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Chargers win wild game when Browns push Austin Ekeler into end zone for winning TD

A weird and fun game could only be decided by something like the defense shoving a running back into the end zone, trying to get him to score when he was trying to avoid it.

Austin Ekeler scored the oddest touchdown of his life with 1:31 left. Ekeler clearly didn't want to score, hoping instead to keep the clock running so the Los Angeles Chargers could bleed time and kick a game-winning field goal. But Cleveland Browns defenders were too smart for that and pushed, pulled and dragged him over the goal line for the score so the offense could get the ball back.

That ended up being the game-winning score when the Browns' late desperation Hail Mary fell incomplete. The Chargers won 47-42. Ekeler's touchdown was a brutal beat for anyone who bet Browns +2.5 at BetMGM. Had the Browns not pushed Ekeler into the end zone and they get a field goal, the Browns would have lost by 2. Either way, it was a rough way for the Browns to fall to 3-2.

The entire game, with more than 1,000 yards between the teams, was a great candidate for game of the year.

Chargers, Browns have a great offensive duel

The Chargers and Browns played a thrilling game that had a lot of big plays and not a ton of defense to stop them. Hopefully you didn't bet the under.

A 52-yard touchdown run by Nick Chubb gave the Browns a 27-13 lead early in the third quarter. Hopefully at that point you didn't think the Browns would get an easy win.

The Chargers battled. Mike Williams and Ekeler each scored a pair of touchdowns to get the Chargers back in the game. When Ekeler scored to seemingly tie the game with less than four minutes left, a missed extra point left the Browns with a 42-41 lead.

And that's how many Chargers games the past few years would have ended. They'd have a brutal break, and they'd fold up. But this Chargers team is seemingly unburdened by the past. And maybe just due for some better luck.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler had a big day in a win over the Browns. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler had a big day in a win over the Browns. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Chargers get game-winning drive

The Chargers forced a three-and-out right after the missed extra point. Given how the Browns had been moving the ball up and down the field at will to that point, it was an impressive stand.

The offense wasn't going to let down either. Justin Herbert immediately moved the Chargers into Browns territory. With 1:31 left Ekeler scored again on a run up the middle, when it looked like he didn't want to score but Browns players shoved him into the end zone. That's smart football, because the Browns were dying a slow death. The Chargers would have just kicked a short field goal to win. Instead, the Browns stopped Ekeler just short on the two-point conversion and got the ball back with 1:31 left, trailing 47-42.

Baker Mayfield couldn't get a drive going and a few deep passes couldn't find the mark. The Browns turned it over on downs after a long heave to the end zone was incomplete.

The Chargers probably would have lost a game like this in years past. However, they never got a little push from the opponent before.