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Published on October 30, 2024
Cleveland Browns QB Jameis Winston Clinches AFC Offensive Player of the Week After Triumphant ReturnSource: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The NFL spotlight is on Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, who, in a notable comeback, led his team to a nail-biting 29-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Winston's sterling performance last Sunday has earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week accolade, the league announced. This marks his first start since September 2022 and, more significantly, the first Browns' quarterback to snag the award since Baker Mayfield in 2020, reported Cleveland Browns.

Finding himself under center following QB Deshaun Watson’s season-ending Achilles injury, Winston did not just gently step. Still, he firmly stamped his return by completing 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards, throwing for three touchdowns, and maintaining a clean sheet with zero interceptions, as noted by News 5 Cleveland. His performance was paramount and peaked as the season's first Cleveland quarterback to surpass 200 yards throwing in a game, let alone orchestrating an offense scoring more than 20 points.

Winston's game-winning drive was particularly clutch. Trailing by a point with a scarce 2:36 on the clock, he engineered a 69-yard drive culminating with a defining 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cedric Tillman, sealing the game with only 1:04 left on the timer. His field generalship displayed that night was emblematic of a seasoned quarterback, as described on Cleveland19.

The commendation doesn't merely represent a one-game wonder, and this is Winston's third career weekly league award, the first in 2016 and the second in 2019 when he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. This recent feat underscores a narrative of resilience and an ability to come back and dramatically impact the game at critical junctures. His statistical excellence was unmatched in Week 8, with his yardage total outclassing all NFL players, as detailed by the Cleveland Browns. Winston's form bodes well for the Browns, who had previously faced a formidable five-game losing streak.