Three Big Takeaways

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3 Big Takeaways: Jacoby Brissett plays hero for Browns in final expected start

In what could be his last start this season, Brissett propelled the Browns to a thrilling overtime finish over the Buccaneers in overtime

Nov 27, 2022 at 07:14 PM

Anthony Poisal

Staff Writer

Jacoby Brissett is going out a winner.

In what might be his final start at QB with the Browns this season, Brissett commanded the Browns to one of their most thrilling finishes of the season, a 23-17 overtime win over the Buccaneers at FirstEnergy Stadium. It wasn't always pretty, but the Browns needed Brissett to step up late to give them a chance, and he did with two massive touchdowns that allowed the Browns to take the game to overtime and ultimately find a win.

Here's three takeaways from an epic finish in Cleveland:

1. Brissett plays hero for Browns in final expected start

As soon as Nick Chubb ran the ball into the end zone to seal the Browns win in overtime, the spotlight rightly was directed to Brissett, who opened his press conference with the one-liner of the season:

"I mean no disrespect, but in the words of Tom Brady, that was awesome," he said, only he used an expletive that starts with the letter "f" before he said the word "awesome."

The finish was awesome, though, and it all started the moment he fired a pass to TE David Njoku in the end zone on a fourth down with 37 seconds left in regulation. The Browns trailed 17-10 and were down to their last play from the Buccaneers' 12-yard line, but Brissett saw the look he wanted — Njoku matched one-on-one against Buccaneers linebacker Devin White — and fired away.

In what should stand as one of the best catches in the NFL this season, Njoku threw his left hand in the air and made a one-handed snag on the ball as he fell to the ground.

"I threw it, and I thought I threw it too high and I was about to start crying," Brissett said with a laugh. "I saw him pull it down, and I was like, 'I could have ran up and kissed him.'"

The Browns weren't done yet, and neither was Brissett's opportunity to close the game with a bang. Credit belongs to the defense for keeping that opportunity alive — the Buccaneers got the ball first to start overtime and were halted by the Browns, and when the offense couldn't generate points on its first overtime possession, the defense stepped up again and stopped Brady.

With 2:45 left, Brissett went back to work and saw exactly what he could've hoped for again on the first play of the drive: Amari Cooper running alone down the right sideline.

Copper managed to create his space with a juke move that sent Buccaneers' CB Carlton Davis to the ground, and Brissett saw him immediately and lofted a pass into his hands. Cooper then broke free on a 45-yard sprint before he was tackled out of bounds 3 yards short of the end zone, and Chubb punched the ball in two plays later.

Cooper, who dropped a fourth-down pass in the fourth quarter, was thankful Brissett looked back his way in another key moment.

"Faith produced perseverance," Cooper said. "It felt amazing. Caught the slant. Had a double-move we drew up and knew if I ran it the right way that it would be a big play."

What followed after the game was a well-deserved postgame celebration that centered around Brissett.