The Browns notched their first win of the season in comeback fashion, beating the Packers 13-10 in Week 3.
"Really proud of that football team in there. Feeding off of each other, you know, it was not always easy," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "We battled to the end and made those plays when we needed to and just fed off of each other and complemented each other. We get that big takeaway from Grant (Delpit), sets us up. We get a big play, obviously from Q (Quinshon Judkins) early. We get a stop; we get a block from Shelby (Harris). So, it was just everybody. And then Dre (Andre Szmyt) came through at the end."
In the locker room following the win, Stefanski gave out game balls to acknowledge players who had a positive impact on the game. So, let's take a look at five of those players.
Quinshon Judkins
As the Browns' offense lined up on a first-and-goal with 3:02 left in the game, QB Joe Flacco handed the ball off to RB Quinshon Judkins, who ran up the middle and pushed his way through the pile and into the end zone. Not only did Judkins score the Browns' lone touchdown of the game, but he also recorded his first career touchdown.
The Browns struggled to move the ball consistently in the first half of the game, facing a stout run defense from the Packers. Collectively, they were held to 26 rushing yards in the first half, 24 of which came from Judkins. His longest run in the first was for seven yards. But in the fourth quarter, Judkins began to find holes and break off more chunk plays. On a first-and-10, he broke off for a 14-yard gain with 9:26 left in the game. Then the very next play, Judkins ran for a 38-yard gain. The gain eventually led to the drive ending in a field goal to put the Browns on the board.
Judkins finished the game with 18 carries for 94 rushing yards and one touchdown and averaged 5.2 yards per carry.
"He's a volume runner," Stefanski said. "Knew that he gets better with touches. He gets his first touchdown, which I'm excited for him, but he's only going to get better."
In the locker room following the win, Stefanski awarded Judkins a game ball for his first career rushing touchdown.
Andre Szmyt
While K Andre Szmyt's 55-yard walk-off field goal highlighted the Browns' 13-10 win, he also made two other key kicks that played an important role in the Browns' win.
The Browns were held scoreless through the first three quarters of the game, but late in the fourth quarter after an offensive drive stalled, they were in position for a field goal. Szmyt took the field with 3:45 left in the fourth quarter to kick a 35-yard field goal, putting the Browns' first points of the game on the board.
Then after an interception by S Grant Delpit set the Browns up in the red zone and Judkins ran the ball in for a rushing touchdown, Szmyt took the field again for the extra point attempt. His made extra point tied the game at 10 apiece with about three minutes left in the game.
"This one is definitely sweeter," Szmyt said. "To pull through for my teammates, coaches and everybody who still believes in me, it feels good."
Grant Delpit
Delpit recorded a key takeaway late in the fourth quarter that gave the Browns' offense great field position to score their first touchdown of the game.
The Browns were down 10-3 with 3:18 left in the game, and Green Bay faced a third-and-3. QB Jordan Love dropped back to pass, and as he lofted the ball four yards past the line of scrimmage, Delpit read the route and picked off the pass. He returned the interception 25 yards to the Green Bay 4-yard line, setting up the Browns game-tying touchdown from Judkins.
"I was able to bait the quarterback a little bit and jump the route," Delpit said. "And got the offense back the ball."
The interception set up the Browns in the red zone for Judkins to punch in the touchdown, and it was also the first takeaway for the defense this season.
"We needed a play in the worst way, and one of our leaders, No. 9, and stood up," Stefanski said in his postgame locker room speech. "The birthday boy stood and said I'm there for my team."
Shelby Harris
With the game on the line, DT Shelby Harris made a critical play to set the Browns up for the game-winning field goal by Szmyt.
Green Bay's field goal unit lined up with 27 seconds left in the game for a 43-yard field goal attempt by K Brandon McManus. As the ball left McManus' foot and began to sail upward, Harris raised his arm above pile and got his hands on the ball, blocking the field goal. CB Greg Newsome then recovered the blocked field goal to secure a final offensive possession for the Browns.
"Complementary football, we get a stop on defense," Stefanski said in his postgame locker room speech. "We needed one. I looked at him, and he knew it was coming. No. 93, another field goal block."
Joel Bitonio
Stefanski also gave G Joel Bitonio a game ball in the locker room, acknowledging Bitonio's dedication to the team to take the field in Week 3 and contribute to the win.
"Unbelievable," Stefanski said. "I can't say enough about him, the football player, the person he was battling, he was not feeling good. He wasn't walking really well, but he battled. And that's Joel Bitonio for you."
Bitonio is dealing with a back injury that had him listed as questionable heading into the game against the Packers. He did not participate in practice throughout the week and went through his pregame warmup to test his back to see if he would be able to play. Following the workout, he started the game and played the entirety of the game.
"It's what you do it for," Bitonio said. "I do it for my guys, I want to be out there for my guys. To get that recognition is cool, but I would have taken just being out there with the guys. It was a personal test – I couldn't not put myself out there. I'm happy I did and I'm happy we got the win."
