SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 7, 2014
Colts 25, Browns 24: Andrew Luck overcame a tough outing with a 1-yard touchdown pass to T.Y. Hilton with 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Indianapolis a dramatic comeback win at Cleveland.
Luck was 24-of-53 for 294 yards and two TDs with two interceptions and a fumble that resulted in a score for the Browns, but he helped his team to four scoring drives in the final 22-plus minutes to overcome a 14-point deficit. Hilton made 10 catches for 150 yards and two second-half scores for the Colts (9-4), who maintained their two-game lead over Houston in the AFC South.
Isaiah Crowell ran for 54 yards and a touchdown as Cleveland (7-6) scored twice on defense before folding in a crucial loss that dropped it into last place in the crowded AFC North. Brian Hoyer, who was given the start after being yanked in favor of rookie Johnny Manziel last week, completed 14-of-31 passes for 140 yards and two interceptions, including one with six seconds left on a desperation heave.
Rookie Justin Gilbert intercepted Luck early in the third quarter before slicing through traffic for a 23-yard TD return to make it 21-7, but the Colts pulled within five on Adam Vinatieri's 51-yard field goal and Luck's 42-yard scoring strike to Hilton, and cut their deficit to two on another field goal to begin the fourth. Luck got the ball back with 3:46 to go and engineered an 11-play, 90-yard drive that featured a fourth-and-1 conversion in the final minute and concluded with the short TD pass to Hilton on the left side.
Hoyer threw a pick in the end zone midway through the first quarter, but Cleveland's defense picked him up later in the period as Luck was sacked and fumbled at the goal line before linebacker Craig Robertson recovered in the end zone. Luck capped a six-play drive with an 11-yard TD run with 5:57 left in the half to tie it, but Hoyer went 4-of-5 on the ensuing possession to set up Crowell's 9-yard touchdown run that made it 14-7 at the break.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Browns TE Jordan Cameron led his team with 41 receiving yards after missing the previous five games with a concussion. ... Cleveland K Billy Cundiff missed a field goal for the fifth straight week when he was wide right on a 40-yard attempt in the second quarter. He hit a 39-yarder with 8:34 left to give the Browns a 24-19 lead. ... Luck led the Colts with 37 rushing yards, including a nine-yard run to get to the Cleveland 3 on the game-winning drive.