News

DETROIT -- Kicker Jeff Wolfert converted a 45-yard field goal attempt with 28 seconds remaining on the fourth quarter clock and gave the Cleveland Browns a 19-17 come-from-behind victory over the Detroit Lions in Friday night’s 2012 preseason opener at Ford Field.

Wolfert, who missed a field goal earlier in the second half, capped off a six-play, 43-yard drive with the kick.

Browns rookie running back Adonis Thomas scored a three-yard touchdown with 6:05 remaining in regulation against the Lions, but the team could not get the go-ahead points following the touchdown.

The Browns elected to go for a two-point conversion, but Thomas was stopped short of the goal line and the Lions retained a 17-16 lead over Cleveland.

On the previous possession, rookie kicker Derek Dimke’s 40-yard field goal extended the Lions’ lead over the Browns to 17-10 with 10:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Dimke’s field goal capped off a seven-play, 57-yard drive that took 3:58 off the fourth quarter clock. Dimke replaced veteran Jason Hanson in the second half.

The Browns trail the Lions 14-10 after three quarters of play.

The Browns drew to within four points of the Lions when rookie fullback Brad Smelley caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from reserve quarterback Seneca Wallace at the 8:12 mark of the third quarter.

Smelley’s reception, his first of the preseason, was a result of a broken play. After Wallace was flushed out of the pocket and rolled out to his right, Smelley broke free from a defender and hauled in the pass. He turned upfield and ran his way into the end zone.

The scoring drive covered 43 yards on eight plays and took 3:23 off the third quarter clock.

Prior to the Browns taking an offensive snap on the possession, wide receiver Jordan Norwood moved the ball to Detroit’s 43-yard line with a 45-yard punt return.

Late scores in both the first and second quarters staked the Lions out to a 14-3 lead over the Browns after the first half.

Detroit running back Stefan Logan’s three-yard touchdown reception extended the Lions’ lead to 14-3 over the Browns with 2:10 remaining in the second quarter.

On fourth-and-goal, Logan ran an out route and caught the pass -- which a Browns defender nearly batted out of the air -- from reserve quarterback Shaun Hill.

The drive covered 80 yards in 12 plays and took 5:11 off the second-quarter clock.

Phil Dawson’s 37-yard field goal put the Browns on the scoreboard and cut their deficit to four at 7-3 with 7:21 remaining in the first half of the 2012 preseason opener. Dawson’s kick capped off a six-play, 43-yard scoring drive.

Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy engineered the drive and completed a 42-yard pass to tight end Jordan Cameron on second-and-15 from the Browns’ 33-yard line.

A late score gave the Lions a 7-0 lead over the Browns after the first quarter of play in the 2012 preseason opener.

The Lions made the most of a Browns turnover and took a 7-0 lead when running back Keiland Williams scored a five-yard touchdown with exactly one minute to play in the first quarter.

The play, which was upheld by a booth review, capped off a three-play, 25-yard drive that was started by Dwight Bentley’s interception of Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden on third-and-three from Cleveland’s 32-yard line.

Bentley jumped a route run by second-year Browns wide receiver Greg Little and gained nine yards on the return.

Earlier in the contest, Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi suffered a head injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

On the team’s first offensive play of the preseason, Massaquoi caught a pass from quarterback Brandon Weeden for a 12-yard gain on the right side of the formation. After being hit by two Lions, Massaquoi was slow to get up and Detroit players called over to the Browns sideline for assistance. Under his own power, Massaquoi walked to the Browns sideline with a team trainer.

The Browns defense responded to an early first quarter challenge by forcing a turnover mere moments after rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden was stripped of the football by a Detroit Lions rusher.

Three plays after Weeden’s fumble, defensive back Sheldon Brown intercepted Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford at the 14-yard line and returned it 25 yards.

The Browns had a first-and-10 from their own 39-yard line at the start of the next series.

Cleveland called “tails” and the coin toss came up “heads.”

The Lions won the toss and elected to receive the ball to start tonight’s preseason opener at Ford Field. The Browns, who wore their white uniforms, kicked off to the Lions.

Kicker Phil Dawson, Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and cornerback Sheldon Brown served as the Browns’ three coin toss captains. Ohio State graduate and Macedonia native, Rob Sims, was one of the Lions’ captains.

Game 1 Recap is presented by Giant Eagle, the Official Supermarket of the Cleveland Browns.