CHARLOTTE – The Browns opened their season with a 26-24 win over the Panthers on Sunday in Week 1 at Bank of America Stadium. Rookie kicker Cade York drilled a 58-yard field with 8 seconds remaining to put the Browns ahead after the Panthers kicked a go-ahead field-goal with a little more than a minute to play.
The win was the Browns' first Week 1 victory since 2004, when they defeated the Ravens.
After slow starts from both sides in the first three quarters, the Panthers rallied from a 20-7 deficit in the fourth quarter with two touchdowns from QB Baker Mayfield — the first was a 7-yard run, and the second was a 75-yard deep shot touchdown to WR Robbie Anderson.
That quickly cut the Browns' lead down to 23-21 with 6 minutes left.
The pressure was on for the Browns to either bleed the clock as much as possible or move into position to score points. But on third–and-9 from the Browns' 44-yard line, Brissett couldn't complete a pass to WR Donovan Peoples-Jones. They were forced to punt.
Carolina moved to the Browns' 16-yard line on the next drive, leaving K Eddie Piñerio with a 34-yard field to give the Panthers the lead, but with 1:17 left, QB Jacoby Brissett marched the Browns down to the Panthers' 40-yard line — well in-range for York, the rookie-fourth rounder, to kick the game-winner.
Player of the game: Chubb. He was the one stable force the Browns had all game and finished with 22 carries for 141 yards — likely the first of several games this season where he tops 100 yards. He managed to do it midway by the third quarter Sunday, and without him, the Browns might not have had a chance to score points and maintain a lead for most of the game.
Stat of the game: 27. That's how many points both sides scored in the fourth quarter. 17 of them came from the Panthers, but the Browns got the final three they needed thanks to York's strong leg.
The game was decided when: York's kick, of course. The Browns marched down the field with just enough time for York to take the field, and the pressure quite literally could not have been higher for York. He still managed to drill the kick through the center of the uprights with plenty of room to spare — just like he had with long kicks all through preseason. He saved the Browns' from a Week 1 loss that would've been very difficult to swallow, and there's no doubting his confidence and reliability now.
What's next?: The Browns will return to Cleveland for the home-opening game against the Jets next week at FirstEnergy Stadium. QB Joe Flacco is expected to start for the Jets, and kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
