Saints edge out Browns in overtime nailbiter

There was expected to be little separating these two sides heading into Sunday’s meeting at the Caesars Superdome, with both the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints searching for a result that could breathe life into their respective campaigns.

The Browns had made an encouraging start to the season but were looking to avoid back-to-back defeats, while the Saints returned from their bye week hoping to finally give their home supporters something to celebrate. For much of the afternoon, neither offence could find a way through, setting the scene for a frantic finish that ultimately required an extra period to separate the teams.

The opening quarter offered little in the way of offensive fireworks, although New Orleans managed to make the most of its first promising possession. Tyler Shough moved the Saints into Cleveland territory, but the Browns’ defence stiffened near the goal line, forcing Kellen Moore to settle for a 30-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead.

Cleveland struggled to generate much of its own attacking momentum, with Shedeur Sanders finding it difficult to establish a rhythm in his first start of 2026 in place of Deshaun Watson. The Browns eventually got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, as Andre Szmyt converted from 41 yards to level the contest.

The Saints looked poised to reclaim the advantage shortly afterwards, but a costly turnover denied them a potential touchdown. Jordyn Tyson, making his NFL debut, had the ball punched loose just short of the goal line, allowing Cleveland’s Tyson Campbell to recover and prevent New Orleans from adding to its tally.

The Browns then squandered a golden opportunity of their own, failing to convert on 4th down from the 1-yard line after a miscommunication disrupted a handoff to Quinshon Judkins.

Both defences continued to dictate proceedings, with the Saints recording several important sacks and limiting Cleveland’s passing attack. Sanders had managed just 38 passing yards by halftime, while New Orleans also struggled to turn its possessions into meaningful points. The teams headed into the break locked at 3-3, with the contest developing into a battle of field position rather than an offensive shootout.

The pattern continued after the restart, although Cleveland edged in front when Szmyt converted another field goal from 30 yards early in the third quarter. New Orleans answered through Charlie Smyth, who made a 27-yard attempt to bring the scores level once again.

The Saints eventually moved ahead in the fourth quarter, with Smyth drilling his third field goal of the afternoon from 48 yards to make it 9-6. However, the Browns finally produced the explosive play the game had been crying out for.

Sanders launched a deep pass down the left sideline towards rookie receiver KC Concepcion Jr., who hauled it in before cutting across the field and racing 64 yards into the end zone. The touchdown gave Cleveland its first lead of the afternoon at 13-9 with just over 5minutes remaining.

New Orleans suddenly found itself under pressure, but Shough responded with a composed late drive – his best of the afternoon. The quarterback connected with Chris Olave for a crucial 33-yard gain, putting the Saints in excellent field position before Audric Estime powered into the end zone from 2 yards out. Smyth’s extra point restored the home side’s advantage at 16-13 with under a minute remaining.

Cleveland refused to accept defeat, however. Sanders quickly moved the Browns downfield, finding Jerry Jeudy for a 30-yard completion before connecting with him again to move closer to field goal range. Szmyt was then called upon from 51 yards, and the kicker calmly split the uprights with 8 seconds remaining to force overtime.

New Orleans made the most of its first possession in the extra period. Alvin Kamara provided an important spark on the ground, while Shough continued to find openings in the Cleveland secondary. The drive eventually reached the end zone when the quarterback delivered a perfectly placed 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Juwan Johnson, giving the Saints a 23-16 lead.

The Browns still had an opportunity to respond, and Sanders produced another impressive moment under pressure. He found tight end Harold Fannin Jr. downfield, with the receiver breaking free for a 39-yard touchdown that brought Cleveland within a single point. Rather than settle for an extra point and prolong the contest, the Browns elected to go for 2 and the victory. Sanders’ pass intended for Denzel Boston fell incomplete, while a holding penalty further complicated the attempt, allowing New Orleans to hang on for a dramatic triumph.

Sanders finished with 297 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, while Concepcion Jr.’s 64-yard score provided one of the afternoon’s defining moments. For New Orleans, Shough threw for 265 yards and a touchdown, adding 51 rushing yards, while Estime contributed 72 yards on the ground and a crucial late score. Olave also played a significant role, finishing with 98 receiving yards.

The Saints’ defensive front deserves considerable credit, too. Carl Granderson recorded 2 sacks, while Chase Young, Kaden Elliss and Khristian Boyd also brought down Sanders as New Orleans consistently disrupted the sophomore quarterback.

Touchdowns
Cleveland: Fannin Jr., Concepcion Jr.
New Orleans: Estime, Johnson

Top Performers
Cleveland: Sanders, Boston, Concepcion Jr., Schwesinger, Szmyt, Harden
New Orleans: Estime, Olave, Shough, Granderson, Elliss

Injuries
Cleveland: N/A
New Orleans: N/A

Crowd: 70,182 @ Caesars’ Superdome