for future starts
I'm not sure what an answer is but Jason Lloyd of The Athletic theorizes that trading for Jacoby Brissett to return from Washington might be an answer.
Brissett knows the offense, could walk in the door and start next week, and remains popular in the locker room.
This would all depend on price, if Washington was willing to send Brissett here for a fifth-rounder as Cleveland received for Joshua Dobbs, I'd consider it.
Should the WFT ask for more because they think the Browns are in panic mode, I'd say no as the Browns simply don't have the draft capital without a first-rounder again next year to afford a move of a pick higher than that.
11) Some question Kevin Stefanski's decision to go for a first down late in the third quarter on a fourth and two with a two-point lead.
I liked the decision to try but I wasn't thrilled with the play choice.
Not because it didn't work as P.J. Walker rolled out and botched a pitch to Jerome Ford for a big loss and turnover on downs.
The play looked to have been a big gainer in the making if the pitch was on target.
What I didn't like about the play was putting P.J. Walker at risk without a player ready to step in.
I thought it was an unneeded risk.
12) The offensive line has yet to reach the level that the Browns have expected this season but with the game on the line- one play for one yard, the line managed to push enough for Kareem Hunt to squeeze his way into the end zone.
The pass protection could have resulted in a loss without the illegal contact call and I'm still disappointed compared to what I thought this line could become before the season but they came through when they needed to.
13) Finally, I'm not sure what this team is right now.
On one hand, the Browns have won two games in a row that the Browns usually find a way to lose and that makes me think that this could be a team that could contend as good teams find a way to win games that they shouldn't.
The other side of the issue could claim that they have won two games where officiating was very helpful and slipped by with P.J. Walker doing barely enough to get the Browns to the winner's circle.
How long can you win this way and is it viable to hope that you do so before the wheels fly off?
Can the Browns afford to stand pat with an XFL quarterback playing for an uncertain amount of time, a running back room that doesn't seem deep and now has wear and tear on Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt and a wide receiver group that hasn't thrived other than Amari Cooper?
I just don't know if this is a team of destiny or a team that needs fate and breaks to smile on them.
Seattle is a solid team and traveling to the West Coast is always a tough game to win but I'm not sure I'd place too much value on that result either way under the circumstances.
The game that might tell the most is the following game- the Arizona Cardinals at home.
Cleveland plays Baltimore and Pittsburgh after that game and the Cardinals aren't very good but the Browns have found a way in the past to lose games against inferior teams just when they can afford it least.
If things are truly different, the Browns will win that game.
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