Arizona Cardinals vs Cleveland Browns Box Score on Nov 01, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Nov 1, 2015

CLEVELAND -- The Arizona Cardinals overcame a shaky first half with 24 unanswered points in the final two quarters Sunday to rally past the Cleveland Browns 34-20.

Quarterback Josh McCown threw three touchdown passes in the first half to help the Browns take a 20-7 lead, but the Cardinals fought their way back starting with a 37-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro on the final play of the first half.

The day started ominously for the Browns when the Cardinals took the opening kickoff and marched 82 yards in 11 plays on a drive ending with an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Palmer to tight end Troy Niklas. The Browns had to punt after one first down, but after that they dominated the half until Catanzaro's field goal began to turn the tide.

The Browns (2-6) lost five of their last six games.

McCown threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Brian Hartline and one to tight end Gary Barnidge in first half.

The Cardinals survived four turnovers to raise their record to 6-2. Running back Chris Johnson fumbled twice, Larry Fitzgerald fumbled once and Palmer threw an interception.

The Cardinals struck quickly in the second half after cutting the Browns lead to 10 at the end of the second quarter.

The Browns took the third quarter kickoff and had to punt before making a first down. The Cardinals needed only four plays to make it a three-point game when Palmer connected with wide receiver Michael Floyd on a 60-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline.

Browns left cornerback Joe Haden, who had coverage on the play, suffered a concussion on the touchdown pass and had to leave the game.

Arizona took the lead the next time it had the ball. The key play in the drive was a 39-yard pass to wide receiver Jaron Brown to the Browns 9. Three plays later, Palmer threw his second touchdown pass of the game to Niklas.

A six-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to Fitzgerald with 9:32 left gave the Cardinals a 31-20 cushion.

NOTES: LB Markus Golden started for the Cardinals in place of Alex Okafor, who was inactive because of a calf injury. Okafor was tied for the team lead with two sacks before the game. ... A hamstring injury Cardinals prevented CB Jerraud Powers from practicing all week, but he started against the Browns. ... Browns S Tashaun Gipson started against the Cardinals after missing the last three games with an ankle injury. He intercepted a pass by Cardinals QB Carson Palmer. ... TE Gary Benjamin caught his sixth touchdown pass of the season for the Browns.