CLEVELAND (AP) — Andre Szmyt hit a 37-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Cleveland Browns to a 19-17 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
Jordan Waters scored on a 2-yard run with 2:08 remaining to put the Rams up 17-16, setting the stage for the Browns’ late drive.
Tyler Huntley came in after Shedeur Sanders struggled. He drove the Browns 46 yards in six plays, which was capped off by Szmyt’s winning kick.
Szmyt could end up being Cleveland’s kicker after Dustin Hopkins continued to struggle. Hopkins missed his second extra point of the preseason in the second quarter.
Joe Flacco had a touchdown pass and Dillon Gabriel directed two scoring drives as the Browns went 3-0 in the preseason for the second time in five seasons. It is not an indicator of success though as Cleveland went 8-9 in 2021.
Dresser Winn went the distance for the Rams and completed 15 of 23 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. Waters finished with 41 yards on six carries.
Flacco was 9 of 10 for 71 yards and a touchdown as the first-team offense was in for three series and 17 plays. He completed all four of his passes on the second drive, including a 15-yard scoring strike to rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
Fannin lined up on the outside as a wide receiver and wasn’t covered before he caught it at the Rams 1 and went into the end zone on his first reception.
Gabriel was 12 of 19 for 129 yards and a TD. He went 9 of 11 during a two-minute drive late in the first half that went 86 yards in 11 plays, including a 3-yard touchdown to Gage Larvadain with 17 seconds remaining.
Warming up
Winn was off target on his first four passes before completing 12 straight for 145 yards. His first completion was for 33 yards up the left sideline to Terrrance Ferguson on the first play of a six-play scoring drive that was capped with a 1-yard TD pass to Drake Stoops with 1:55 remaining in the first half.
Joshua Karty got the Rams within six points late in the third quarter with a 45-yard field goal.
Sanders struggles
Sanders played most of the second half for Cleveland but did not enjoy the same success that he did in his preseason debut on Aug. 8 at Carolina.
Sanders was 3 of 6 for 14 yards and sacked five times. That included a 24-yard loss early in the fourth quarter where he kept scrambling backward instead of throwing the ball away.
The fifth-round pick was 14 of 23 for 138 yards and two TD passes in nearly three quarters of action against the Panthers.
Injuries
Rams: CB Charles Woods was being evaluated for a concussion.
Browns: Starting center Ethan Pocic suffered a knee injury during the first series and did not return. RB Pierre Strong and WR Cade McDonald were evaluated for concussions. TE Blake Whiteheart did not return after sustaining a knee injury during the first half. DE Julian Okwara had a rib injury during the second half.
Up Next
Rams: Open the regular season at home against the Houston Texans on Sept. 7.
Browns: Host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7.
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