Raiders defense, running game seals win over Browns

Sep 30, 2024, 6:59 AM

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 29: The Las Vegas Raiders celebrate in the fourth quarter against the...

(Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

Sactown Sports

Alexander Mattison and Zamir White combined for 110 yards rushing and the Las Vegas Raiders’ defense held tight in the second half to earn a 20-16 victory over the visiting Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Tre Tucker and DJ Turner each ran for a touchdown, while quarterback Gardner Minshew was 14-of-24 passing for 130 yards. Las Vegas (2-2) held Cleveland (1-3) to 119 yards and six points in the second half, while overcoming an early 10-point deficit.

Deshaun Watson was 24-of-32 passing for the Browns with one touchdown and one interception. Jerry Jeudy had six receptions for 72 yards for Cleveland, which was hurt by a second-half holding penalty that negated an 82-yard touchdown as well a missed extra point, both in the fourth quarter.

Snowden icing it 🥶#CLEvsLV | 📺 @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/S0wru9N1Na

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 29, 2024

Cleveland still had a chance to take a late lead, starting a drive at their own 31-yard line with 3:17 remaining. They advanced to the Raiders’ 9 before Watson was sacked on fourth down by Charles Snowden. The Raiders took over and ran off the final 41 seconds.

The Browns jumped out to a 7-0 lead, taking the opening drive of the game 70 yards in 15 plays and finding the end zone on a 1-yard pass from Watson to tight end Blake Whiteheart.

After a Raiders three-and-out on their first possession, Cleveland took a 10-0 first-quarter lead on a 56-yard field goal from Dustin Hopkins.

The Raiders responded with an 11-play, 70-yard drive on their next possession that finished with a 3-yard TD run from Tucker.

The Raiders defense began to assert itself from there, holding the Browns to 45 yards over their next two possessions in the first half. Las Vegas tied the score 10-10 with 2:52 remaining in the second quarter on a 52-yard field goal from Daniel Carlson.

The Raiders owned the third quarter, holding the Browns to 27 total yards, while getting a 34-yard field goal from Carlson and an 18-yard TD run from Turner to lead 20-10. Turner’s TD came on a 52-yard drive following an interception from Las Vegas safety Tre’von Moehrig.

Cleveland cut the deficit to 20-16 on the first play of the fourth quarter, when Rodney McLeod Jr. returned a White fumble 25 yards to the end zone. But Hopkins missed the extra point wide left.

Cleveland appeared to take the lead on an 82-yard TD pass from Watson to Amari Cooper with 10:16 remaining, but the play was called back for holding on Browns center Nick Harris.

–Field Level Media