SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 8, 2013
Patriots 27, Browns 26: Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes in the final 61 seconds and finished with 418 yards as host New England overcame its third double-digit, second-half deficit in as many weeks to stun Cleveland.
Brady hit Julian Edelman with a 2-yard touchdown pass with 1:01 left before the Patriots (10-3) recovered an onside kick. The Browns were called for pass interference in the end zone two plays later, and Brady hit Danny Amendola with the go-ahead touchdown pass on the next play to give the Patriots their first lead of the game with 31 seconds left.
Billy Cundiff came up short on a last-second 58-yard field-goal attempt as Cleveland (4-9) suffered its fourth straight loss. Jason Campbell passed for 391 yards and three touchdowns and Josh Gordon caught seven passes for 151 yards for the Browns, who have not won in New England since Bill Belichick was Cleveland's coach in 1992
The Patriots finally got on the board with a field goal with 1:37 left in the third but Gordon took off on the next play, catching a short pass and beating Aqib Talib down the field for an 80-yard score and a 19-3 cushion. New England cut it to 19-11 on Shane Vereen’s 6-yard TD run and the ensuing two-point conversion, and tacked on a field goal with 5:43 left but Campbell’s 4-yard TD pass to Jordan Cameron with 2:39 left appeared to put the game away.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski made a tough catch over the middle for a first down with 8:10 left in the third quarter but was hit low by linebacker T.J. Ward on the right knee, which appeared to buckle inward and left the star tight end down on the field for several minutes before he was taken off on a stretcher. The Browns had taken a 12-0 lead on Gary Barnidge’s 40-yard TD catch on the previous drive.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Gordon is the first receiver in Browns history to record at least 100 yards in four straight games. … Patriots RB Stevan Ridley, who was inactive last week after fumbling three games in a row, was active and gained 35 yards on eight carries without a turnover. … Brady improved to 43-6 in December since becoming the starter.