CLEVELAND — A plucky effort by the Browns wasn't enough to lift them to their first victory of 2017.
Cleveland rallied past a late deficit thanks to a stingy defense before falling to the Titans in overtime, 12-9, Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Kicker Ryan Succop knocked down a 47-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining in the extra period in a game where he connected on 4 of 5 attempts.
The Browns, who fell to 0-7 for the second consecutive season, did not allow a touchdown and held Tennessee to a 75 yards rushing but were ultimately undone again by self-inflicted wounds.
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Cody Kessler, who relieved starting rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer shortly after halftime, helped engineer a 10-play, 31-yard drive that ended when rookie kicker Zane Gonzalez knocked down a game-tying 54-yard field goal with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Kessler, who started eight games as a rookie in 2016, passed for 121 yards passing and an interception on 10 of 21 attempts.
Meanwhile, the Browns defense — who lamented miscommunications and miscues earlier in the week following a loss to Houston — held Tennessee to 269 total yards, 0-for-2 in the red zone and 5-of-17 on third down.
Perhaps their biggest stop of the day came when they stuffed bruising Tennessee running back Derrick Henry on 4th-and-goal early in the third quarter while trailing 6-3.
They did all of this playing without injured starters cornerback Jason McCourty (who's been arguably the team's best defenders through six games) and rookie safety Jabrill Peppers, who has been nursing a nagging toe injury. McCourty, who spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Titans, suffered an ankle injury in Thursday's practice.
As has been the case this season, however, the young Browns watched self-inflicted wounds once again undo them in a close game decided in the final minutes. Cleveland committed three turnovers and had 12 penalties.
Kizer, who has started six of seven games, accounted for two of those giveaways and was pulled from action after the first series of the second half. In his return to the field, Kizer passed for 114 yards on 12-of-20 attempts but tossed interceptions on back-to-back drives.
Joe Thomas injured
Browns left tackle Joe Thomas left the game with a triceps injury midway through the third quarter. He did not return.
Thomas, the 10-time Pro Bowler drafted by Cleveland in 2007, played in 10,363 consecutive snaps before the injury, a streak that spanned 11 seasons and 167 games.
The Browns play the Tennessee Titans in Week 7.
QB DeShone Kizer at the line of scrimmage.
RB Matthew Dayes catches a punt.
RB Isaiah Crowell runs the ball.
QB DeShone Kizer looks to throw.
RB Duke Johnson runs against the Titans defense.
P Britton Colquitt punts.
Head Coach Hue Jackson watches from the sideline.
QB DeShone Kizer scrambles.
QB DeShone Kizer passes the ball in the first half.
LB Christian Kirksey pressures Titans WR Rishard Matthews.
WR Kenny Britt tries to avoid a tackle by Titans CB LeShaun Sims.
K Zane Gonzalez makes a field goal.
QB DeShone Kizer looks to pass.
RB Isaiah Crowell in action against the Titans.
DL Myles Garrett pressures Titans QB Marcus Mariota.
QB DeShone Kizer scrambles.
TE Seth DeValve runs against Titans LB Wesley Woodyard.
QB DeShone Kizer passes against the Titans.
LB Jamie Collins Sr. sacks Titans QB Marcus Mariota.
QB Cody Kessler passes in the second half.
TE Seth DeValve avoids Titans LB Wesley Woodyard.
LB Christian Kirksey (58) reacts after stopping the Titans on 4th and goal.
The Browns defense in action against the Titans.
QB Cody Kessler in action against the Titans.
DB Derrick Kindred tackles Titans TE Delanie Walker.
LB Christian Kirksey defends against Titans TE Delanie Walker.
RB Duke Johnson runs against the Titans defense.
DL Emmanuel Ogbah celebrates a missed field goal by the Tennessee Titans.
RB Duke Johnson runs from the Titans defense.
