Week 13: Tennessee Titans 35, Cleveland Browns 41
Sunday, December 6th, 2020 | 12:00pm CT | Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN – In Week 13 of the 2020 season, the Tennessee Titans hosted the Cleveland Browns in a matchup of two 8-3 teams. Despite scoring 28 points in the second half and recording 431 total net yards of offense, Tennessee fell to Cleveland by a score of 41-35.
Cleveland got on the board on their opening possession with an eight-play scoring drive that culminated in a 27-yard field goal. The Browns took a 3-0 lead and never relinquished it.
Later in the first quarter, Cleveland manufactured a nine-play scoring drive to increase the lead to 10-0. Browns QB Baker Mayfield connected with Browns RB Nick Chubb for a 26-yard gain before throwing a two-yard touchdown pass to Browns WR Jarvis Landry.
On the ensuing Titans possession, Browns DT Sheldon Richardson forced RB Derrick Henry to fumble the ball, and Browns SS Karl Joseph recovered it. Cleveland took possession at the Tennessee 21-yard line and capitalized on the turnover as Mayfield tossed a one-yard touchdown to Browns T Kendall Lamm to make it a 17-0 game.
The Tennessee Titans got on the board in the second quarter with a four-play scoring drive. QB Ryan Tannehill threw a 40-yard pass to WR A.J. Brown to help move the chains before connecting with WR Corey Davis for a 17-yard touchdown to make it 17-7.
However, Cleveland responded on their next possession with a quick one-play scoring drive as Mayfield threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Browns WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to extend the lead 24-7. Cleveland added two more touchdowns in the second quarter. First, Mayfield tossed a 17-yard touchdown to WR Rashard Higgins, and then Chubb ran in a one-yard rushing score as the Browns took a 38-7 lead into halftime.
Tennessee opened up the second half with two consecutive touchdown drives. First was a three-play scoring drive as Henry ran for 10 yards, Tannehill threw a 43-yard strike to Davis, and then culminated in Tannehill tossing a 22-yard touchdown to TE MyCole Pruitt.
However, the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful as the Titans made it a 38-13 game. Next came a six-play scoring drive with Davis contributing two catches for 40 yards to move the sticks. At the Cleveland 19-yard line, Tannehill threw an 18-yard pass to Brown, but Brown fumbled the ball. Pruitt scooped it up and ran in a three-yard fumble recovery touchdown. Tannehill rushed for a successful two-point conversion attempt as Tennessee inched closer, 38-21.
The Browns drove down the field into Titans territory on the following Cleveland possession, but Tennessee limited their opponent to a field goal. The 43-yard kick, which made it a 41-21 game, became Cleveland’s only points scored in the second half.
The Titans tacked on two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make it a one-score game. They executed a 15-play, 91-yard scoring drive that saw four receptions for 47 yards by Davis, and four catches for 37 yards by TE Anthony Firkser. Ultimately, RB Jeremy McNichols rushed in a one-yard touchdown to make it 41-28.
DL Jack Crawford forced Mayfield to fumble the ball on the following Cleveland Browns possession. S Kenny Vaccaro recovered it and returned the fumble 53 yards to give the Titans possession at the Cleveland 13-yard line with 48 seconds remaining in regulation. Tannehill connected with WR Cameron Batson for an eight-yard touchdown to cut Cleveland’s lead to 41-35.
However, Tennessee couldn’t recover an onside kick and fell to the Browns at home.
