Minutes after pulling off the largest comeback in NFL history on the road, Browns coach Mike Pettine admitted he might not survive another wild finish.
"I did tell them after the game they have to stop doing it," Pettine said of Sunday's 29-28 win over the Titans, per Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. "I have an EKG scheduled for tomorrow because my heart can't take many more of these. It's a heck of a win for us, and we're hopeful it will be a boost coming back home against the Steelers."
Cleveland's season has been a roller coaster jaunt from wire to wire. Overcoming a 25-point deficit on Sunday marked the largest comeback in the franchise's long history and served as the fourth consecutive Browns game this season decided by three or fewer points -- tied for the second most in the NFL all time to start a campaign.
"Similar to Pittsburgh (in Week 1), it was a tale of two halves especially defensively, but it's the NFL and we found a way to make enough plays in the end to win it," Pettine said. "To me, it speaks to the character of the men in the room. The resiliency, the poise, the focus. I think a lot of teams would have shut it down given what we faced at halftime."
Down 28-3 late in the first half, Cleveland's defense shook off a disastrous start to shut out the Titans over the final 30 minutes while the offense did the rest. It marked the fourth straight game that Kyle Shanahan's attack has put up between 21 and 29 points -- something the Browns haven't done to start a season since 1969.
Everything has gone against script. Expected to field a rough-and-tumble defense and a dead-on-arrival offense, the Browns have leaned on a cast of mostly unknown receivers and young runners to stay in every game they've played. It's worth noting this has come without suspended All-Pro wideout Josh Gordon on the field and with just six catches all year from tight end Jordan Cameron.
If we've learned anything from the Browns, it's this: We have no idea what next Sunday will bring, but it won't be dull.
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