Facing the possibility of going 0-2 to start the season, the Browns traveled to Jacksonville on Sunday hungry for a win.
After an 18-13 victory over the Jaguars, the Browns return to Cleveland with a 1-1 record as they prepare to host the Giants next Sunday.
Here are four players of the game from Cleveland's first win of the season.
WR Jerry Jeudy
In his first season as a member of the Browns, Jeudy has shown why Cleveland sent 2024 fifth-round and sixth-round picks to Denver for the shifty wide receiver. Jerry was targeted six times, hauling in five receptions for 73 yards on Sunday. Three of his catches resulted in first downs.
"I thought Jerry had some really nice moments down the field, especially made some big plays when we needed it," head coach Kevin Stefanski said following the win. "I really feel with everybody, there's room to grow and I really think we can get better."
Jeudy's first catch of the game showed his ability to improvise when plays break down.
After running his route, Jeudy noticed QB Deshaun Watson leave the pocket to escape the pass rush. He ran to the sideline where he made an impressive catch on a ball that first hit the hands of CB Ronald Darby, tapping both feet down before going out of bounds to secure the catch.
"I have confidence in all the guys and Jerry does a great job," Watson said following the game. "He's been to my side a lot lately whenever I do scramble. The biggest thing I tell all of them, whenever I get outside the pocket, the play's never dead until they blow the whistle, so just keep working with me and I'll find you."
Of Jeudy's 73 receiving yards, 43 came on the Browns' second-to-last drive of the game. On third-and-8 on their own 32-yard line, Watson found Jeudy for an eight-yard completion and a first down. After an illegal shift penalty against WR Elijah Moore backed the Browns up on the following play, Watson and Jeudy connected for a 30-yard gain to bring Cleveland within field goal range.
Penalties throughout the drive prevented the Browns from scoring but put P Corey Bojorquez in position to pin Jacksonville at their own 2-yard line.
DE Alex Wright
After Bojorquez's perfectly placed punt, Jacksonville faced a long field and a three-point deficit with under two minutes remaining in the game.
As QB Trevor Lawrence dropped back in his own end zone, DE Myles Garrett forced him out of the pocket and into the arms of Wright, who brought the quarterback down for his first sack of the season. The safety gave Cleveland a five-point lead, forcing Jacksonville to try for a touchdown rather than a field goal in their final drive of the game.
"That was huge for us," Garrett said. "We needed that kind of cushion, and we had the ability to pin our ears back that next possession. But us being able to work together, rush together like that and [Wright] working off of me, me going high and him going underneath to make that play, that's exactly how we draw it up and he's going to make many more of those plays."
Wright added two quarterback pressures and three total tackles over the thirty snaps he played on Sunday.
RB Jerome Ford
The Browns put a big emphasis on establishing the run throughout the week after they struggled to do so in their Week 1 loss to the Cowboys. Ford led Browns running backs with 64 yards on seven carries in Sunday's win.
Ford also came up clutch in a key moment for Cleveland in the first half. With Cleveland holding onto a 10-3 lead, they faced fourth-and-1 on their own 37 with just over three minutes remaining in the first half.
QB Jameis Winston came on to the field, and the Jaguars stacked the box as everyone in the stadium expected Cleveland to run a quarterback sneak as they had done on their prior fourth down attempt.
Instead, Winston took the snap and handed the ball off to Ford, who picked up a block from LG Joel Bitonio on his way to a 36-yard gain that set up an eventual field goal from the Browns.
Ford reached top speeds of 21.29 miles per hour on his 36-yard rush, making him the fastest ball carrier of Week 2 per Next Gen Stats.
"I feel like I'm a gear in the big system," Ford said the Monday before the game. "Just making sure that I do my job, whether it's pass, whatever play is called in, I just make sure that my gear is turning, and if we all individually make sure the gears are turning, the machine will work."
P Corey Bojorquez
While his fourth quarter punt to the 2-yard line will be the most-remembered from Sunday's win, Bojorquez put together a dominant punting performance throughout the game.
"He was pretty darn good," Stefanski said after the game. "I didn't give him a game ball, but I will acknowledge him tomorrow."
Three of his five total punts landed inside the 10-yard line, all in the fourth quarter. Bojorquez was the only punter in the AFC to land three punts inside the 10-yard line in Week 2.
Bojorquez's second-to-last punt of the day set up the safety for the Browns, giving the team a five-point cushion before Jacksonville's final drive.
"Hey, backed up equals points," Garrett said when asked what he was thinking when he watched Bojorquez's punt. "That's our motto, so looking forward to someone making a big play and I was looking forward for myself, but [Lawrence] stepped up and he stepped right into Alex's arms."
