Minnesota Edition

Sunday, October 5, 2025Week 5 · London

Vikings Take London

21

Wentz and Addison complete the comeback

Two editions, one result

Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns: Player Stats and Match History

Updated September 9, 2026

Cleveland Edition

Sunday, October 5, 2025Week 5 · London

Lead Lost With 25 Seconds Left

17

Gabriel throws two touchdowns in first start

The centre fold

Latest result: Minnesota Vikings 21, Cleveland Browns 17

With 3:05 remaining in London, Minnesota had the ball at its own 20-yard line and trailed Cleveland 17-14. That finish on October 5, 2025 became the latest chapter in a series that includes an NFL Championship Game, two meetings in London and one of the most dramatic last-second catches in Vikings history.

Date: October 5, 2025
Season: 2025 NFL regular season
Week: Week 5
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The score as it changed
Quarter	MIN	CLE
First	0	7
Second	7	3
Third	7	7
Fourth	7	0
Final	21	17

Location: London, England
Listed home team: Cleveland Browns
Final score: Vikings 21, Browns 17
Vikings record after game: 3-2
Browns record after game: 1-4

Cleveland led at halftime and again after the third quarter. Minnesota's only lead before the final minute came after Jordan Mason scored in the third quarter. The Vikings did not score through a conventional quarterback play until their final possession. Their first touchdown was thrown by running back Cam Akers on a trick play.

Minnesota does not play Cleveland during the 2026 regular season. The 2025 London game therefore remains the latest meeting. The absence of a 2026 matchup is confirmed by the official Vikings schedule and Browns schedule.

The reporting

Two newsrooms, one afternoon

Minnesota's account is printed first and Cleveland's second. On a wide screen the Cleveland columns are set right to left so the two reports run towards the same finish; the words themselves are in ordinary order.

Minnesota's reply

The trick-play touchdown

Minnesota answered Cleveland's opening touchdown with one of its most unusual scoring plays of the season.

Cam Akers received the ball behind the line and appeared to begin a running play. Instead, he pulled up and threw to Josh Oliver. The tight end completed the 32-yard touchdown play, with Wentz helping to draw defensive attention by moving away from the action.

Oliver's scoring play was officially recorded as a pass from Akers rather than Wentz.

Jordan Mason's response

Jordan Mason supplied Minnesota's second touchdown with a run through the middle in the third quarter. The score gave the Vikings a 14-10 lead.

Mason's afternoon was mixed. His early fumble created Cleveland's first touchdown, but he returned to score Minnesota's go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.

Cleveland responded through Gabriel and Njoku, leaving Minnesota behind 17-14.

The final 80-yard drive

Carson Wentz moved into the no-huddle offense. He completed nine consecutive passes, carried the Vikings across 80 yards and reached the Cleveland 12 with less than half a minute remaining.

The Vikings had made too many errors to control the game. They lost two fumbles, missed a field goal and played behind a patched offensive line. Their final possession nevertheless gave them one opportunity to decide the result.

Wentz used short and intermediate passes to move Minnesota down the field. The drive covered 80 yards in 10 plays. His ninth consecutive completion was the 12-yard winner to Addison. Jordan Addison released towards the right side of the end zone. Wentz found him for the touchdown with 25 seconds left. Minnesota 21, Cleveland 17.

The complete final-drive performance and leading statistics were reported in the Reuters game recap.

Cleveland's opening edition

Gabriel's first start

The Browns started rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel for the first time in his NFL career. He became the 41st different quarterback to start for Cleveland since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999.

Cleveland's first touchdown followed a Minnesota turnover. Jordan Mason lost a fumble in Vikings territory, and the Browns turned the short field into seven points. Gabriel completed a one-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr.

The Browns added a field goal before halftime, taking a 10-7 lead into the break. Gabriel later connected with David Njoku for his second touchdown pass. That score restored Cleveland's lead after Mason had put Minnesota ahead in the third quarter.

Judkins and 110 rushing yards

Judkins was Cleveland's most reliable offensive player. He became the only runner in the game to reach 100 yards and helped the Browns control long portions of the contest.

Quinshon Judkins carried 23 times for 110 yards. The Browns leaned on him to reduce the pressure around Gabriel.

His production kept Cleveland out of long passing situations and helped the Browns retain possession during the middle quarters.

The defensive pressure

For much of the afternoon, the Browns followed a controlled formula. Gabriel avoided interceptions, Quinshon Judkins carried the rushing attack and the Cleveland defense pressured Wentz while forcing two Minnesota fumbles.

Cleveland created pressure and recovered two Minnesota fumbles, but Wentz did not add an interception to those mistakes.

A final possession of 16 seconds

Cleveland led 17-14 and received possession with 3:21 remaining. The Browns ran three plays, gained little ground and used only 16 seconds before punting.

Gabriel's first NFL start was measured rather than spectacular. He threw two touchdowns without an interception, but Cleveland's offense produced only 29 yards during the fourth quarter.

The approach left the Browns 25 seconds short of victory.

Cut-outs

The players who determined the result

Four portraits set between the columns, each printed over its own oversized figure.

Carson Wentz · 236 passing yards

Carson Wentz

The entire afternoon changed during Wentz's final drive. Minnesota began the possession 80 yards from the end zone. Wentz completed every pass he attempted, worked without a huddle and prevented Cleveland from substituting freely.

His final totals were 25 completions from 34 attempts for 236 yards and one touchdown. He did not throw an interception.

Justin Jefferson

Jefferson caught seven passes for 123 yards. His longest gains gave Minnesota room to operate against a Cleveland defense that was consistently threatening the pocket. Even when he did not score, his presence influenced how the Browns arranged their coverage.

Jefferson was Minnesota's main source of consistent yardage. He accounted for more than half of Wentz's passing yards and produced his second consecutive 100-yard receiving performance in Europe.

Jordan Addison

Addison's most important contribution arrived after the game appeared to be slipping away. His 12-yard touchdown with 25 seconds remaining completed the comeback. It was his fifth catch of the game and Minnesota's only fourth-quarter score.

Addison's final line was smaller, but his last reception decided the game. He caught five passes for 41 yards, including the winning touchdown.

Quinshon Judkins · 110 rushing yards

Quinshon Judkins

Judkins carried 23 times for 110 yards. The Browns leaned on him to reduce the pressure around Gabriel. His production kept Cleveland out of long passing situations and helped the Browns retain possession during the middle quarters.

No portrait of Quinshon Judkins or Carson Wentz is held in this site's picture library, so both are shown as neutral silhouettes rather than another player's photograph.

Box score ledger

Vikings vs Browns player stats

October 5, 2025 · Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.

Passing

Passing statistics, Vikings vs Browns, October 5, 2025
Player	Team	C/Att	Yds	TD
Carson Wentz	Vikings	25/34	236	1
Cam Akers	Vikings	1/1	32	1
Dillon Gabriel	Browns	19/33	190	2

Wentz completed 73.5 percent of his passes and finished with a passer rating of 102.1. His numbers were strengthened by an exceptional final possession, when he completed all nine of his attempts.

Gabriel's first NFL start was measured rather than spectacular. He threw two touchdowns without an interception, but Cleveland's offense produced only 29 yards during the fourth quarter.

Rushing leaders

Rushing leaders, Vikings vs Browns, October 5, 2025
Player	Team	Car	Yds	TD
Quinshon Judkins	Browns	23	110	0
Jordan Mason	Vikings	13	56	1

Judkins was Cleveland's most reliable offensive player. He became the only runner in the game to reach 100 yards and helped the Browns control long portions of the contest.

Mason's afternoon was mixed. His early fumble created Cleveland's first touchdown, but he returned to score Minnesota's go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.

Receiving leaders

Receiving leaders, Vikings vs Browns, October 5, 2025
Player	Team	Rec	Yds	TD
Justin Jefferson	Vikings	7	123	0
Jordan Addison	Vikings	5	41	1
Josh Oliver	Vikings	2	35	1

Jefferson was Minnesota's main source of consistent yardage. He accounted for more than half of Wentz's passing yards and produced his second consecutive 100-yard receiving performance in Europe.

Addison's final line was smaller, but his last reception decided the game. He caught five passes for 41 yards, including the winning touchdown. Oliver's scoring play was officially recorded as a pass from Akers rather than Wentz.

Touchdown scorers

Touchdown scorers, Vikings vs Browns, October 5, 2025
Quarter	Team	Scorer	Play
First	Browns	Harold Fannin Jr.	1-yard touchdown reception from Dillon Gabriel
Second	Vikings	Josh Oliver	32-yard touchdown reception from Cam Akers
Third	Vikings	Jordan Mason	Rushing touchdown
Third	Browns	David Njoku	Touchdown reception from Dillon Gabriel
Fourth	Vikings	Jordan Addison	12-yard touchdown reception from Carson Wentz

This site also carries a separate Week 5 match page for the same fixture, Week 5 player statistics, which sets the box score out as a conventional stat sheet with defensive numbers. The two pages are companions: this one is the newspaper treatment and the history, that one is the straight box score. Where their figures differ, the numbers on this page are the ones taken from the brief above.

Coming off the press

The final drive, line by line

Seven facts printed on a continuous strip. The strip stops when the touchdown line reaches the centre.

Line 1
Starting position
Minnesota 20
Line 2
Time remaining
3:05
Line 3
Plays
10
Line 4
Distance
80 yards
Line 5
Completed passes
9
Line 6
Final play
Wentz to Addison, 12-yard touchdown
Line 7
Time remaining
0:25

Every line above is ordinary text. If motion is switched off, or if scripting is unavailable, the strip becomes a plain horizontal scroller.

Analysis

What decided the 2025 game?

Five points, set as a broadsheet grid.

Minnesota won the final three minutes

Cleveland led 17-14 and received possession with 3:21 remaining. The Browns ran three plays, gained little ground and used only 16 seconds before punting.

Minnesota took over with 3:05 left and used almost the entire remaining clock to score.

Jefferson moved the field

Jefferson did not catch a touchdown, but his 123 receiving yards made him the game's leading receiver. Minnesota needed those gains while operating behind an injured offensive line.

Wentz protected the football

Cleveland created pressure and recovered two Minnesota fumbles, but Wentz did not add an interception to those mistakes.

The Browns settled for three points

Cleveland moved close to the Minnesota goal line in the second quarter but finished the drive with a 31-yard field goal. Turning that possession into a touchdown would have changed what Minnesota needed on its final drive.

Minnesota found an unexpected touchdown

Akers' touchdown pass to Oliver allowed the Vikings to score without asking Wentz to beat Cleveland's pass rush on a conventional dropback.

Archive drawer

Match history archive

Eight dated editions. One page is pulled out of the drawer at a time.

1969 — Biggest Vikings victory over Cleveland

November 9, 1969 — Vikings 51, Browns 3

Minnesota's largest victory in the series came on November 9, 1969. The Vikings defeated the Browns 51-3 during the regular season, a 48-point margin that remains Minnesota's largest home victory.

The same teams met again for the NFL Championship less than two months later. Minnesota won that game by 20 points.

1970 — The championship meeting

January 4, 1970 — Vikings 27, Browns 7 — NFL Championship Game

The most important Vikings-Browns game was played on January 4, 1970. Minnesota defeated Cleveland 27-7 in the final NFL Championship Game before the AFL-NFL merger. The victory gave the Vikings their first league championship and sent them to Super Bowl IV.

Joe Kapp completed seven passes for 169 yards and a touchdown while adding 57 rushing yards and another score.

Dave Osborn rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown. Gene Washington caught three passes for 120 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown.

Minnesota led 24-0 at halftime and forced three Cleveland turnovers. The Vikings finished with 381 yards and did not commit a turnover.

The 1969 NFL Championship Game record contains the complete scoring and statistical summary.

1980 — The Miracle at the Met

December 14, 1980 — Vikings 28, Browns 23

Cleveland returned to Metropolitan Stadium on December 14, 1980, for a game that became part of Vikings history. The Browns led 23-9 during the fourth quarter. Minnesota reduced the deficit, regained possession and reached one final opportunity with five seconds remaining.

Tommy Kramer launched the ball towards the end zone. Cleveland defensive back Thom Darden tipped it, but Ahmad Rashad caught the deflection with one hand and crossed the goal line. Minnesota won 28-23 on the final play.

Kramer finished with 456 passing yards and four touchdowns. The result secured the NFC Central title for Minnesota and became known as the Miracle at the Met.

The play and complete comeback are documented in the historical game account.

2009 — Cleveland Browns Stadium

September 13, 2009 — Vikings 34, Browns 20

This edition holds the line score only. No game story, player statistics or scoring detail for September 13, 2009 exists in the source record for this page, and none has been written here.

2013 — Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

September 22, 2013 — Browns 31, Vikings 27

Cleveland has recorded significant victories in this series, including this 31-27 result in 2013.

Beyond that line, this edition holds no game story, player statistics or scoring detail for September 22, 2013 in the source record for this page, and none has been written here.

2017 — First London meeting

October 29, 2017 — Vikings 33, Browns 16 — Twickenham Stadium, London

The Vikings have faced Cleveland twice in London and won both games. In 2017, Minnesota defeated Cleveland 33-16 at Twickenham Stadium.

The teams' first international meeting came at Twickenham Stadium in 2017.

2021 — Cleveland's defensive win

October 3, 2021 — Browns 14, Vikings 7 — U.S. Bank Stadium

Minnesota has generally controlled the matchup, but Cleveland has recorded significant victories, including a 14-7 defensive win in 2021.

2025 — London belongs to Minnesota

October 5, 2025 — Vikings 21, Browns 17 — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Eight years after Twickenham, the teams returned to England for the 21-17 game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The 2025 victory gave Minnesota consecutive wins over Cleveland in London.

The 2025 appearance was unusual because Minnesota had played the previous week in Dublin. That made the Vikings the first NFL team scheduled for consecutive international games in different countries.

The 2025 win also improved Minnesota's record in London to 5-0.

Series record

Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns series record

Minnesota leads the all-time series 13-5 when the regular season and postseason are combined. Two stacks of folded papers, thirteen against five, with the counts printed as figures.

The teams have met only occasionally because they play in different conferences. Their schedule rotation can leave several years between games. Minnesota has generally controlled the matchup, but Cleveland has recorded significant victories, including a 31-27 result in 2013 and a 14-7 defensive win in 2021.

13

Minnesota Vikings wins

5

Cleveland Browns wins

Postseason meeting, counted inside the 13-5 total: one of Minnesota's thirteen wins is a playoff game — the NFL Championship Game of January 4, 1970, won by Minnesota 27-7. The other twelve Minnesota wins and all five Cleveland wins are regular-season games.

Recent meetings

Recent Vikings vs Browns meetings
Date	Result	Venue
October 5, 2025	Vikings 21, Browns 17	Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
October 3, 2021	Browns 14, Vikings 7	U.S. Bank Stadium
October 29, 2017	Vikings 33, Browns 16	Twickenham Stadium, London
September 22, 2013	Browns 31, Vikings 27	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
September 13, 2009	Vikings 34, Browns 20	Cleveland Browns Stadium
November 27, 2005	Vikings 24, Browns 12	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Reader questions

Frequently asked questions

Ten answers, set two columns to the page.

What was the latest Vikings vs Browns score?

Minnesota defeated Cleveland 21-17 on October 5, 2025, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Who scored the winning touchdown?

Jordan Addison caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz with 25 seconds remaining.

Who had the most receiving yards?

Justin Jefferson led the game with seven receptions for 123 yards.

Who had the most rushing yards?

Cleveland running back Quinshon Judkins rushed 23 times for 110 yards.

What were Carson Wentz's stats?

Wentz completed 25 of 34 passes for 236 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

What were Dillon Gabriel's stats?

Gabriel completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in his first NFL start.

Who leads the Vikings-Browns series?

Minnesota leads the combined regular-season and postseason series 13-5.

Did the Vikings and Browns play for an NFL championship?

Yes. Minnesota defeated Cleveland 27-7 in the 1969 NFL Championship Game, played on January 4, 1970.

What was the Miracle at the Met?

It was Minnesota's 28-23 victory over Cleveland in 1980. Ahmad Rashad caught a tipped Hail Mary with one hand on the final play.

Are the Vikings playing the Browns in 2026?

No. Cleveland is not included on Minnesota's 2026 regular-season schedule.

Elsewhere on this site

More Vikings coverage

External references used on this page: