The Cleveland Browns came with 30 seconds of upsetting another NFC North side as they conceded a late touchdown to the Minnesota Vikings in London.

The Browns, whose only win of 2025 came at the expense of the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, appeared to have the upper hand over Minnesota, forcing two fumbles and only losing the points advantage at the start of the second half, when Carson Wentz engineered a drive from the opening kickoff that resulted in a short Jordan Mason touchdown to put the Vikings up 17-14. The teams had exchanged early first quarter scores — courtesy of Harold Fannin Jr and Josh Oliver respectively — but the game retreated into something of a punt-fest until Andre Szmyt converted a field goal from 31 yards to break the tie.

Leading 10-7 at the half, the Browns would add another touchdown after the break as debutant Dillon Gabriel found his other tight end, David Njoku, on the left edge of the endzone to cancel out Mason’s score, but again punters Corey Borjorquez and Ryan Wright again took centre stage for large parts.

The Browns were offered two opportunities opportunity to extend their advantage as the Vikings’ Zavier Scott fumbled and Will Reichart missed a 51-year field goal attempt, but, despite Gabriel providing a platform under center — and ultimately surpassing Cleveland’s average score so far this season — Cleveland were unable to add to their total and remained vulnerable if only Minnesota could overcome the stifling defense led by Myles Garrett and Maliek Collins.

Mason’s score immediately after the half not only gave Minnesota a foothold, but also confirmed that Wentz would remain in the game despite suffering a left shoulder injury that put third-stringer Max Brosmer in to kneel out the second quarter.

With the two-minute warning having sounded and the clock operating on seconds, Wentz — wearing a brace to support the injured joint — combined with Jordan Addison on three consecutive plays, the final one in the endzone to re-establish the Vikings’ lead. Addison had been held out of the first quarter at the behest of head coack Kevin O’Connell after missing a walkthough ahead of gameday, but came good, with the game-winning points, when it mattered most.

The Vikings’ WR1, Justin Jefferson, was again held without a touchdown, but contributed a handful of massive plays, often against double coverage, on another 100-yard afternoon and moved the chains at vital junctures. While both running backs were guilty of fumbling the ball at critical moments that could have cost their team the chance to go ahead, and stay ahead, in either half, the Vikings’ defense, with Ivan Pace prominent, held firm when required to send the team back to Minnesota with a 1-1 record from their European double-header, 3-2 on the season, and knowing that key figures should soon return from the IR.

The Browns, meanwhile, slink back to Cleveland with another loss on their record to sit 1-4 when things could have been very different.