CLEVELAND — Jameis Winston warned his receivers he was going to let it rip, and they were ready to feast.
Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore, Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku all stepped up with big catches in big moments Sunday as the Browns snapped a five-game losing streak with a 29-24 win against Baltimore at Huntington Bank Field.
“Jameis made it perfectly clear that he was going to let the ball fly, so we were ready,” said Tillman, who piled up 99 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches. His touchdowns were the first of his two-year NFL career.
Browns 29, Ravens 24: Jameis Winston sparks offense as Cleveland snaps 5-game skid
Tillman had more yards Sunday than he did in the first seven games combined. Taken in the third round last year (74th overall), Tillman has moved into the role of Amari Cooper, whom Cleveland traded along with a sixth-round pick to Buffalo for third- and seventh-round picks prior to the Week 7 game against Cincinnati.
Since the Cooper deal, Tillman has totaled 15 catches and 180 yards on 19 targets, catching passes from all three Cleveland quarterbacks in the span of two games. With Winston at the controls, he had his best game as a pro, capped with the winning 38-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left in the game.
“I was in a coverage with a safety,” Tillman said. “I knew I had to make a play. Jameis always says he’s going to throw it, he’s going to come back to me. We did that and we executed at the end.”
Tillman’s touchdown would not have been possible without Moore, who finished with 85 yards and led the team in targets (12) and catches (eight). His biggest came on third-and-7 with 1:21 left and the Browns needing a first down to at least get in rage for a winning field goal attempt.
Moore slipped by his defender, extended for the catch and as he was getting wrapped up from behind had the presence of mind to stretch as far as he could. His effort was rewarded with a first down, and two plays later Tillman gave Cleveland a 29-24 lead.
“They keep leaving the tree route open,” Moore said. “Usually we hit the stick route. We’re pounding the stick route to Dave (Njoku) all game and leaving me open. It ends up being open. Jameis made a great throw and a great catch.”
Jeudy and Njoku had clutch catches throughout the game. While Jeudy didn’t catch a touchdown, he was targeted eight times and came up with five catches for 79 yards.
Browns tight end David Njoku catches a pass for a touchdown Sunday in a win over the Ravens at Huntington Bank Field.
AP
Njoku, however, had an acrobatic 23-yard touchdown to cap Cleveland’s opening drive of the third quarter, putting the Browns up again, 13-10. Winston threw the ball high enough for Njoku to leap over Baltimore safety Eddie Jackson and rip the ball from the air.
“It’s a big momentum shift, especially beating a team like the Baltimore Ravens,” Jeudy said. “Beating a great team like they have, that’s a great momentum shift. We want to keep it going.”