Beating Tampa Bay in overtime like a miracle cure for Browns | Jeff Schudel

Nov. 27—Football games the Browns play never fail to create a wave of emotions that ripple through the players and the fans who faithfully follow them.

Had Tom Brady led the Buccaneers to a field goal the second time Tampa Bay had the ball in overtime on Nov. 27, the Browns would have suffered a bitter, 20-17, defeat at FirstEnergy Stadium. They would have sunk to 3-8. The post-game locker room would have been as dreary as the misty weather and Jacoby Brissett would have been remembered for losing his final start as the Browns quarterback.

But that isn't what happened.

Instead, tight end David Njoku leaped, and with his left hand extended as high as he could reach, caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Brissett on fourth down with 37 seconds left in regulation to make the score 17-16. Cade York, who missed a 39-yard field goal try in regulation, kicked the PAT to tie the game.

Myles Garrett said he thought "something was broken" when his left shoulder was injured in the fourth quarter, but he kept playing because "the pain of losing doesn't go away." #Browns 23, #Buccaneers 17 in overtime. pic.twitter.com/MTQO17EVfs

— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) November 27, 2022

Tampa Bay won the coin toss to start overtime. The Bucs took the ball first and made two first downs before being stopped at the Tampa 43. The Browns went nowhere the first time they had the ball and punted.

The Buccaneers were stopped again. The Browns got the ball on their 29 with 2:45 left in overtime. On third-and-four from the Bucs' 48, Brissett launched a pass deep to Amari Cooper down the right sideline. Cooper hauled it in at the Tampa Bay 3.

"Everybody wanted to write us off. That doesn't mean a thing to us." — David Njoku after the #Browns beat Tampa Bay, 23-17, in overtime. pic.twitter.com/r5bfVXYpKw

— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) November 27, 2022

Two plays later, Nick Chubb burrowed into the end zone.

Touchdown! Redemption all around. And now the Deshaun Watson era begins on Nov. 28 with a hope that there might still be something to salvage from a season that seemed unsalvageable after back-to-back whippings by the Dolphins and Bills.

"I mean no disrespect, but in the words of Tom Brady, that was (bleeping) awesome," Brissett said with an ear-to-ear grin.

The losing weighed on the Browns. They would talk a good game throughout the week, and then special teams would have breakdowns. The defense would give up chunk plays. The offense would stall. A team doesn't lose five of six games because of bad luck.

Praise all around from Kevin Stefanski after #Browns beat Buccaneers, 23-17, in overtime Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. pic.twitter.com/W4PSeGRbiX

— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) November 27, 2022

Myles Garrett, who after the loss to the Bills said the Browns don't emphasize takeaways enough in practice (the Browns had no takeaways against the Buccaneers), ran to the sideline with 6:59 left in the fourth quarter after a third down stop, his left shoulder in severe pain after being blocked.

Garrett seemed done for the day, but he was back on the field the next time Tampa Bay had the ball. He and Jadeveon Clowney sacked Brady at the Buccaneers 10 to force a punt with 2:21 to play in regulation. Brissett then led the touchdown drive to tie the game.

The pain in Garrett's shoulder persisted and he persisted in chasing Brady. He sacked Brady on third-and-nine the second time the Buccaneers had the ball in overtime. The Bucs punted. Brissett, Cooper and Chubb made sure the Bucs didn't get it back.

"It hurt really bad," Garrett said. "I almost thought I broke something, but in my head there is no tomorrow. The next play is all that's in my mind. I have to continue playing regardless how much pain I'm feeling.

"There is only one opportunity for greatness. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. I wanted this one really bad for us. I just knew at the end of the day, this pain will come and go. But the pain that comes with losing, that feeling will never dissipate."

Coach Kevin Stefanski never reveals whom he awards game balls when the Browns win. He says that information should stay among team secrets. But he willingly broke his own rule this time.

"I just gave (Brissett) a game ball," Stefanski said. "I'm really happy for Jacoby. He's a great leader. He's a great teammate. That's why he got a game ball. We're going to need him to continue to be a great teammate and a great leader. That's his role on this football team."

Brissett said being awarded the game ball surprised him. His game numbers were nothing special — 23 of 37 for 210 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked four times. He threw a Hail Mary interception on the final play of the first half.

"That was super special," Brissett said. "I wasn't expecting it. Like I said though, this has never been about me. It has always been about the team.

"When we were going through our rough patch, I always just kept preaching that the men in that room are the right men for the task. It was never going to be easy. We needed everybody today. We knew going into this game that it was going to be a 60-minute game. Everybody stepped up and played their parts well. Everybody made plays when we needed them to."

Jacoby Brissett won his first game as a Browns starter when the Browns beat the Panthers in the season opener. He is going out the same way.