Richardson scores TD, carries Browns over Chargers

Cleveland, OH, United States (4E Sports) – Rookie running back Trent Richardson delivered a 26-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to lift the Cleveland Browns to a 7-6 win over the San Diego Chargers on a rainy and windy Sunday afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Richardson finished with a career-high 122 yards on 24 carries for the Browns (2-6), who clinched their second straight home victory and their first under new owner Jimmy Haslam. The Chargers dropped to 3-4.

Strong winds of up to 40 miles per hour and steady rains rendered both quarterbacks ineffective as Browns playmaker Brandon Weeden completed just 11 of 27 passes for 129 yards with no touchdown

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, fared no better, finishing 18-for-34 for 154 yards with no scoring pass as well.

After the Chargers came up empty on their first drive, Weeden engineered a 12-play, 70-yard drive that led to Richardson’s scoring run for a 7-0 lead.

The Chargers got their offense rolling in the second period with a 10-play, 55-yard drive highlighted by a 25-yard catch and run by Ronnie Brown and capped by a 43-yard field goal by Nick Novak as time expired to trim the lead to 7-3.

In the third period, the Chargers failed to capitalize on four straight punts by the Browns, coming up with just a 31-yard field goal from Novak that further cut the lead to 7-6.

With less than three minutes left in the game, Rivers tried to spark a game-winning drive that started with a nine-yard pass to Antonio Gates.

After an incomplete throw, Brown took a short pass from Rivers and ran 21 yards before connecting for an 11-yard gain on the next play to the Browns 44-yard line.

Following three incomplete passes, Rivers looked for wide receiver Malcom Floyd but cornerback Buster Skrine tipped the pass to seal Cleveland’s win.

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