The Cleveland Browns concluded their preseason slate on Saturday, Aug. 23 as they narrowly defeated the Los Angeles Rams 17-19 in a home game at Huntington Bank Field. With the conclusion of this game, the Browns finish their 2025 preseason with a 3-0 record. The last time the team went undefeated in preseason was in 2021, likewise finishing 3-0.
Following several minutes of back-and-forth possession between Cleveland and Los Angeles to start the game, the Browns took possession for a 7-play, 44-yard drive that concluded with quarterback Joe Flacco throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. to seal the first 6 points of the game, and kicker Dustin Hopkins nailed the extra point to make it 7-0 with 6:33 left in the quarter. No more points would be scored for the remainder of the period, keeping the Browns in the lead.
The second quarter began with the Browns holding possession, though they failed to score any points before an interception by Rams wide receiver Drake Stoops changed possession. However, the drive that followed was not very fruitful as the Rams went for 25 yards in 5 plays before the Browns took back possession and went on to score a field goal following a 15-play, 70-yard drive; This put the score up to 10-0.
The Rams were quick to respond as they pushed an 6-play, 67-yard offensive drive that saw quarterback Dresser Winn throw a short touchdown pass to Stoops to give the Rams their first score of the game. Following a field goal from kicker Joshua Karty, the score was up to 7-10. The Browns would go on to score a touchdown during the very next play, going 86 yards in 17 plays before wide receiver Gage Larvadain scored a 3-yard pass from rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel to put the score at 16-7 going into halftime.
As the third quarter began both teams continued going back-and-forth on possession as each side caught interceptions and maintained a strong defensive line that prevented significant progress for either team. This came to an end with a 11-play drive from the Rams that showcased a balanced attack on all ends. Rookie running back Jordan Waters churned out steady yards on the ground, and Winn converted twice on third down before Karty successfully attempted a 45-yard field goal, putting the score up to 16-10.
The momentum would swing further toward Los Angeles in the fourth quarter. Following several minutes of back-and-forth possession between the Browns and Rams, Winn once again directed a long drive, this time going 82 yards in 13 plays. Waters capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, combining with an extra point from Karty to give the Rams their first lead of the game: 16-17. During this time, the Browns were notably struggling under rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders who was sacked on numerous occasions throughout the game. Upon his entrance to the field to replace Sanders, quarterback Tyler Huntley wasted no time sparking the offense, finding wide receiver Chase Cota on a 7-yard completion to gain a first down. On the next snap, Huntley drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on a late hit, instantly flipping field position and putting the Browns at the Rams’ 33-yard line. This move set the stage for kicker Andre Szmyt to kick a 37-yard field goal within the final two seconds of the game, narrowly putting the Browns on top with a final score of 19-17.
The game wrapped up a 3-0 preseason for Cleveland, along with solidifying confidence in quarterbacks Flacco and Gabriel; Flacco completed 9 of 10 passes for 71 yards while Gabriel completed 12 of 19 passes for 129 yards. The full potential of Sanders remains to be seen, as he was only able to complete 3 of 6 passes for 14 yards and was sacked 5 times during the game.
For Los Angeles, who finished their preseason 2-1, the finale provided valuable reps for young players like Waters despite the narrow loss. Changes in strategy appear to be in play already as numerous players who took part in this game have since been let go or waived by their respective teams ahead of the regular season: This slate includes Hopkins, Stoops, Winn, Waters and Huntley.
Both teams now turn their attention to Week 1 of the regular season. On Sunday Sept. 7, the Rams will be playing the Houston Texans at home; The same day, the Browns will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Huntington Bank Field marking the next “Battle of Ohio” between the two teams.