Key Takeaways

• In overtime, the Saints scored on their first possession when Tyler Shough threw a 15-yard TD pass to Juwan Johnson, giving New Orleans the lead before a key defensive stand.
• Cleveland answered late in OT as Harold Fannin Jr. turned a short reception from Shedeur Sanders into a 39-yard TD, creating a dramatic back-and-forth finish with about a minute left in overtime.
• The Browns elected to go for a two-point conversion for the win, but Sanders’ rush was pressured by Carl Granderson and his throw was incomplete along the sideline, sealing the Saints’ home victory.
• Earlier, the game was tightly contested with no touchdowns for much of the first 54 minutes; the Saints finally took a 16-13 lead on Audric Estime’s 2-yard TD late in the fourth after a 55-yard drive starting with 1:48 left.
• Shough completed 21 of 35 passes for 265 yards with one TD, while Chris Olave had a 98-yard receiving effort on seven catches, including a 33-yard gain that set up the late TD by Estime.
• Shedeur Sanders, starting in place of the injured Deshaun Watson, went 19 of 31 for 297 yards with two TDs, and Cleveland’s Demarcus Concepcion contributed 85 receiving yards on four catches.
• Turnovers and special-teams miscues defined the earlier stages, including Barion Brown’s 52-yard catch followed by a fumble by Jordyn Tyson at the goal line and Brown’s own fumble on a return, both aiding Cleveland’s late chances.