The Vikings scored a touchdown with 25 seconds left to take a 21-17 lead, which sealed the win for Minnesota against the Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Vikings QB Carson Wentz threw a 12-yard touchdown to WR Jordan Addison to cap off a 10-play, 80-yard drive that took 2:40 off the clock. Following the drive, QB Dillon Gabriel and the Browns tried to get a touchdown to steal the game back, but ran out of time.
The Browns held a 17-14 lead for the entirety of the fourth quarter until the Minnesota touchdown.
Gabriel made his NFL debut in the game, throwing for 190 yards and two touchdowns. RB Quinshon Judkins also ran for a career-high 110 yards. The Browns' defense forced two Minnesota fumbles to get their third and fourth takeaways of the season.
Key Moments
Dillon Gabriel's starting debut
Gabriel made his first NFL start against the Vikings, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to have his first start come in an international game. He finished the game with 190 passing yards and two passing touchdowns.
His first drive was shut down early with the Browns going three-and-out, but on his second drive, he allowed the rushing game to do work to drive down the field. Gabriel finished the drive with a 1-yard passing touchdown to TE Harold Fannin Jr., giving the Browns an early lead of 7-0. The touchdown was Gabriel's second of his career and Fannin's first.
Before halftime, Gabriel led the Browns down the field to get points. He went from the Cleveland 34-yard line to the Minnesota 13-yard line, throwing for 59 yards on 6 of 10 passing attempts, and ended with a 31-yard field goal from K Andre Szmyt to go into halftime up 10-7.
On the Browns' first possession after halftime, the running game moved the ball while Gabriel helped lead the drive into the end zone. Five consecutive runs moved the Browns to the Minnesota 38-yard line before Gabriel passed to Judkins for 18 yards. On the next play, Gabriel laid the ball off to TE David Njoku, who hurdled over a Vikings defender on his way to a 6-yard gain. After the Vikings started to stop Cleveland's run game, on third-and-goal from the 9-yard line, Gabriel delivered a pass in between multiple Minnesota defenders to Njoku to put the Browns up 17-14.
Quinshon Judkins gets loose
Judkins finished the game with a career-high 110 rushing yards and a career-high 23 carries. He also added 18 receiving yards on a play that put the Browns in the red zone in the third quarter.
He showcased his big-play ability against the Vikings, helping the Browns to move the ball down the field. On his third run of the game, he ran for 32 yards down the right sideline, getting to the Minnesota 15-yard line. The drive would later lead to a touchdown on a Gabriel pass to Fannin.
On the Browns' next possession, Judkins evaded the Vikings trying to tackle him and ran for a 56-yard touchdown, but it was nullified due to penalties. Judkins had three runs of 10-plus yards including his 32-yard first quarter rush, bringing him to eight 10-plus yard plays on the season.
Browns punch the ball out
The Browns forced the Vikings to lose their grip on the football, causing and recovering two fumbles.
On the Vikings' first possession of the game, RB Jordan Mason was held up by DE Alex Wright, who punched the ball out. S Grant Delpit then recovered at the Minnesota 47-yard line, giving the Browns their third takeaway of the season. Judkins ran for 32 yards on the ensuing play, getting to the Vikings' 15-yard line. The drive led to a Browns touchdown to take a 7-0 lead.
Cleveland's second fumble came in the fourth quarter from DE Isaiah McGuire as he forced Vikings RB Zavier Scott to lose his grip on the football. Scott dropped the ball to the turf and LB Mohamoud Diabate jumped on top of it and made the recovery.
Game Highlights
Dillon Gabriel gets his first completion in the game on a 12-yard pass to David Njoku.
Quinshon Judkins uses the sideline to get a 32-yard gain to move the Browns into the red zone.
Dillon Gabriel and Harold Fannin Jr. connect for a touchdown to put Browns up 7-0.
David Njoku high-points Dillon Gabriel's pass for a 17-yard gain.
David Njoku hurdles over a Vikings defender.
Dillon Gabriel throws a nine-yard touchdown to David Njoku.
Alex Wright sacks Carson Wentz.
Myles Garrett chases down Carson Wentz and forces a fourth down.
Mohamoud Diabate recovers the Browns' second fumble of the game.
Maliek Collins gets his first sack of the game and increases his season total to 2.5.
Scoring Plays
MIN 0, CLE 7 | Dillon Gabriel 1-yard pass to Harold Fannin Jr. | 6:49 1Q
MIN 7, CLE 7 | Cam Akers 32-yard pass to Josh Oliver | 2:30 1Q
MIN 7, CLE 10 | Andre Szmyt makes 31-yard field goal | 0:09 2Q
MIN 14, CLE 10 | Jordan Mason 6-yard run | 11:11 3Q
MIN 14, CLE 17 | Dillon Gabriel 9-yard pass to David Njoku | 3:05 3Q
MIN 21, CLE 17 | Carson Wentz 12-yard pass to Jordan Addison | 0:25 4Q
What's Next
After losing to Minnesota, the Browns come back to the United States to play the Steelers in Week 6. They will travel to Pittsburgh and play the Steelers on Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.
