The Cleveland Browns have made a habit of close finishes this season. Their latest win—a 27–24 comeback over the Houston Texans—also put them in the NFL record book: Cleveland became the first team in league history to win its first six games of a season by four points or fewer.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and lifted the Browns to 6–4 heading into their bye week. Quinshon Judkins scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 5-yard run with 53 seconds left. Cleveland’s six wins have come by a combined 19 points: 23–19 over Tampa Bay, 21–18 over Carolina, 27–24 over Pittsburgh, 13–10 over Baltimore, 27–24 over Tennessee and 27–24 over Houston. The Buccaneers game was Cleveland’s largest margin of victory; each of the five wins since then came by three points.
Deshaun Watson has led a fourth-quarter go-ahead scoring drive in all six victories. Against Houston, the Browns needed another late rally after falling behind by 17 points.
## Browns Rally From 17 Down to Beat Texans
Houston scored on its first three possessions to take a 17–0 lead. Cleveland responded before halftime when a 65-yard completion from Watson to Jerry Jeudy set up Watson’s 6-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 17–10.
KC Concepcion’s 6-yard touchdown run tied the score, and Andre Szmyt’s field goal put Cleveland ahead 20–17. Houston answered with a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Dalton Schultz, setting up another Browns comeback attempt.
Cleveland began its decisive possession at the Houston 49-yard line. Harold Fannin Jr. gained 30 yards on a catch and run to move the Browns to the 5, and Judkins scored on the next play. The defense then preserved the lead: Donovan McMillon broke up Houston’s fourth-and-20 pass to end the Texans’ final possession.
Watson finished with 312 passing yards, one interception, 49 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
## Browns Head Into Bye With a Playoff Opportunity
The Browns enter their Week 11 bye with a 6–4 record and a chance to strengthen their playoff position. NFL Next Gen Stats gives Cleveland, the AFC’s seventh seed, a 45% chance of making the playoffs and a 7% chance of winning the AFC North. The Browns are chasing the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers in the division.
New England’s 35–10 loss to Detroit dropped the Patriots to 5–5. Cleveland had entered the week behind New England on a tiebreaker for the conference’s final playoff spot, but Sunday’s results put the Browns a game ahead.
Cleveland is 4–0 at home and will return from the bye to host the Las Vegas Raiders on November 29. The Browns then have home games against Cincinnati and Atlanta.
The early deficit and missed scoring chances against Houston showed that Cleveland still has areas to address. But the Browns head into their break with a winning record and three consecutive home games ahead, at a stadium where they have not lost this season.
