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 Manningกฏs rookie season of 1998.
The Coltsกฏ 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 จC its worst season-opening defeat in 25 years จC and the Kerry Collins-led offense wasnกฏt 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 จC the year before the original Browns left for Baltimore.
Hillisกฏ 1-yard touchdown just before halftime gave Cleveland a 14-12 lead, and Usama Youngกฏs fourth-quarter interception of Collins set up a 20-yard field goal from Phil Dawson.
Hillisกฏ 24-yard touchdown run after 43-yard punt return from Josh Cribbs sealed the win.