To make matters worse for the far-too-dedicated Browns fans in attendance, Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill each had touchdown runs and the Saints went outside and handled Cleveland’s arctic-like cold in a 17-10 win, to eliminate the Browns from the playoffs.
The Saints (6-9) were 0-6 in outdoor games this season before rallying to beat the Browns (6-9) in the coldest game in New Orleans history.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson drove Cleveland to the Saints’ 15 in the final minute, but he was sacked on fourth down with 19 seconds left by Carl Granderson, ending the Browns’ postseason hopes.
Kamara scored on a four-yard run late in the third quarter — set up by Daniel Sorensen’s interception of Watson and 36-yard return — as the Saints, still kicking in the NFC playoff hunt, overcame a 10-0 deficit.
New Orleans came in trailing Tampa Bay by one game in the weak, wide-open NFC South.
Cleveland are guaranteed a losing season in coach Kevin Stefanski’s third year, having played most of this one without Watson.
Watson had a 12-yard rushing TD but struggled to pass in the blustery conditions (15 of 31 for 135 yards) and fell to 2-2 as a starter since returning from his 11-game suspension for sexual misconduct allegations.
The Browns’ porous rushing defense was a problem once again as the Saints, rotating Andy Dalton and Hill at quarterback and snapping it directly to Kamara, rolled up 152 yards on the ground.
The Saints had never been this cold. Their previous coldest game was -4 degrees celsius on December 26, 1993 in Philadelphia, but at least they walked away with a win, and celebrated in the Christmas spirit.
- With AP
