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Timely defense helps Browns escape Jags

Nov 21, 2011 - 12:41 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Josh Cribbs scored the game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter and the Browns defense stood tall on the final two plays of the game to preserve a 14-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

After Browns kicker Phil Dawson missed a field goal that would have given his team a seven point lead, Jacksonville took over at its 29 and moved the ball down to the Browns' 29, where it was faced with a 3rd-and-10 with under a minute to play.

On the play, Blaine Gabbert went over the middle for Jason Hill and Joe Haden was flagged for pass interference, resulting in a 1st-and-10 from the 14.

The Jags (3-7) got down to the one-yard line with eight seconds to play. Gabbert tried for Hill in the end zone on second down, but was incomplete, leaving only three seconds remaining.

On the final play of the game, Gabbert's pass again fell incomplete as time expired, sealing the win for the Browns (4-6).

"I think that was a team victory," Browns head coach Pat Shurmur said. "On defense we were opportunistic at times and then obviously in the last drive, however you stop them wherever you stop them, if you stop them, it's what you want."

Colt McCoy threw for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 17-of-24 efficiency. He also rushed five times for 27 yards.

Chris Ogbonnaya rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, filling in for injured star running back Peyton Hillis, who missed his fifth consecutive game because of a hamstring injury.

Greg Little caught five passes for 59 yards, Jordan Norwood caught a crucial 51-yard pass and Cribbs finished with three catches for 20 yards and a score.

Gabbert threw for 210 yards on 22-of-41 passing, while Maurice Jones-Drew racked up 87 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.

Marcedes Lewis hauled in seven passes for 64 yards.

The Browns took the lead for good when a 12-play, 85-yard drive ended after McCoy rolled out to his right on third down and connected with Cribbs for a three-yard score with 12:15 to go in regulation to put Cleveland up 14-7.

On the ensuing Jaguars possession, Gabbert moved his team 56 yards in 13 plays and Josh Scobee was good from 42 yards out to cut the deficit to four with 5:39 to play in the fourth quarter.

"It was certainly an exciting, dramatic finish to the ball game," Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio said. "It's not the first time we've been looking for that break-out, game-winning drive. We had a chance for our quarterback to take us down and he took us down, but we just couldn't quite close it out."

After a scoreless first 15 minutes, the Jags struck first as Gabbert led an 18-play, 92-yard march -- highlighted by four third-down conversions along the way -- and Jones-Drew capped the drive by pushing his way into the end zone for a six-yard touchdown run with 10:50 to play before halftime.

Late in the quarter, the Browns evened the score with an eight-play, 87-yard drive -- keyed by a huge 51-yard completion from McCoy to Norwood on 3rd-and-6.

Faced with a 2nd-and-7 from the Jags' seven-yard line, McCoy went short to Ogbonnaya, and though the pass was incomplete, Dawan Landry was called for defensive pass interference, giving the Browns a fresh set of downs from the one.

Ogbonnaya then went around the left side and walked into the end zone on 2nd- and-goal.

After the break, Cleveland had a superb chance to take the lead on its first possession of the second half. McCoy led the offense down to the Jacksonville six-yard line, but on 3rd-and-5, McCoy threw over the middle for Benjamin Watson, but the pass was intercepted by Landry.

Game Notes

The Jaguars second-quarter scoring drive marked their longest drive this season...Jacksonville holds a 9-5 advantage in its all-time series with Cleveland...Del Rio fell to 2-3 in his career against the Browns, while Shurmur won his first matchup against Jacksonville...It was Jones-Drew's fifth rushing score this season...The Jags went 7-for-15 on third down, while the Browns converted 4-of-10 third down chances.