Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette (27) celebrates his two yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second quarter at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on October 8, 2017. File photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI |
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CLEVELAND - Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette slugged his way to 111 rushing yards and the Jaguars defense played tough as usual to beat the Cleveland Browns 19-7 on Sunday and take over sole possession of first place in the AFC South.
The weather and two strong defenses made the 60-minute tug-of-war before a sparse crowd predictable. The Browns harassed Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles throughout and the game, and the Jaguars (7-3) did the same to Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer.
The Browns fell to 0-10.
Kizer's second interception of the game, picked by Jacksonville cornerback A.J. Bouye, led to Josh Lambo kicking a 39-yard field goal with 3:31 left in the fourth quarter to give Jacksonville a 13-7 lead.
Kizer lost a fumble on a strip-sack with 1:44 to play as the Browns were trying to mount a comeback. Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith recovered in the end zone for a touchdown with 53 seconds left. It was Kizer's fourth turnover of the game.
Kizer had protected the ball well in consecutive starts against Minnesota and Detroit, but on the first play of the Browns' second possession Sunday, his pass over the middle intended for Corey Coleman was intercepted by Smith and returned 26 yards to the Browns 33.
From there, the Jaguars needed just four plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Bortles to tight end Marcedes Lewis. The score was set up by a 16-yard pass from Bortles to Marqise Lee.
Jacksonville took a 10-0 lead at 14:14 of the second quarter on a 38-yard field goal by Lambo. Lambo had a chance to push the Jaguars lead to 13-7, but his 41-yard field-goal attempt on the final play of the first half was wide right.
In between the field-goal tries by Lambo, the Browns cut the Jacksonville lead to 10-7 on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Kizer to running back Duke Johnson to finish off a 66-yard drive in five plays.
The Browns had only three first downs in the first half, but they were able to keep the score close because the defense kept Fournette from breaking a long run. Fournette rushed for 54 yards in the first half.
The Browns' defense continued to thwart the Jaguars in the third quarter. The Browns forced two Jacksonville punts, then, after Browns returner Jabrill Peppers muffed a punt, Jacksonville regained possession. But linebacker Christian Kirksey got a strip-sack of Bortles, and defensive end Myles Garrett recovered for the Browns to keep the deficit 10-7 at the end of the third quarter.
NOTES: The Jaguars surprised the Browns with an onside kick after their first touchdown. Jaguars K Josh Lambo recovered, but it didn't count because rookie LB Donald Payne was offside. ... Josh Wells started at right tackle for the Jaguars in place of Jermey Parnell. Parnell was inactive with a knee injury after being listed as questionable Friday. ... Corey Coleman started at wide receiver for the Browns after missing seven games with a broken hand. ... Shon Coleman started at right tackle for the Browns after getting knocked out with a concussion last week.
