The Cleveland Browns had one more chance Monday night to pull off the unimaginable, trailing by three points with two seconds left at their own 25-yard line. Some sports bettors wish Cleveland had just capitulated instead of what wound up happening, though.
After the clock reached zero, the Browns were still lateraling the ball around their side of the field. They kept going further and further back, toward that dangerous end zone of theirs. The sequence began with a short pass from Baker Mayfield to Kareem Hunt.
Ultimately, after a slew of laterals and fumbles, wide receiver Rashard Higgins launched a wild lateral into the end zone as he was being tackled. Jarvis Landry scooped the ball up, but he was pushed out the back of the end zone, turning a three-point loss into a 47-42 Baltimore Ravens win.
For Ravens bettors, that was great news. They had covered the spread in a wacky way. But for anyone who took the Browns, the wildness of that last play proved costly.
Baltimore entered Monday night’s matchup as three-point favorites, according to William Hill Sportsbook. The Ravens held a firm lead on things until Lamar Jackson left the game with cramps, prompting a Browns comeback from 14 points down.
Justin Tucker established a three-point advantage again with his late 55-yard field goal, and his kickoff went for a touchback. That handed Cleveland the opportunity to try the unlikely — and try ended in a safety and heartbreak for fans and bettors alike.
• Andy Kostka can be reached at akostka@washingtontimes.com.
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