|
 Robinson started in place of injured Toby Gerhart and bettered
his previous career best in the first quarter when he rushed for 62
yards. His most important yards came with just under six minutes
left in the game when he went around end from 8 yards out to give
Jacksonville a more comfortable 17-6 lead.
Robinson's run was set up after a fumbled punt by Cleveland's Jordan
Poyer. Jacksonville's LaRoy Reynolds recovered at the 8-yard line,
and Robinson ran it in from there on the next play.
"I believe in what's for you is for you, that God has a plan for
you," Robinson said. "So I believe in it. I think God gave me a
great opportunity today and the offensive line gave me the
opportunity to see holes and hit it and run. I wasn't getting
touched for five yards, so when you've got an opportunity like that,
you've got to make the most of it."
Following the kickoff, the Jaguars were able to cement their first
win since Dec. 5, 2013, when they beat Houston 27-20. A pass by
Cleveland quarterback Brian Hoyer bounced off Browns running back
Ben Tate and was grabbed by Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith, who
returned it 14 yards to the 8-yard line. It took Jacksonville two
plays to score, with running back Storm Johnson getting the 4-yard
touchdown, the first points that Cleveland had allowed following a
turnover this season.
It marked just the second home win (Houston) for the Jaguars in Gus
Bradley's two seasons as head coach.
"What an exciting time in the locker room, it was crazy," Bradley
said. "I told them let's revel for 24 hours, let's have fun with it.
I am just so excited for our guys. ... I'm pleased with our effort
defensively. That's what it takes. [Cleveland] is such a good
offensive team, such a good running team and they just wait for you
to break down and get an explosive run. It was a total team effort.
I am really pleased with our guys' effort and how it came out
there."
The Jaguars shut down the Browns' running game. Cleveland averaged
146.4 yards per game coming in, third best in the NFL, but managed
to gain 69 yards in 30 attempts Sunday.
The six points were a season-low allowed by Jacksonville and
represented the Browns' lowest point total of the season. Cleveland
had scored at least 21 points in every game in 2014.
Jacksonville turned in its strongest effort of the season running
the ball. The Jaguars gained 185 yards in 35 attempts, a massive
leap forward from their NFL-low average of 69.5 yards per game
through six weeks.
Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles had his season-low passing
total and threw a season-high three interceptions. Bortles finished
17 of 31 for 159 yards. But the Jaguars defense bailed Bortles out,
twice stopping the Browns on downs and holding the visitors to a
field goal on the third occasion.
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"When you get turnovers, you've got to turn them into points not
field goals," Browns coach Mike Pettine said. "When you're only
kicking field goals, you start to press and that factors into about
going for it on fourth down later on."
The Browns passed up an opportunity to take a 9-0 lead at halftime
when they went for it on a fourth-and-1 from the Jacksonville 24.
Hoyer threw an incompletion under heavy pressure.
The Jaguars capitalized on the opportunity, marching 76 yards in
three pass plays -- 16, 24 and 31 yards -- along with a 5-yard
penalty on the Browns. The last completion went to rookie wide
receiver Allen Robinson, who broke free from a defender to score
with just 27 seconds left in the half.
Cleveland's best chance to score in the second half came midway in
the fourth quarter after Hoyer hooked up with wide receiver Andrew
Hawkins for a 65-yard gain to the Jacksonville 29-yard line. But
Tate was dropped for a 4-yard loss, Hoyer was sacked for a loss of
eight and then missed on his third-down pass.
"We watched tape of their defense all week, and we knew they had a
good defense," said Hoyer who was only 16-of-41 passing for 215
yards and one interception and finished with a rating of 46.3.
"Everyone wants to talk about the Jaguars being 0-6 but we didn't
take them for granted. That's probably the best front seven on
defense that we've played this year."
NOTES: Cleveland only managed four yards rushing in five attempts in
the first quarter, all by RB Ben Tate. ... RB Denard Robinson became
the first Jaguars player to gain over 100 rushing yards since Jordan
Todman gained 109 last season against Buffalo. ... Jacksonville had
rushed for over 100 yards as a team just once this season prior to
Sunday. The previous best was against Indianapolis when the Jaguars
ran for 105 yards in 20 attempts. ... Cleveland was playing the
first of a three-week stretch where the Browns three opponents
entered Sunday with a combined record of 1-17: Jaguars (0-6),
Oakland (0-5) and the New York Jets (1-6)
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