Browns impressive offseason trade pays dividends on Sunday in Baltimore
By Kristen Wong
Every AFC North game this year is going to end in chaos. Just accept it.
In Week 10's Browns-Ravens matchup, Cleveland overcame a 24-9 deficit to come out on top, 33-31. What was looking like a blowout in the first half turned into an admirable comeback led by Deshaun Watson. A few timely picks by the Browns' defense (one returned for a touchdown) got Cleveland back into the game in the second half.
Who ended up winning the game for the Browns?
Their trusty kicker, Dustin Hopkins.
Haters will say Hopkins missed a PAT after the Browns' fourth-quarter touchdown, a PAT that would have tied the game. Those haters are correct.
But Hopkins got back up, dusted himself off, and kicked the game-winning 41-yarder as time expired to seal the Browns' victory.
Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins converts walk-off game-winning field goal vs. Ravens
The Browns traded for Dustin Hopkins this past offseason, forking over a 2025 seventh-rounder to the Los Angeles Chargers.
That move gave them one of the league's trustiest kickers, even if Hopkins did miss a PAT on Sunday afternoon.
Heading into Week 10, Hopkins made a league-high 20 field goals on the year; he was also 7-of-7 for field goals of 50-plus yards.
The cautionary tale of Brett Maher reminds teams just how important a reliable kicker can be. Dustin Hopkins has proved his consistency year after year having spent time on the Commanders and the Chargers, and now the 33-year-old is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career in Cleveland.