CLEVELAND, Ohio — Baker Mayfield whipped the FirstEnergy Stadium crowd into a frenzy by waving his arms and shouting after what proved to be the gamewinning 7-yard touchdown pass to forgotten man Rashard Higgins in Sunday’s 19-16 victory over the Bills.

It was the most electric the stadium has been since Mayfield stormed in off the bench and beat the Jets in his Browns’ debut last year, and fans went home relieved and happy after Steven Hauschka’ 53-yard gametying field goal attempt fell short and wide left with 17 seconds left.

It was a game of return and redemption for Higgins, who’s been in the doghouse, and for running back Kareem Hunt, who returned from his eight-game suspension and produced 74 yards from scrimmage and formed a dangerous duo with Nick Chubb (20 carries, 116 yards.)

Mayfield, orchestrating his first fourth-quarter comeback of the season, snapped a four-game losing streak — and a three-game skid at home — with a sensational 10-play, 82-yard drive to beat the Bills, who were 6-2 heading in.

The victory improved the Browns to 3-6 with a fast turnaround here Thursday night against the surging Steelers on national television. The Steelers improved to 5-4 with a victory over the Rams to remain two games ahead of the Browns.

The Ravens, meanwhile, knocked off the winless Bengals (0-9) to improve to 7-2 and maintain their firm four-game lead over the Browns in the AFC North.

But the fourth-quarter come-from-behind victory injected new life into the Browns, who were almost out of hope.

"It showed the passion, the fight,’’ said Damarious Randall, who returned after a two-game absence with a pull hamstring. “The brotherhood we've got is starting to come together, and we're going to have to finish a lot of games like that down the stretch. To just know that this is one of them, games like that build character, build a lot of trust in each other. Now we've just got to correct the things we messed up and get ready for a short week for Pittsburgh."

The Browns had so much fun rewarding their disappointed fans with this victory, they can’t wait to go out and do it again four days from now.

“This is our first win at home,’’ said Randall. “To just hear the crowd scream the way they did for that field goal and the kicker missed, I haven't heard this place that loud in a long time, and I'm just looking forward for the fans to come out this Thursday. Thursday prime time, Pittsburgh. Hey, I don't got to say much else."

Despite the victory, the Browns still need a minor miracle to make the playoffs in this Season of Great Expectations. Only one team out of 81 since division realignment in 2002 has started 3-6 and made the playoffs — the 2012 Redskins with rookie Robert Griffin III at the helm. But this is a team that hasn’t stopped believing, with Myles Garrett even saying Friday that 10-6 is within reach.

“Internally, yeah, I think we showed that we can come out within a critical game when it is a tight situation and be able to make the plays we needed to,’’ said Mayfield. “We needed to have that. Moving forward, we know that we can do that. That goes a long way mentally for everybody in our locker room, but it’s a singular focus. We’re going to enjoy this win, but it’s a short week. We’re onto the Steelers.”

Higgins was in the game because Antonio Callaway was benched for a disciplinary reason, possibly for being late for something, one source said. Working his way out of the doghouse himself, he got only one target, but made it count. He got open on the right side of the end zone and caught the gamewinning 7-yard TD. The papparazzi came out in full force for Hollywood on the red carpet. His signature TD celebration.

"Hollywood, that's just what he does -- just gets open and catches the ball and pulls out the red carpet,’’ said Randall. “That's what we were accustomed to last year, and we're going to need a lot more of that down the stretch to win a lot of these games."

Higgins made the play after calling his shot to his teammates. It also helped atone for a woeful red zone performance in the first quarter, when the Browns failed to score on eight chances on the goal, seven from the 1 and one from the 2. They later got only three points after a first and goal at the 3.

“It felt amazing,’’ Higgins said. “I told Odell the whole day that I had a dream that I scored. I didn’t say I scored like that, on the game-winner, but I told him I scored and it felt great.

During my dream I woke up pretty fast because I scored and I was excited and I was ready to walk the red carpet. I woke up around 5 o’clock in the morning.’’

The game marked the promising Browns’ debut of Hunt, who came off his eight-game suspension with a vengeance. He rushed four times for 30 yards and caught 7-of-9 targets for 44 yards. He also blocked hard for his good buddy Nick Chubb, including on an 21-yard blast on the game winning drive.

“Honestly, it's not enough words to describe how I felt out there,’’ said Hunt. “I was so emotional, hyped, sometimes I was just thankful, sad, a couple times I thought I was going to shed a few [tears], it felt so good to be back out there and it's what I love to do and man, I couldn't be happier to be home, too, definitely bring a home win to the Browns. Felt good, my first real game playing for the Cleveland Browns, we got a W, so I'm happy.’’

Hunt played in 38 of the Browns’ 66 snaps, 24 in the backfield, nine in the slot and five out wide. On 28 plays (43%) , Hunt and Chubb appeared in the backfield together in ‘pony personnel,’ according to Next Gen Stats. It proved to be a lethal combo, with Hunt leading the way for Chubb.

“I want everybody to block as hard as they can for me when I run the ball, so now I see how it is blocking for somebody else when they run the ball,’’ Hunt said. “I get it, too. I want everybody to give 110 percent, no matter if they got the ball or not and if we all do that as a team, we shouldn't be able to be stopped.’’

Browns receiver Jarvis Landry also had a big day, catching 9-of-10 targets for 97 yards with a 17-yard TD catch on the opening drive, and a great 24-yard out route to the 7 on the gamewinning drive. He was flagged for taunting after his TD catch, and Seibert missed the 48-yard extra point attempt, which loomed large at the end.

“I just kinda out the corner of my eye saw the ball was in the air, it was over my left shoulder,’’ said Landry. “I knew I wasn’t going to be able to lean back to really be in position to make the catch, so I just turned over my opposite shoulder and made the play. It was a helluva throw. The safety was coming back over the top, guy inside of me, probably the only spot that that ball can be completed.’’

The Browns led 9-7 at the break after Freddie Kitchens opted to go for it on fourth and 4 from the Bills’ 4 - and Chris Hubbard false started. Austin Seibert kicked a 27-yard field goal instead. Hauschka then missed a 34-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the half to preserve the Browns’ lead.

In the third quarter, Mayfield was sacked in the end zone for a safety on the first play of their first drive after all three backs — Chubb, Hunt and Dontrell Hilliard — motioned out of the backfield and left Mayfield in an empty set. That made it 9-9.

But Seibert made a 47-yarder to put the Browns up 12-9 with 3:49 left in the third, with Odell Beckham Jr. (5-of-12 targets, 57 yards) catching a 14-yarder to convert a third down.

Sheldon Richardson forced Bills quarterback Josh Allen to fumble, but it was recovered by Buffalo at the 1. Allen scored on a 1-yard sneak to put the Bills ahead 16-12 with 5:26 left, his second rushing TD of the game.

Mayfield took over at his 18 with 5:26 remaining and needing a touchdown to win. He found Beckham for 13 yards on second down, and then a shovel pass to Hunt slipped through his arm and Jerry Hughes ran it back for a called TD. But it was ruled an incomplete pass upon review.

“Yeah, I didn’t even get upset,’’ said Kitchens. “It was a lot of wasted energy. The ball, that’s why you flip it. Our guys didn’t leave the field. They know.”

Hunt made a huge play, catching a 9-yarder to the Browns’ 44 to convert a third and 7. He then helped spring Chubb for a 21-yard blast with a fine lead block. After the two-minute warning, Mayfield made the great 24-yard throw to Landry before getting drilled by Jordan Phillips.

"Very, very special 'cause that kid is great, man,’’ said Randall. “Every situation he gets in like that, he's just going to keep learning from it and keep growing. I'm just happy for him and happy we got that game-winning drive and the game-winning stop. It just shows how the team is starting to jell together.’’

Mayfield shook off the big hit and delivered the game winning touchdown pass to a wide-open Higgins, his go-to guy whom he’s missed in the red zone. Higgins missed five games with a sprained MCL.

“I don’t miss him anymore,’’ Mayfield said. “He caught a touchdown. He is back. Red carpet was open.”

Said Higgins, “He’s confident. This is what he does. If he’s nervous, we’re nervous. He’s confident and he gives us confidence, and we know we’re about to go down to score. We all felt it. He’s a baller. You’ve got to believe in him.’’

The Browns got some big plays by the defense but still needed a second miss by Hauschka to pull this one off, and they got it after Allen (22-of-41, 266 yards, 73.8 rating) converted a big third down. Heading in, Allen was No. 1 in the NFL this season with four fourth-quarter comebacks.

"The only thing we needed was one, and we got the one against a very, very good Buffalo team,’’ said Randall. “They came in here at 6-2, so that’s definitely a confidence boost for everyone in the locker room, and Pittsburgh is up next.

Next

The Browns have a tight turnaround. They’ll host the Steelers Thursday Night Football, nationally televised on Fox Sports.

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