CLEVELAND — Jameis Winston told his receivers to be ready for an aggressive game, and they delivered in a major way.
Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore, Jerry Jeudy, and David Njoku made crucial catches as the Browns ended a five-game losing streak with a 29-24 victory over Baltimore at Huntington Bank Field on Sunday.
“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 from seven receptions, marking the first touchdowns of his two-year NFL career.
Tillman’s performance on Sunday outpaced his total yardage from the first seven games combined. Drafted in the third round last year (74th overall), Tillman stepped into a prominent role following Cleveland’s trade of Amari Cooper to Buffalo before their Week 7 game against Cincinnati.
Since the Cooper trade, Tillman has made 15 receptions for 180 yards on 19 targets, catching passes from all three of Cleveland’s quarterbacks in just two games. With Winston under center, Tillman achieved his best game as a pro, capped off by a decisive 38-yard touchdown with 59 seconds remaining.
“I was in a coverage with a safety,” Tillman explained. “I knew I had to make a play. Jameis always says he’s going to throw it back to me. We executed that perfectly at the end.”
Tillman’s touchdown was made possible thanks to Moore, who led the team with 85 yards, eight catches, and 12 targets. Moore made a critical catch on a third-and-7 with 1:21 on the clock, helping the Browns secure a first down to set up the winning score.
“They keep leaving the tree route open,” Moore noted. “We usually hit the stick route. We were using that with Dave (Njoku) all game, and they were leaving me open. Jameis made a great throw and I made the catch.”
Jeudy and Njoku also made important contributions throughout the match. Jeudy, targeted eight times, recorded five catches for 79 yards, while Njoku scored an impressive 23-yard touchdown on the Browns’ opening drive of the third quarter, putting them ahead 13-10. Winston threw the ball high enough for Njoku to leap over Baltimore safety Eddie Jackson and secure the catch.
“It’s a huge momentum shift, especially against a team like the Baltimore Ravens,” Jeudy remarked. “Beating such a strong team gives us a great boost, and we want to keep this going.”