The Cleveland Browns fell to 0-2 in the preseason when the Minnesota Vikings had the last laugh during the teams’ joint practice week. The Vikings won 27-12; here’s the full recap.
1st quarter
The Vikings received the ball after the opening kickoff, with backup QB Nick Mullens led them. His passes were crisp on the first drive, including a 31-yard connection down the left sideline to WR Jalen Nailor with CB Cameron Mitchell in reporting.
The Vikings continued to push the ball down the field with relative ease, and then Mullens finished the drive with a smooth 14-yard pass into the front corner of the end zone to WR Trishton Jacksonand took a 7-0 lead.
QB Dorian Thompson Robinson started for the Browns and made the offense react. After 17- and 8-yard completions to WR James Proche and TE Jordan Akinsa stopped run allowed a 4th and 2 from the Vikings’ 44-yard line. The Browns tried it and WR Jamari Thrash caught a 15-yard pass for a first down.
On the next play, DTR gained time by rolling backwards and toward the sideline before firing a pass to FB Giovanni Ricci into the end zone. The defender intervened and brought the ball to the 1-yard line. Two plays later, RB Photo by: D’Onta Foreman’s The second attempt was successful and resulted in a touchdown, tying the game at 7:7.
On the Vikings’ next drive, Mullens brought the Vikings back within field goal range, but the pressure on third down from DT Shelby Harris forced an incomplete pass. The Vikings sent K Will Reichard for a 44-yard field goal, which he converted and gave Minnesota a 10-7 lead.
A penalty for offensive holding by OT Germain Ifedi On the Browns’ second drive, they immediately threw another first-and-20 attempt, which prevented the offense from getting a first down. They punted late in the first quarter.
2nd quarter
Towards the beginning of the second quarter Isaiah Thomas recorded a 9-yard sack on the third attempt and forced Minnesota to punt.
On the first play of the Browns’ next drive, DTR managed a 14-yard sack to the 2-yard line, putting the offense in a tough spot for the second straight drive and leading to a punt. Mullens then led another scoring drive for the Vikings, though a sack on third down resulted in a six-yard loss by LB. Jeremiah Martin They had to settle for a 38-yard field goal, giving the Vikings a 13-7 lead.
Cleveland managed another three-and-out, continuing the team’s offensive efficiency. The Vikings were on their way to another scoring drive, but on 3rd and 7 at the Browns 40-yard line, DT Chris Williams made a 6-yard sack that forced a punt. WR Jaelon Darden made a fair catch at the 6-yard line, setting up a two-minute drill. Foreman caught a pass in the flats and broke tackles for a 27-yard gain.
He followed that up with a 17-yard pass to Ricci over the middle. Cleveland’s offense continued to push the pace. Thrash then made a couple of mistakes that helped end the drive: first, he missed the ball, and then a few plays later, a tightly covered pass over the middle (but just a touch too far back) found Thrash in front. The ball then bounced in the air and was intercepted, ending the half.
3rd quarter
QB Tyler Huntley took over the offense at the beginning of the second half and continued to use the tight ends. His first play was a play action and then he found a completely free TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden for 30 yards. A few plays later, on 4th and 2 from the Vikings’ 27-yard line, Huntley hit TE Treyton Welchwho was also completely free, for 22 yards, allowing the 1st and 1 attempt at the 5-yard line.
On the first attempt, Huntley ran a playaction pass and had a player completely free, but there was also immediate pressure that resulted in a 6-yard sack. On the second attempt, Huntley threw a short pass directly to CB Dwight McGlothernwhich he carried back 90 yards before Huntley took him out of the field. However, OT Hakeem Adeniji limped away after giving chase and making an unfortunate landing.
Two games later, QB Jaren Hall WR meet Malik Knowles for a 1-yard touchdown pass, making the game 20-7 and completely reversing the momentum.
On Huntley’s second drive, he got the offense moving again, but they had to settle for a 23-yard field goal from K. Cade York to leave the game 20:10.
4th quarter
After a few punts from both teams, Hall rolled out and found WR Jeshaun Jones for a 71-yard touchdown pass after CB Myles Hardenand extended the Vikings’ lead to 27-10.
The offense was unable to accomplish anything the rest of the game as it began to rain in Cleveland. However, at the two-minute warning, the Vikings attempted a play-action pass while trapped in their own end zone. Williams was sacked and the quarterback fumbled out of the end zone for a safety, making the game 27-12.
Huntley was again selected to finish the game.
Next, the Browns travel to Seattle to play their final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Fast thugs
- QB Dorian Thompson Robinson: 13 of 17 for 126 yards, 1 INT.
- QB Tyler Huntley: 14 of 20 for 135 yards, 2 INT.
- RB D’Onta Foreman: 10 carries, 18 yards (1.8 YPC), 1 TD. 5 catches, 46 yards.
- TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden: 4 catches, 59 yards.
- Facebook Giovanni Ricci: 4 catches, 32 yards.
- LB Winston ReidLB Jeremiah MartinEN Isaiah Thomasand DT Chris Williams everyone had sacks. Williams had two sacks.
- OT James Hudson (ankle), TE Giovanni Ricci (knee), OT Hakeem Adeniji (knee) and OT Germain Ifedi (Hand) all left the game early due to injury and did not return.
- We heard about RB Nick Chubb:
