CLEVELAND (AP) — Quinshon Judkins barreled into the end zone from 5 yards out with 53 seconds remaining, and the resilient Cleveland Browns stunned the Houston Texans 27-24 on Sunday.
The surprising Browns
(6-4) ended a two-game skid by rallying from an early 17-point deficit to send the Texans (3-6) to another baffling loss.
Deshaun Watson passed for 312 yards against his former team, rushed for 50 yards — including a high-stepping 6-yard touchdown run — and led his sixth game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, continuing a season in which he's revived his career.
Watson, who downplayed his second meeting with the team that traded him away four years ago, completed 25 of 40 passes and overcame a fourth-quarter interception to send Cleveland into its bye week with the franchise's biggest comeback victory in 12 years.
Trailing by four with less than two minutes to go, Watson guided the Browns 49 yards in just three plays. A personal foul on the Texans moved the ball 15 yards; a 30-yard catch-and-run by tight end Harold Fannin Jr. moved the Browns to the 5, and Judkins did the rest.
C.J. Stroud passed for 211 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for Houston, which could not maintain its early momentum on a dreary afternoon.
Nico Collins caught nine passes for 94 yards and a score for the Texans, who began the season with Super Bowl aspirations but lost their first four games and now face a difficult path just to make the playoffs.
Playing without edge rusher Danielle Hunter, three-time Pro Bowl guard Wyatt Teller and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the Texans nonetheless appeared to be in command when they raced to a three-score lead against a Cleveland defense that gave up yards in chunks.
And then it all vanished. The Texans, who racked up 194 yards on their first three drives, managed just 96 the rest of the way.
Houston was still in position to pull it out after Stroud hit Dalton Schultz for an 11-yard touchdown with 9:20 to go. Cleveland's next two drives ended with a punt and a pick by Watson.
But when Houston's defense — thought to be the team's biggest strength — needed one more stop, it faltered again.
Texans: RB Woody Marks ran for 50 yards in little over a half before being placed in the concussion protocol in the third after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit.
Brown: DE Derek Barnett left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury.
Texans: Host Indianapolis on Thursday night.
Browns: Off next week, then welcome Las Vegas on Nov. 29.
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