The Cleveland Browns finally have a winning season.
Behind a first-half performance unparalleled in franchise history, Cleveland defeated the Titans 41-35 to move to 9-3, clinching its first winning record in 13 years.
Since rejoining the NFL in 1999, the Browns have posted only two winning seasons, with the other coming in 2002, the last time Cleveland advanced to the playoffs.
Sunday in Tennessee, the Browns took another big step toward snapping the league's longest postseason drought. Spearheaded by quarterback Baker Mayfield, Cleveland scored 38 points in the first half, breaking the franchise record for points in a first half (35, set in 2004).
Mayfield also had a standout half, becoming the first Browns quarterback since Otto Graham in 1951 to pass for four touchdowns in a first half.
"Great plays. Up front, the protection was great, and our guys were getting open and making those plays. It is a combination. Expect to come in and make some of these plays, and our guys are getting open. We base our game plan and our style of play off the run game, but we are going to do whatever it takes to win week in and week out," Mayfield said. "In the first half, that was spreading them out and doing some things to take care of some empty space."
Mayfield completed 12 of his first 14 passes, with one of the incompletions coming on a drop on the opening drive by Donovan Peoples-Jones, which would've given Mayfield five touchdown throws in the half.
Mayfield is the only NFL quarterback to toss four touchdowns in a half this season -- and he has achieved the feat twice, including in Week 7 in the second half of a comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Mayfield became the first Cleveland quarterback with multiple four-touchdown passing games in a season since Brian Sipe in 1983.
"We are taking it one game at a time. We are handling everything inside the building. We know there was a lot of talk of this game leading up to it, but we weren't worried about that," Mayfield said. "We were just worried about doing our job and doing it at a very high level."
In a key AFC matchup, the Browns jumped to a 17-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter with Mayfield's second touchdown throw, as he found backup offensive tackle Kendall Lamm, who had lined up as a tight end, from the 1-yard line.
"I give credit to the players. We talked all week about our work during the week was going to be a determining factor in how we play, and the guys worked their butts off all week," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. "They understand what a good operation looks like and what efficient football looks like, and I was proud of how they played."
After the Titans scored on their ensuing drive, Mayfield answered on Cleveland's next play from scrimmage with a 75-yard touchdown strike to Peoples-Jones, who faked out the Tennessee secondary with an up-and-out move.
The Titans finally cut the deficit to one score with 28 seconds remaining after Mayfield's fumble set up Ryan Tannehill's late touchdown pass. But Cleveland fullback Andy Janovich recovered Tennessee's last-gasp onside kick.
The Browns haven't been 9-3 since 1994, when they finished the regular season 11-5 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Following a losing record a year later, then-owner Art Modell relocated the franchise to Baltimore and renamed it the Ravens.
The Browns next face the Ravens at home Dec. 14 on Monday Night Football. Cleveland lost to Baltimore in the season opener 38-6. With a victory, Cleveland would boast its best record in 51 years.
"Winning is hard in this National Football League. There are a bunch of good teams, and they are coming at you week in and week out," Stefanski said. "I think our guys understand that we are just looking to go 1-0 each week, and there is so much work that goes into going 1-0."