With three seconds on the clock and the Browns down 18-17, K Andre Szmyt had a chance to win the game with his foot.
He stepped back, waited for the snap from LS Rex Sunahara and hold by P Corey Bojorquez. Szmyt stepped towards and swung through the ball, watching as the 49-yard field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired.
The Browns beat the Bengals 20-18 in Week 18 in Cincinnati, finishing the season with two consecutive wins over division opponents.
DE Myles Garrett set the NFL single-season sack record in the fourth quarter, notching his 23rd sack after bringing down QB Joe Burrow with 5:14 left in the game. He added two quarterback hits to his historic day. LB Devin Bush recorded his second pick-six of the season, picking off Burrow in the first quarter. Bush recorded 14 total tackles in addition to his touchdown. CB Sam Webb added to the defensive scoring with a 47-yard scoop-and-score in the second quarter on the Bengals' next possession.
QB Shedeur Sanders led the offense down the field to set up Szmyt's field goal to win the game. Sanders closed out his rookie season with a 111-yard passing performance, completing passes to eight different receivers. He added 26 rushing yards while RB Dylan Sampson had 32 rushing yards, leading the Browns in the stat.
Szmyt notched eight points in the game, making both field goal attempts and extra point attempts.
Key Moments
Andre Szmyt makes the game-winning field goal
The Browns started their potential game-winning drive with 1:23 on the clock, starting at their own 29-yard line.
After gaining no yards on the first two plays, the Browns needed a third-down conversion. Sanders found WR Isaiah Bond for a first down and a 13-yard gain to keep the Browns' hopes alive. Sanders and Sampson connected for nine yards on second down, leading to a third-and-1. WR Jerry Jeudy provided Sanders an open target, gaining 11 yards to pick up another first down and keep the drive moving to the Cincinnati 38-yard line. Sampson picked up seven yards on two carries, pushing Cleveland to the 31-yard line and allowing Szmyt to come on for a 49-yard field goal to potentially win the game.
Szmyt took two steps to the ball, swung his right leg and watched as the ball sailed through the uprights to win the game for the Browns.
The Bengals find the end zone to regain the lead
With 2:41 left in the game and the Browns up 17-12, Cleveland needed to stop Cincinnati. The Bengals had to go 61 yards to reach the end zone and began with an 8-yard pass from Burrow to TE Drew Sample. After an incomplete pass on second down, the Bengals were faced with third-and-2. Burrow went to WR Ja'Marr Chase to pick up the first down, gaining 11 yards and bringing the game to the two-minute warning.
Burrow threw an incomplete pass on first down but went back to Chase and WR Tee Higgins, picking up 38 yards across two plays and moving to the Cleveland 4-yard line. With a first down and nearing the end zone, Burrow lofted a pass into the end zone to Chase for a touchdown. The touchdown gave the Bengals an 18-17 lead. Needing two points to make a Browns field goal not a game-winner, the Bengals went for the conversion. S Grant Delpit broke up the pass, keeping the Bengals only up one point.
Myles Garrett sets NFL single-season sack record
With the Bengals' offense at the Cleveland 45-yard line with a fresh set of downs in the fourth quarter, the Browns required a defensive spark and they received one in historic fashion.
Garrett curled around the blocker and took down Burrow for his 23rd sack, setting the NFL's single-season sack record. The sack set the Bengals back six yards and ultimately killed Cincinnati's momentum. Burrow connected with RB Chase Brown for a 1-yard gain on second down, but an incomplete pass on third down forced the Bengals to punt the ball back to the Browns.
Bengals claw back before halftime
With 4:41 left in the second quarter, the Bengals pushed the ball down the field to narrow Cleveland's lead. Brown ran for 19 yards on first down and Burrow connected with Brown for 21 yards to move to the Cleveland 39-yard line. Burrow found Perine on two consecutive passes, gaining nine yards and setting up a third down. The Bengals used QB Joe Flacco to gain the necessary yardage and continue the drive. After an 8-yard run from Brown, Burrow went to Higgins to reach the end zone. The duo connected for seven yards before, two plays later, Burrow threw a back-shoulder fade to Higgins for a touchdown. The Bengals missed the extra point again, leaving the score at 14-12 going into halftime.
The Browns score back-to-back defensive touchdowns
After a Browns three-and-out on their second possession, the Bengals took the field with a 6-0 lead in the first quarter for their third possession of the game. Running backs Samaje Perine and Brown combined for 27 yards on three plays to move the Bengals to the Cleveland 43-yard line. Burrow connected with Brown for 21 yards on two plays to move the Bengals just outside of the red zone. WR Ke'Shawn Williams and Perine gained 14 yards combined to push Cincinnati to within seven yards of the end zone. As Burrow looked to find Higgins in front of the goal line, DT Shelby Harris tipped the pass. The tip allowed Bush to jump the route. Bush guided blockers and avoided pursuers to take the interception 97 yards for a touchdown. The Browns took a 7-6 lead with 56 seconds left in the first quarter with Szmyt's extra point.
Cincinnati took the field looking to redeem itself after the pick-six. On the fourth play of the drive, however, LB Jerome Baker forced Bengals TE Noah Fant to fumble. Webb picked up the ball with a clear lane to the end zone, sprinting 47 yards for a touchdown and Cleveland's second defensive touchdown in five plays.
Bengals turn Browns fumble into first points of the game
As Sanders stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure in the first quarter, Bengals DE Cam Sample swatted at Sanders' hand and knocked the ball out. DT Howard Cross III recovered the fumble at the Cleveland 29-yard line, giving the Bengals favorable field position.
On second-and-8, Burrow found Higgins for a 21-yard gain and moving within the red zone. Two plays later, Burrow rolled to the right and threw a 4-yard touchdown to Brown. DE Alex Wright broke through the Bengals' line on the extra point, blocking the kick to keep Cincinnati's lead to 6-0 with 8:02 left in the first quarter.
Game Highlights
QB Shedeur Sanders pinpoints WR Malachi Corley for a 19-yard gain.
LB Devin Bush takes a tipped pass for a 97-yard pick-six to give the Browns a 7-6 lead.
CB Sam Webb picks up the fumble and takes it 47 yards for a touchdown.
QB Shedeur Sanders floats pass to WR Cedric Tillman to move into red zone.
K Andre Szmyt's 27-yard field goal extends Browns' lead to five points.
S Grant Delpit brings down QB Joe Burrow for a sack.
DE Myles Garrett sets the NFL single-season sack record with his 23rd sack this season.
Scoring Plays
CLE 0, CIN 6 | Chase Brown 4-yard pass from Joe Burrow (extra point missed) | 7:59 1Q
CLE 7, CIN 6 | Devin Bush 97-yard interception return | 0:56 1Q
CLE 14, CIN 6 | Sam Webb 47-yard fumble return | 14:06 2Q
CLE 14, CIN 12 | Tee Higgins 13-yard pass from Joe Burrow (extra point missed) | 0:29 2Q
CLE 17, CIN 12 | Andre Szmyt 27-yard field goal is good | 8:00 3Q
CLE 17, CIN 18 | Ja'Marr Chase 4-yard pass from Joe Burrow (two-point conversion failed) | 1:29 4Q
CLE 20, CIN 18 | Andre Szmyt makes 49-yard field goal | 0:00 4Q
What's Next
The Browns finished the 2025 season with a win, bringing their final record to 5-12 following the victory against the Bengals. Cleveland now heads into the offseason and begins preparations for the 2026 season.
