Los Angeles Chargers vs Cleveland Browns Box Score on Dec 24, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Dec 24, 2016

CLEVELAND -- A stout defense and a blocked field goal late in the fourth quarter Saturday helped the Cleveland Browns hold off the San Diego Chargers 20-17 for their first victory of the season.

Defensive end Jamie Meder blocked a 32-yard field goal try by Josh Lambo with 3:45 left to help the Browns (1-14) win for the first time since Dec. 13, 2015.

San Diego got the ball back one more time with 1:46 to play and no timeouts and Cleveland shut it down. Lambo missed a 45-yard field try with no time remaining.

Browns starting quarterback Robert Griffin III was knocked out of the game with a concussion in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards, highlighted by a 50-yard pass from quarterback Philip Rivers to former Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin on the first play of the game. Rivers capped the drive with a 1-yard pass to tight end Antonio Gates.

The pass to Gates marked the ninth straight time the Chargers scored a touchdown on their opening drive.

The Browns answered the Gates' touchdown with a 10-play drive that ended with an 8-yard scoring run from Isaiah Crowell. The Chargers committed three defensive penalties on the drive in a sign of things to come.

A 43-yard field goal by Lambo gave the lead back to San Diego at 10-7 with1:49 to play in the first quarter. Again, Cleveland responded with a touchdown.

Crowell crashed over right guard into the end zone from the 4 and Cody Parkey added the extra point for a 14-10 Browns' lead.

The key to the drive was pinpoint passing by Griffin. A short pass to running back Duke Johnson pushed the ball to the Chargers' 25. Griffin threw a frozen rope 21 yards to tight end Seth DeValve on the next play to set up Crowell's second touchdown of the game and seventh of the season.

The Browns expanded their lead 20-10 on a 49-yard field goal on their third possession and a 27-yard field goal by Parkey on their first possession of the third quarter. The Chargers stormed back on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Tyrell Williams with 6:04 left in the third quarter.

San Diego had a chance to take the lead late in the third quarter, but Cleveland's pass rush applied pressure and forced Rivers to throw the ball away three times.

The Browns forced another three and out the next time the Chargers had the ball and stopped them one more time.

San Diego, trailing by a field goal at 20-17, got the ball on the Browns 33 with 4:49 left. The Chargers made one first down and the defense stiffened again before Meder blocked Lambo's attempt to tie the game.

NOTES: Chargers leading RB Melvin Gordon (997 yards) missed his third straight game with knee and hip injuries. RB Kenneth Farrow replaced him in the starting lineup. ... TE Antonio Gates scored his sixth touchdown of the season on the Chargers' first possession. ... QB Robert Griffin III, making his fourth start, entered the game looking for his first touchdown pass with the Browns. ... Browns CB Jamar Taylor intercepted his third pass of the season to stop a Chargers' drive in the third quarter