Cleveland Browns vs. San Diego Chargers, December 24, 2016

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mario Alford and free safety Tracy Howard celebrate after Saturday's win over San Diego. It was Cleveland's first win of the season after 14 losses.

(Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns coach Hue Jackson cried after the game again, but this time they were happy tears. Joyful Christmas Eve tears. But he wasn't alone. The Browns finally won a football game and there was plenty of emotion, hugs and "I love you, mans" to go around in the locker room after the game.

"You don't want to say it was like our Super Bowl, but it really was,'' said left tackle Joe Thomas, who wiped away tears of his own during Jackson's emotional postgame speech.

The Browns beat the Chargers 20-17 to improve to 1-14 and avoid joining the 2008 Lions as the only teams in the NFL to go 0-16. They also canceled the dreaded 0-16 parade.

But they needed some Christmas miracles to make it happen, and they got two: a blocked field goal by Parma Heights native Jamie Meder with 3:45 remaining; and a missed 45-yarder by San Diego's Josh Lambo as time expired.

The loyal crowd erupted in hugs and high-fives and some fans left the stands in tears. The 17-game losing streak dating back to Dec. 13 of last season was over.

"The Pierogi Prince of Parma' does it again,'' said Thomas. "That man is awesome. He's one of my favorites. I think he's playing in the polka band here this weekend on Christmas Day so if you guys get a chance, go out and watch him. He's the accordion player. I love a blue-collar guy like that. He's a man after my own heart.''

The gifts kept coming as Christmas Eve wore on: The 49ers beat the Rams to improve to 2-13 and keep the Browns atop the draft order for the No. 1 pick.

Jackson, who welled up after the Browns lost to the Giants to fall to 0-12, pulled some of the veterans to his side during his postgame speech and got choked up while crediting them with holding the team together. He hugged Andrew Hawkins and singled out Thomas, Gary Barnidge and others.

"I'm going to give all the credit to our veteran leadership players,'' said Jackson, whose voice cracked during his postgame presser. "This not for me. This is about them. It's a heck of a Christmas present to all involved because these guys worked so hard. They have given me everything they have. At least that monkey is off our back.''

Barnidge pressed a game ball into Jackson's hands in the locker room and "this one's for you'' while other players told him, "I love you, man.''

"We really wanted to get a win for Hue,'' said Thomas. "He's one of the best coaches in the NFL. He's been given a really difficult situation, but he's never lost his positive mindset. Most teams would have shut it down but this team, if anything, rallied together and got behind Hue and we got that win and it did feel really good.''

Thomas, who's never missed a snap, appreciated this victory more than many of the others in his 10-year career.

"I was looking around for people to hug,'' he said. "There were a few tears in my eyes. I was really happy. There was a genuine feeling of joy. The Christmas spirit was amongst us, for sure. I kept telling myself, 'I shouldn't be this happy. This is not that big of a deal. We just won a game and it doesn't even matter.' It definitely felt like it was more than just a win.

"Obviously, everybody knew the gravity of the situation that we were facing going down the stretch trying to get a win.''

Jackson got to bestow some presents of his own after the game, the last at home this season.

"I haven't given out any game balls (this season) because we haven't won a game,'' he said. "Today, everybody gets game balls.''

He also shared a special moment with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who has stuck by him.

"Yeah, afterwards I gave him a big hug,'' he said. "This is the way we want the locker room to be. This is the way we want our fans to be after a game, celebrating as opposed to being disappointed."

The Browns won the game despite Robert Griffin III leaving the game with a concussion with 10:30 left in the game on the last of his seven sacks. But he played his best game of the year, rushing for 42 yards and throwing 164 to put all 20 of the Browns points on the board, including two rushing TDs by Isaiah Crowell.

Cody Kessler replaced him and did enough to preserve the victory, including a clutch 9-yard pass to Corey Coleman to convert a third down with 2:52 remaining that shaved some much-needed seconds off the clock.

"Robert played a great game,'' said Kessler. "He did such a good job and I told him after the game, 'I was happy I could come in there and finish it off for you.' ''

The victory made good on linebacker Chris Kirksey's proclamation after the loss to Dallas for an 0-9 mark that the Browns would not go 0-16.

"There wasn't a doubt in my mind,'' said Kirksey. "There wasn't a doubt in anyone's mind. We're competitors. I just knew the fight in the guys. It wasn't coming out of being arrogant or talking smack. It's happiness, man. In the Christmas spirit, we got this win. It's the best gift you can get.''

The Browns got a spirited effort from Crowell, who ran for 54 yards and scored from 8 and 4 yards. After the second TD, he leaped into the Dawg Pound and was embraced by fans.

"It was very meaningful,'' said Crowell. "My first year I did it a lot, so it brought back old memories. I appreciate the fans supporting us no matter what. I'm glad we were finally able to give them a win.''

As for the the 0-16 parade that's no longer?

"I would've hated that,'' said Crowell.

Defensive back Tramon Williams, who made a clutch third-down breakup in the fourth quarter and combined with Jamar Taylor to make a huge stop on third and 1 later in the quarter, also ignored the planned 0-16 parade.

"It didn't matter if there was going to be one or not, I wasn't going to show up,'' he said.

The Browns also got some huge plays from newly extended Taylor, who picked off Philip Rivers in the second quarter just after the Browns had gone up 14-10 -- their first lead since Nov. 10 against Baltimore. Taylor also had a game-saving breakup in the end zone to Tyrell Williams two plays before the block.

"It feels good to have teammates and coaches that trust in me,'' he said. "It's good to be wanted. It's truly been a blessing.''

Williams appreciated Jackson crediting this one to the veterans.



"He was saying we shouldn't be associated with an 0-16 team,'' said Williams. "He said, 'if you come out and fight for anybody, fight for the guys who are playing next to you, guys like Joe Thomas, who hasn't missed a snap in his career.' We didn't want to go down in history for one of the worst things.''

It came down to the final seconds, when the Chargers -- with no timeouts -- rushed their field goal team on and Lambo pushed it wide right.

"I'm glad he missed it,'' said Jackson. "That's a nail biter right down to the end.''

Said Kessler: "I thought he made it. I was looking for my helmet for overtime.''

Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor felt like he was back at Ohio Stadium even though the holiday crowd was sparse.



"The way that crowd was jumping, man, it wasn't packed but you would've thought there were 100,000 people there,'' he said. "I'm excited, man.''

Finally, jolly ol' Thomas summed it up best.

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.''