Amanda Balionis of CBS Sports hailed the unexpected triumph of the Cleveland Browns and quarterback Jameis Winston, who stunned the Baltimore Ravens with a 29-24 victory on Sunday. Winston – whose pre-game interview with Balionis went viral – has made his first NFL start in two years, filling in for the injured and criticized Deshaun Watson, since signing a one-year deal with the Browns in March.
The ex-first draft pick threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns sans interceptions, clenching a go-ahead touchdown with under one minute left on the clock. “Dawg Fight to the end. Jameis Winston made his first start since 2022 and led with unwavering confidence the entire week,” Balionis shared on Instagram.
“This Browns defense turned up against the hottest offense in the NFL, grabbing their second win and the first time they’ve put 20+ points on the board this season. Gotta love an AFC North showdown,” the presenter, who recently revealed why she quit golf for NFL presenting duties, continued.
Notably, it was the Ravens’ first loss since Week 2, while the Browns advanced from 1-6 after clinching only their second season win. Ahead of the Week 8 match, Winston had a memorable interaction with Balionis, articulating his gratefulness for the chance before him: “Unwavering faith. Ultimate belief. Dependence on the Lord,” he expressed, stepping onto the field post-Watson’s season-finale Achilles injury on Oct. 20. “This is the day that the Lord has made. I will be glad and rejoicing in it,” reports the Mirror US.
(Image: Getty)
Winston, in his interview with Balionis post-match shared: “Unwavering faith, ultimate belief, depending on the Lord – and depending on the Lord should have been first. He gets all the glory. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for this win.”
If you can’t see the video above, click here.
And when discussing his performance he added: “One play at a time. We fought. We gave everything that we could possibly give. Thank you for the offensive line. Thank you for the defensive line for winning the trenches. And thank you to the Browns fans for standing up and helping us get a victory here at home.”
Balionis had earlier relayed, “The message is clear, guys. Thank you, Jameis.”
Despite the Browns’ season-long struggles and the Ravens’, led by MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, Winston was determined not to lose his first start since 2022, possibly reviving his career. He was first drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015 as the overall number-one pick and became their franchise quarterback.
After his rookie contract, he signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2020 and joined the Browns this offseason.
For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.
