Browns-Dolphins Final Score: Cleveland loses 30-24 in overtime

The Cleveland Browns lost the Miami Dolphins by a final score of 30-24 in overtime in Week 3.

Things started off on a positive note when CB Jamar Taylor picked off the first pass of the day attempted by QB Ryan Tannehill. Despite the great starting field position, QB Cody Kessler was rattled right away: a false start on his first play, followed by fumbling on third down after he held on to the ball way too long. Tannehill quickly marched the Dolphins down the field, leading to a 26-yard touchdown pass when WR DeVante Parker beat CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, who was playing for the injured CB Joe Haden. That gave the Dolphins a 7-0 lead.

The Browns used a mix of WR Terrelle Pryor at quarterback on their next drive and he actually threw two passes, which you can watch here. Cleveland got in range for a 41-yard field goal attempt, but new K Cody Parkey missed it.

Cleveland put together a nice drive to close out the first quarter, leading into the start of the second quarter. This time, Parkey connected on a 46-yard field goal to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 7-3. A couple of drives later, facing a 3rd-and-3, the game took a turn when Boddy-Calhoun made a name for himself with a pick six after pressure had been generated by DE Tyrone Holmes.

The pick six gave the Browns a 10-7 lead. The Dolphins tied it with a 37-yard field goal at the two-minute mark, but Kessler helped lead a two-minute drill to set up a 48-yard field goal by Parkey, which he drilled. That gave the Browns a 13-10 lead heading into the half.

Cleveland received the ball first in the third quarter and put together their longest drive of the game. It took up half the quarter, but then things quickly turned south. First, RT Austin Pasztor committed a holding penalty to stall the drive; it was his fourth penalty of the game. Then, Parkey boinked a 42-yard field goal attempt off the left upright.

Miami struck quickly when they got the ball, with the big play being a 42-yard touchdown pass to WR Jarvis Landry, who beat CB Tramon Williams to give Miami a 17-13 lead.

Cleveland couldn’t muster anything on their next offensive drive, and then Miami drove downfield for another touchdown-scoring drive. This time, the touchdown came at the beginning of the fourth quarter -- a 10-yard dumpoff to RB Damien Williams, putting Miami up 24-13.

On the Browns’ next drive, they responded. Kessler had a 25-yard crossing pattern pass to Pryor, and down near the goal line, a couple of offsides penalties on Miami gave Cleveland a first down at the 2-yard line. From there, Pryor took the Shotgun snap and sped around the edge for the touchdown.

Kessler re-entered the game and connected with TE Gary Barnidge for the two-point conversion, making it a 24-21 game with over ten minutes to play.

Cleveland’s defense responded with a three-and-out stuff. Their offense then went three-and-out, though, even though it looked like Pryor was interfered with on third down. The defense responded yet again, taking over with just over six minutes to go. A 25-yard burst by RB Isaiah Crowell and a 40-yard catch by Pryor put Cleveland in field goal range.

Parkey came on and tied the game at 24-24 with 3:14 left in the game, connecting from 38 yards out.

The Dolphins went three-and-out, which means Kessler had an opportunity to lead a two-minute drill for the win. He got the team to near midfield, but his third down pass to Pryor was knocked away by CB Byron Maxwell. The Dolphins took over with 0:42 to play.

With 0:20 left in the game and on third down, waiver claim OLB Corey Lemonier stripped Tannehill and recovered it! Cleveland took a knee and then called timeout with 0:04 on the clock, to send Parkey out for a game-winning attempt from 46 yards out...and he missed it again. Ugh.

That sent the game into overtime. Cleveland called tails, won the toss, and opted to kick to begin overtime.

The strategy worked to begin with, as the Dolphins punted on their opening possession. After picking up one first down, though, Kessler got sacked and then another holding penalty on Pasztor was called. Their punt was short, setting Miami up on Cleveland’s side of the field and a chance to win it with just a field goal.

That’s when Taylor bit on a playaction fake just like he did a week ago against WR Mike Wallace of the Ravens, and Landry was wide open for 32 yards, down to the 11 yard line. That pretty much sealed it — RB Jay Ajayi took it in around the edge to win the game for Miami, 30-24.

Quick Hitters

• QB Cody Kessler was 21-of-33 for 244 yards and 1 lost fumble. All things considered, he played pretty darn well for his first start.
• WR Terrelle Pryor was the player of the day. He completed 3-of-5 passes for 35 yards. He ran 4 times for 21 yards and 1 touchdown. On 14 targets, he caught 8 passes for 144 yards.
• RB Isaiah Crowell had 15 carries for 79 yards (5.26 YPC).
• RB Duke Johnson had 10 carries for 69 yards (6.9 YPC).
• FS Jordan Poyer led the team with 12 tackles.
• CB Jamar Taylor and CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun logged interceptions, with Boddy-Calhoun's being a pick six.
• OLB Corey Lemonier had a strip, sack, and recovery in the final moments of regulation.
• OT Austin Pasztor had five penalties against him.
• K Cody Parkey, in his debut with the Browns, only made 3-of-6 field goal attempts. One of his misses was to win the game in regulation as time expired.
• The Browns out-gained the Dolphins 430 yards to 426 yards.
• Cleveland controlled the clock, having the ball for 37:22 compared to 29:12 for the Dolphins.
• The Browns were 4-of-15 on third down, while the Dolphins were 2-of-10 on third down.
• Miami registered four sacks on the day.