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'A surreal moment': Cedric Tillman's breakout game gives Browns boost in win over Ravens
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- 'A surreal moment': Cedric Tillman's breakout game gives Browns boost in win over Ravens
CLEVELAND — Cedric Tillman had been visualizing a breakout performance, and the second-year Browns wide receiver delivered one Sunday in a 29-24 upset win over the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens .
Tillman followed his eight-catch, 81-yard outing in Week 7 with seven receptions on nine targets for 99 yards and two touchdowns in Week 8 as the Browns (2-6) triumphed over the Ravens (5-3) to snap a five-game losing streak.
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Tillman caught a 38-yard, game-winning TD pass from quarterback Jameis Winston with 59 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
"I don't even know how to describe it," Tillman told the Beacon Journal in the Browns locker room at Huntington Bank Field. "I've just been trying to envision a big game [Sunday] the whole week. I wanted to come back even better from last week, so that's what I was focused on."
A 2023 third-round draft pick from the University of Tennessee, Tillman entered the weekend without an NFL touchdown. On third-and-5, he beat Ravens cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis on a slant route for a 22-yard TD catch, helping the Browns go ahead 20-17 with 2:01 left in the third quarter. On second-and-15, he ran past Ravens safety Eddie Jackson and caught the decisive TD pass in the end zone with just less than a minute left to play.
"I saw that it was man [coverage]," Tillman said. "I saw that they put a safety on me, and I knew the ball's going to me. I'm saying, 'I'm going to outrun him to the end zone.'"
Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman catches the game-winning TD pass in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland.
Starting for the first time in place of Deshaun Watson , who suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon in Week 7, Winston displayed excellent distribution to his receivers.
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Receiver Elijah Moore had eight catches on 12 targets for 85 yards. Receiver Jerry Jeudy had five catches on eight targets for 79 yards. Tight end David Njoku had five catches on seven targets for 61 yards and a TD.
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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) runs for the end zone against Baltimore Ravens safety Eddie Jackson (39) during the second half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Tillman's team high in receiving yards Sunday also gave him a new single-game career high. In each of the past two games, he has shattered his previous career highs for catches (four) and receiving yards (55).
"I'm so proud of him," Moore said of Tillman. "This receiver group is resilient.
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"Cedric practices hard every single day. … He works his ass off. It was a surreal moment for him."
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during the second half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
A play after Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton bobbled and dropped a would-be interception at the Baltimore 23-yard line, Winston made the defense pay for giving him another chance by connecting with Tillman for the game-winning TD.
"When you're able to get certain people targets, defenses aren't able to locate their eyes on one specific person," Winston said. "[Tillman] showed up when it mattered most, so I'm very happy for him.
"He's a young receiver, and he's hungry. He's hungry to get better. He's hungry to get the ball. But, man, look at all of our guys. We had guys with multiple targets.
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"Cedric just found his niche, man. He's found his niche. He's blocking well for us, he's getting open, he's playing physical at the line of scrimmage and he's doing some good things."
Cleveland Browns cornerback Tony Brown II (38) celebrates the win with wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) after an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Several Browns players insisted they knew Tillman had been toiling hard enough behind the scenes to produce at a high level.
"Everybody wants everybody to be a superstar day one, but it takes some time in this league," Browns left guard Joel Bitonio said. "It takes time. It takes opportunities. It takes the right fit. But that's the thing with him — he continually has worked at it. He's never had a bad attitude, and so to have a day like that is pretty special."
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Jeudy said Tillman foreshadowed his breakout performance this past summer during training camp.
"He's been doing his thing, been waiting his turn, being patient, and now he came out there [Sunday] and showed everybody who he is," Jeudy said.
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) celebrates after a catch against Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) during the first half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Tillman said he maintained faith in his teammates and coaches believing in him. He also remained confident he would capitalize when given a shot.
"I trust the process," Tillman said, "and I was able to show it."
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cedric Tillman's breakout game gives Browns boost in win vs Ravens
