Saints at Browns final score: Cleveland beats New Orleans on last second field goal 26-24

The Cleveland Browns defied the odds as a seven-point underdog and beat the visiting New Orleans Saints in a back-and-forth affair that ended on a Billy Cundiff field goal with 3 seconds left to give the Browns a 26-24 victory. It was the team’s first win in their home opener since the 2004 season when the Browns beat the Baltimore Ravens.

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The game started in predictably wild fashion with the home crowd at FirstEnergy Stadium giving the Browns a big boost to start. The team drove down the field in the first quarter and capped off a nine play, 51-yard drive with a three yard touchdown pass form Brian Hoyer to Miles Austin.

The Browns dominated the first frame in general, capping off an 11-play drive later that ended with a Billy Cundiff field goal to give the hosts a 10-0 lead after one quarter.

The Saints answered in the second quarter with a field goal and appeared poised to build on that comeback with another drive, but a Drew Brees pass tipped off the hands of Jimmy Graham and to Tashaun Gipson, who returned the pick for a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The Browns muffed the extra point and led 16-3 at that point.

But the Saints weren’t done, as they got the next two touchdowns in the contest — both touchdown throws to Jimmy Graham. Graham’s second TD came with nine minutes left in the third quarter and Browns fans were squirming with the ghosts of past leads squandered.

The Browns showed why this year’s squad may be different as they answered with another big drive that ended in a Terrance West nine-yard touchdown run to give the Browns a 23-17 lead after three quarters.

Still, Drew Brees and the Saints pressed on. They scored another touchdown on their third straight drive thanks to a one yard rush from Mark Ingram, who led the Saints with 83 yards rushing and a touchdown. The Saints then had to protect a slim 24-23 lead for nearly the entire fourth quarter.

Things seemed fine for the Saints when they held the ball in Browns territory, but a big sack pushed the Saints out of field goal range and forced them to punt, setting the stage for a dramatic three-minute drive for Brian Hoyer and the Browns offense.

Cleveland started its final drive from inside its own ten yard line, but the offense kept chipping away, kept converting third and even fourth-down plays until this completion from Hoyer to Andrew Hawkins put the Browns in easy field goal range with six seconds left.

Billy Cundiff booted a 29-yard field goal with three seconds left and New Orleans couldn’t muster anything on their kick return as time expired and the day belonged to Cleveland as the Browns won with a final score of 26-24.

The Browns can hold their head high knowing that after a dismal first half in Pittsburgh, the team has played at an equal or better level with its opponents. At 1-1, they know anything is possible in the wide-open AFC.

The Saints meanwhile must do some soul-searching and find an answer on defense after surrendering leads in two straight games to start the season. Instead of being 2-0, the Saints must now dig out from an 0-2 record to start the season.