Browns 27, Colts 19
Peyton Hillis ran for two touchdowns and the visiting Cleveland Browns sent the Peyton Manning-less Indianapolis Colts to their first 0-2 start in 13 years with a 27-19 victory on Sunday.
The Browns also gave head coach Pat Shurmur his first career win and ended a five-game losing streak to the Colts.
Indianapolis lost its home opener for the first time since 2002 and is 0-2 for the first time since Manning’s rookie season of 1998.
The Colts’ NFL-record tying streak of nine straight playoff appearances is in serious jeopardy. Since 1990, only 12 percent of teams that started 0-2 have reached the postseason.
Indianapolis looked lost without Manning (neck surgery) in a 34-7 loss to Houston – its worst season-opening defeat in 25 years – and the Kerry Collins-led offense wasn’t much better against Cleveland. The Colts managed just four field goals from Adam Vinatieri until Collins threw a late touchdown to Dallas Clark.
Cleveland, meanwhile, earned its first win over Indianapolis since 1994 – the year before the original Browns left for Baltimore.
Hillis’ 1-yard touchdown just before halftime gave Cleveland a 14-12 lead, and Usama Young’s fourth-quarter interception of Collins set up a 20-yard field goal from Phil Dawson.
Hillis’ 24-yard touchdown run after 43-yard punt return from Josh Cribbs sealed the win.