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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns can do more than just run the ball, and the NFL’s longest playoff drought is nearing its end after 18 seasons.
Mayfield threw a record 334 yards with his four first-half touchdown passes, and the Browns scored the first 17 points before winning their fourth in a row, 41-35 over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
With the two chasing AFC playoff spots, the Browns looked like the top team in a division – they’re second in the AFC North behind the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers – as they pulled back. improved to 9-3 for the third time in their expansion period.
The Titans (8-4) came out on top of the AFC South and started tied after the Colts beat Houston 26-20, although Tennessee still have the best division record. The Titans collapsed after a poor fourth place finish in their first practice. NFL leader Derrick Henry lost his first fumble this season on the next haul.
Mayfield prevented the Browns from needing the NFL’s best rushing offense in what was to be a two-game showdown against the Titans and Henry. The Browns had their best half of all time, leading 38-7 at halftime, surpassing 35 points in the second half at Cincinnati in 2004.
The Titans made it interesting late.
Kenny Vaccaro picked up a fumble from Mayfield and ran it for 53 yards with 48 seconds left. Ryan Tannehill hit Cam Batson for an 8-yard TD pass with 28 seconds left, but Andy Janovich recovered the kick in play to seal the Browns’ longest winning streak since they closed 2009 with four. victories.
Mayfield became the first Browns quarterback to throw four touchdowns in the first half since Hall of Famer Otto Graham in 1951. Mayfield, who threw four of his five touchdowns in the second half of a win over Cincinnati on October 25, had only two touchdowns. passes in the last four games combined.
No one else in the NFL has thrown four TD passes in a half this season, and Mayfield had 290 yards at halftime, just past his peak of 297 yards.
This time, Mayfield passed to eight different receivers with one TD assist each to Jarvis Landry; backup tackle Kendall Lamm who became the first Browns lineman to catch a TD assist since 2001; 75 yards to Donovan Peoples-Jones and 17 yards to Rashard Higgins.
Nick Chubb added a 1 yard TD just before halftime.
The Titans got a little cute on their debut record. Tannehill threw a pass to open offensive lineman Aaron Brewer, who dropped the ball. Then Henry ran fourth and appeared to pick up the first, but officials scored him before the scorer. Coach Mike Vrabel unsuccessfully challenged the place.
Tennessee opened the second half with back-to-back touchdowns in the first six minutes. First, Tannehill threw a 22-yard pass to MyCole Pruitt. The tight end picked up AJ Brown’s fumble on a 16-yard strike and ran 3 yards for a TD to the next drive to shoot the Titans to 38-21.
The Titans came in with five turnovers, the least in the NFL. Cleveland forced three, the last at the end of the third quarter. Adam Humphries, playing his first game since Nov. 1 with a concussion, landed a pass from Tannehill that was turned away by cornerback MJ Stewart at the Browns 9.
Corey Davis of Tennessee recorded career-high 11 catches for 182 yards, including a touchdown, as the Titans tried to rally in the air in the second half.
GARRETT’S BACK
Myles Garrett got a sack from Tannehill early in the fourth quarter, giving him 10 1/2 for the season. He tied for second in the league despite missing two games. He led the league in the sacks when he entered the COVID-19 list.
INJURIES
Browns: Linebacker Mack Wilson was examined for a concussion.
Titans: Brown fell in the first half with an apparent right ankle injury, but came back.
NEXT
The Browns host the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, December 14.
The Titans visit Jacksonville next Sunday.
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Follow Teresa M. Walker on https://twitter.com/TeresaMWalker
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL
Copyright 2020 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
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