Tyler Shough threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Johnson on the first possession of overtime, and the host New Orleans Saints held on to defeat the Cleveland Browns 23-22 on Sunday afternoon.
Shough passed for 265 yards for the Saints (3-5), and Shedeur Sanders, filling in for injured Deshaun Watson (concussion) passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns for the Browns (5-4).
After New Orleans took the lead in overtime, Sanders threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr., but his two-point conversion pass was incomplete.
The Saints took a lead in their first possession of the game on Charlie Smyth’s 30-yard field goal.
Andre Szmyt kicked a 41-yard field goal to tie the score early in the second quarter.
Shough threw a 53-yard completion to Barion Brown to the Cleveland 11. Two plays later, Saints rookie No. 1 draft choice Jordyn Tyson, making his debut after being on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, made his first NFL reception for a 9-yard gain but lost a fumble at the Cleveland 1.
The New Orleans defense forced a punt, but Brown fumbled on the return, and the Browns recovered the ball at the Saints’ 19. Quinshon Judkins was stopped for no gain on fourth and goal at the 1, leaving the score tied at 3 at halftime.
New Orleans drove to Smyth’s 27-yard field goal on the ensuing possession, tying the score at the end of the third quarter. Then it drove to Smyth’s go-ahead field goal with 5:38 left.