The Drive Finally Goes the Browns’ Way, 30-29

Quarterback Bernie Kosar finally turned the tables on the team that has so often tormented him, leading Cleveland to 10 points in the final 3:21 and a 30-29 victory over the Denver Broncos Monday night.

The winning points came on Jerry Kauric’s 30-yard field goal as time expired after a 48-yard drive engineered by Kosar. A few minutes earlier, Kosar had completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Brian Brennan that cut a 29-20 deficit to 29-27.

The Browns had scored only three offensive touchdowns in their four previous games. But Kosar completed 24 of 38 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns against the Broncos and could have had a fourth. A five-yard flip to Eric Metcalf for a touchdown was ruled a lateral and scored as a rushing touchdown.

Cleveland (2-3) ended a three-game losing streak that had left Coach Bud Carson’s job in jeopardy. It came against a team that had beaten the Browns three times in the last four AFC title games.

“You can’t say one game is the season, but if we had lost we would have been so far in the cellar we couldn’t have dug ourselves out,” said cornerback Frank Minnifield, who ended his holdout last week and had an interception Monday night.

“This meant a lot to a lot of people,” Kosar said.

“It was almost a ‘must’ win for us.”

Denver (2-3), which suffered five turnovers in a loss to Buffalo last week, took advantage of two Cleveland turnovers to overcome a 20-19 deficit early in the fourth quarter.

Then came Kosar. He completed a 24-yard pass to Vernon Joines on fourth and two from midfield, then threw his third touchdown pass of the game, a 24-yarder to Brennan with 3:21 left.

The final drive started with 2:04 left. Kosar completed passes of 15 yards to Joines, 20 to Reggie Langhorne and 15 to Brennan on a third-and-eight play to set up the winning field goal.

“There’s been a lot of heat on the team this year, and to come back in the fourth period the way we did is a tribute to a lot of guys,” Carson said.