As the clock ticked down with 1:18 left in regulation, Cleveland’s quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the Browns faced a daunting challenge. They hadn’t scored since the first half, with five punts and an interception through the third and fourth quarters.
But head coach Kevin Stefanski had confidence in his star quarterback, and it paid off. Thompson-Robinson hit all four of his passes for 39 yards to put the Browns in field goal position, then spiked the ball to stop the clock with five seconds remaining. Dustin Hopkins then sent his 34-yard field goal through the uprights to give the Browns their seventh win.
In a postgame press conference, Thompson-Robinson reflected on the final drive that saved his team’s day. “I think we just came together,” he said. “Everybody had their job, knew what their job was and executed.” He admitted that he heard the crowd chanting “DTR” towards him at the end of the game, which made him happy for his family. However, he remained focused on his task at hand.
Thompson-Robinson was already thinking about next week’s matchup against Denver when he spoke to reporters after the game. While he was pleased with his team’s victory, he wasn’t taking too much time to bask in it. Instead, he was already planning for what lay ahead: “I’m focused on going to Denver,” he said.