CLEVELAND — Jameis Winston let his receivers know he was prepared to unleash his throwing power, and they were ready to capitalize.
Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore, Jerry Jeudy, and David Njoku all made significant catches at crucial moments on Sunday, leading the Browns to a 29-24 victory over Baltimore at Huntington Bank Field, thereby ending a five-game losing streak.
“Jameis made it clear he was going to let the ball fly, so we were prepared,” said Tillman, who recorded 99 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions. Those touchdowns marked the first of his two-year NFL career.
In the game, Tillman surpassed his total receiving yards from the previous seven games combined. Selected in the third round last year (74th overall), Tillman stepped into Amari Cooper’s role, following Cleveland’s trade of Cooper and a sixth-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for third- and seventh-round picks prior to the Week 7 matchup against Cincinnati.
Since Cooper’s departure, Tillman has made 15 catches for 180 yards on 19 targets, working with all three quarterbacks in Cleveland over the last two games. Under Winston’s leadership, he achieved his best performance as a pro, highlighted by the game-winning 38-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left.
“I was facing coverage with a safety,” Tillman remarked. “I knew I had to make a play. Jameis always says he’ll throw it back to me. We executed that perfectly at the end.”
Moore’s contributions were also critical for Tillman’s touchdown, as he finished with 85 yards while leading the team in targets (12) and receptions (eight). His most important catch came on a third-and-7 with 1:21 remaining, allowing the Browns to secure a first down and position themselves for a potential game-winning field goal.
Moore managed to evade his defender, making a crucial catch while being tackled from behind and stretching for the first down, setting the stage for Tillman to score.
“They keep leaving the tree route open,” Moore explained. “We usually hit the stick route, but we were working that with Dave (Njoku) all game, which left me open. Jameis made a great throw, and I made a great catch.”
Jeudy and Njoku also made pivotal catches during the game. Although Jeudy did not catch a touchdown, he was targeted eight times and recorded five receptions for 79 yards.
Njoku showcased his skills with a spectacular 23-yard touchdown that concluded the Browns’ opening drive of the third quarter, restoring their lead at 13-10. Winston threw the ball high, enabling Njoku to leap over Baltimore safety Eddie Jackson to make the catch.
“It’s a major momentum shift, especially defeating a team like the Baltimore Ravens,” Jeudy stated. “Beating a strong team like them can really change the momentum for us. We aim to keep this going.”