Sunday, September 18, 2011 01:00 PM (ET)

Recap: Browns 27, Colts 19

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 18, 2011

Peyton Hillis ran for two touchdowns and the visiting Cleveland Browns sent the Peyton Manning-less Indianapolis Colts to their first 0-2 start in 13 years with a 27-19 victory on Sunday.

The Browns also gave head coach Pat Shurmur his first career win and ended a five-game losing streak to the Colts.

Indianapolis lost its home opener for the first time since 2002 and is 0-2 for the first time since Manning’s rookie season of 1998.

The Colts’ NFL-record tying streak of nine straight playoff appearances is in serious jeopardy. Since 1990, only 12 percent of teams that started 0-2 have reached the postseason.

Indianapolis looked lost without Manning (neck surgery) in a 34-7 loss to Houston – its worst season-opening defeat in 25 years – and the Kerry Collins-led offense wasn’t much better against Cleveland. The Colts managed just four field goals from Adam Vinatieri until Collins threw a late touchdown to Dallas Clark.

Cleveland, meanwhile, earned its first win over Indianapolis since 1994 – the year before the original Browns left for Baltimore.

Hillis’ 1-yard touchdown just before halftime gave Cleveland a 14-12 lead, and Usama Young’s fourth-quarter interception of Collins set up a 20-yard field goal from Phil Dawson.

Hillis’ 24-yard touchdown run after 43-yard punt return from Josh Cribbs sealed the win.
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