Colt in the Clutch

Browns’ McCoy connects with Massaquoi for TD in final seconds

Associated Press

Cleveland

Colt McCoy paced Cleveland’s sideline trying to rally his teammates. So bad for nearly 57 minutes, the Browns were down, not done.

McCoy wanted to make things right.

One last chance.

“We need one drive,” McCoy recalled telling them. “One drive and we can win this thing.”

McCoy made good on his promise, throwing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Massaquoi with 43 seconds left, capping an 80-yard drive to rally the Browns to a 17-16 win Sunday over winless Miami, a deflating loss that will bring even more heat on embattled Dolphins coach Tony Sparano.

Before his game-winning TD toss, McCoy had overthrown, underthrown and flat-out missed receivers all afternoon. But when it mattered most, he completed nine of 13 passes for all 80 yards to six different receivers on Cleveland’s winning drive, making up for a forgettable performance by Cleveland’s offense.

“We played like garbage for the most part of the day,” McCoy said. “As ugly as it was, it was a huge win for us.”

Getting the ball back with 3:23 left, McCoy worked the ball down to Miami’s 14, picking up a key fourth-and-4 conversion and helped along by an offsides penalty on Dolphins end Jason Taylor. On first down at the 14, McCoy made the defining play of his still budding NFL career.

Dropping back, he pump faked before lofting a perfect pass to the right corner over rookie cornerback Jimmy Wilson and to a leaping Massaquoi.

“My best throw of the day,” McCoy said. “Mo did a nice job and got that guy (Wilson) to bite just a little bit. He wasn’t that open, but in the NFL, when they’re like that, you just gotta make a good throw. Mo did a great job of getting his feet in. It was a great feeling.”

McCoy’s composure on the tense final drive comforted his teammates. He knew what it would take to win.

“Colt was relaxed,” Massaquoi said. “Nobody was panicking and nobody was worrying. The mindset was just to go down there and get a touchdown.”

Wilson accepted blame for letting Massaquoi get behind him.

“That’s what they have me out there for, to make plays in situations like that,” said Wilson, who intercepted a pass by McCoy in the first quarter. “I could have given up anything underneath, but I didn’t get back there deep enough. I mistimed my jump. If I would have been back one more step, we wouldn’t be talking about how we lost the game.”

Even after taking the lead with precious seconds left, the Browns (2-1) had to withstand a late comeback by the Dolphins. Cleveland’s win wasn’t sealed until safety Mike Adams intercepted Chad Henne with 13 seconds left.

Dan Carpenter’s third field goal, a 38-yarder, put the Dolphins up 16-10, giving McCoy the ball back with enough time to rescue the Browns. However, based on the way he was playing, the Browns’ chances didn’t appear good and Cleveland fans braced themselves for the reality of a second straight home loss.

But McCoy, who was just 10 of 26 for 130 yards at the time, took what the Dolphins defense allowed, throwing mostly short passes — three to rookie wide receiver Greg Little, who didn’t get his first catch until 2:58 remained.

McCoy, who has a tendency to drift outside when pressured, stayed in the pocket and delivered. ∫