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.
