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ATLANTA — Dee Alford intercepted Jacoby Brissett’s pass with less than a minute left and Atlanta Falcons kept beating Cleveland Browns 23-20 on Sunday.
The Falcons (2-2) spoiled the Georgia homecoming of Cleveland’s Nick Chubb, who ran for 118 yards and a touchdown while his high school team watched.
Youngho Koo’s 45-yard field goal, his third of the game, with 2:28 left gave the Falcons the lead.
The Browns (2-2) drove past the 50, but on third-and-23, Alford picked off Brissett’s pass intended for David Bell.
The Falcons relied on a balanced running attack led by rookie Tyer Allgaier, who had 10 carries for 84 yards. Caleb Huntley and Cordarrelle Patterson each ran for a touchdown.
Chubb, with his Cedartown (Ga.) High School team watching from the stands, broke free down the left sideline and booted a 28-yard touchdown that gave Cleveland a 20-17 lead and pushed it over 100 yards. In the offseason, Chubb worked out with his high school team, about an hour away from Atlanta.
Chubb started the day as the NFL’s leading rusher.
Atlanta tied the score on a 21-yard field goal by Ku.
Huntley had just one carry this season before capitalizing on a second-half opportunity. Huntley, who was on the practice squad before making the active squad Saturday, had eight carries for 54 yards, including a 5-yard scoring run that gave the Falcons a 17-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland more than doubled Atlanta’s total offense in the first half, 245 to 120 yards, but had to settle for a tie at halftime.
Browns tight end David Njoku’s fumble was lost after tying the game. Falcons safety Jaylin Hawkins forced a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Rushan Evans at the Cleveland 31.
Patterson scored 11 yards three plays later to give the Falcons a 10-0 lead.
The Browns tied it on Brissett’s 5-yard field goal and Cade York’s 29-yard field goal.
A week after he had a career-high 141 yards against Seattle for the second time in three weeks, Patterson ran for 38 yards on nine carries. He was limited in practice most of the week by a sore knee.
Rookie Alex Wright and Isaac Rochell were replacements on Cleveland’s defense. Jadeveon Clowney missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. The Browns ruled out Myles Garrett on Saturday, who is recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident on Monday. Garrett injured his shoulder, bicep, suffered several cuts and bruises, and broke a blood vessel in his left eye when he lost control of the car at speed.
Taven Bryan (hamstring) also did not play.
Browns backup Jerome Ford left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury.
Browns: Host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Falcons: At Tampa Bay on Sunday.
