Cleveland Browns punter makes history against Minnesota Vikings
The Cleveland Browns’ highest-rated quarterback of the season?
Hint: It’s not Brandon Weeden or Brian Hoyer.
It’s punter Spencer Lanning, who was involved in a couple of pivotal fakes Sunday in the Browns’ 31-27 victory over Minnesota, and finished with a 152.1 passer rating.
As the holder on a 29-yard field-goal try, he picked up the ball and tossed a pass to a wide-open Jordan Cameron, who scored an 11-yard touchdown.
“The only thing I was thinking was not overthrowing him,†said Lanning, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “[I] just wanted to get him the ball. I didn’t want to zip it out there. We’ve seen guys around the league run the same play and overthrow the guy.â€
On the drive before that, the Browns ran a fake punt, gaining 34 yards on a snap to upback Josh Aubrey.
Lanning even did some kicking, booting the final extra point after a quadriceps injury to kicker Billy Cundiff.
According to the NFL, Lanning is the first player since Philadelphia’s Sam Baker in 1968 to have a punt, an extra point and throw a touchdown pass in the same game.
ALSO:
Some routs just don’t follow the rules
Colts topple the 49ers; Dolphins upset Falcons
NFL Week 3: Packers learn, painfully, what ‘reversal of fortune’ means
More to Read
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.