Cleveland Browns end red zone woes on the red carpet

The Cleveland Browns (3-6) pulled off a thrilling victory. The win marks their first time they’ve allowed the hometown crowd to enjoy the taste of victory.

Last week against the Denver Broncos, the Cleveland Browns had 10 drives, seven of them reached the Bronco’s 30-yard line or better. The Browns finished with four field goals and one touchdown.

Red zone issues were a topic of discussion all week. The perceived misuse of Odell Beckham Jr. inside the 20-yard line with four targets in the area through eight games.

Today against the Buffalo Bills, Odell was targeted five times for zero catches but he drew two defensive penalties on his targets.

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Cleveland entered the fourth quarter with eight snaps inside the two-yard line for negative one yards. They seemingly tried everything.

Runs with Nick Chubb. Runs with Kareem Hunt. Targeting Beckham. Targeting Jarvis Landry. No success.

Before the game, Antonio Callaway was a surprising healthy scratch. That meant the cry to play Rashard Higgins more finally got to Freddie Kitchens.

The absence of Higgins baffled many Browns fans. In their opening drive of the preseason, it was Higgins who caught a 35-yard touchdown pass down the left seam to start the year.

Higgins hasn’t made an impact since Week 1 of the regular season vs the Tennessee Titans. Rashard managed two catches for 46 yards in the Week 1 contest. But it was Higgins’ 24-yard reception, again down the left seam, that set up the first touchdown of the season for the Browns.

Higgins’ impact was again felt today. Higgins wasn’t targeted throughout the first 57 minutes of the game. But when Mayfield needed a go-to man, he turned to the reliable Higgins. The two connected on a seven-yard go-ahead touchdown pass that ultimately won the game for the Browns.

Baker Mayfield has struggled in the red zone this season with a 1:1 touchdown-interception ratio. However, in the last two games, he’s got three touchdowns to no interceptions.

The Browns still have work to do in the red zone if they want to salvage this season. For today, they’ve gotten a much-needed win. Ending their red-zone woes in Hollywood on the red carpet.