Game story
In Week 15 of the 2011 NFL season on 2011-12-18, the Arizona Cardinals took care of business against the Cleveland Browns, pulling away with a 20–17 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 10 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Skelton (Arizona Cardinals) paced the passing game, with +1.87 total EPA, and -1.9% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, G. Little (Cleveland Browns) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +7.33 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-28.0% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Cleveland Browns changed the game: (7:06) 6-S.Wallace sacked at CLE 5 for -9 yards (50-O.Schofield). Arizona challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 6-S.Wallace sacked at CLE 5 for -9 yards (50-O.Sc
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 20 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 G. Little · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +7.33 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.81 EPA/play
- 2 A. Roberts · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +3.59 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.36 EPA/play
- 3 L. Stephens-Howling · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +2.12 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.06 EPA/play
- 4 J. Skelton · Arizona Cardinals · Passing · +1.87 total EPA · 54 snaps · +0.03 EPA/play
- 5 M. Massaquoi · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +1.48 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.30 EPA/play
- 6 L. Fitzgerald · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.48 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.19 EPA/play
- 7 C. Stuckey · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.47 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.47 EPA/play
- 8 J. King · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.40 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.40 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
G. Little — CLE · Receiving
G. Little posted the highest total EPA (+7.33) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Cleveland Browns's efficiency. Across 9 counted snaps, they averaged +0.81 EPA per play.
The signature play (+7.76 EPA) came from Cleveland Browns: (3:15) 6-S.Wallace pass deep right to 15-G.Little for 76 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Cleveland Browns — P. Hillis
- Arizona Cardinals — A. Roberts (J. Skelton pass)
- Cleveland Browns — G. Little (S. Wallace pass)
- Arizona Cardinals — C. Wells
Field goals
- Cleveland Browns — P. Dawson
- Arizona Cardinals — J. Feely
- Arizona Cardinals — J. Feely
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Cleveland Browns won the period 7–0. Cleveland Browns found the end zone from the ARI 1 (Q1 56:37) — (11:37) 40-P.Hillis up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Cleveland Browns added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q1 56:33) — 4-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-7-B.Maynard..
The second quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 7–3. Cleveland Browns connected on a field goal from the ARI 26 (Q2 41:38) — (11:38) 4-P.Dawson 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-7-B.Maynard.; Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the CLE 9 (Q2 30:25) — (:25) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass short right to 12-A.Roberts for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Arizona Cardinals added 1 points from the CLE 2 (Q2 30:19) — 3-J.Feely extra point is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil..
The third quarter: Cleveland Browns won the period 7–0. Cleveland Browns found the end zone from the ARI 76 (Q3 18:15) — (3:15) 6-S.Wallace pass deep right to 15-G.Little for 76 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cleveland Browns added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q3 18:01) — 4-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-7-B.Maynard..
The fourth quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 10–0. Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the CLE 1 (Q4 8:42) — (8:42) 26-C.Wells left tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Arizona Cardinals added 1 points from the CLE 2 (Q4 8:33) — 3-J.Feely extra point is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil.; Arizona Cardinals connected on a field goal from the CLE 15 (Q4 5:45) — (5:45) 3-J.Feely 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil..
Overtime: Arizona Cardinals won the period 3–0. Arizona Cardinals connected on a field goal from the CLE 4 (OT 11:01) — (11:01) (Field Goal formation) 3-J.Feely 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Cleveland Browns (Q4 7:06) — (7:06) 6-S.Wallace sacked at CLE 5 for -9 yards (50-O.Schofield). Arizona challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 6-S.Wallace sacked at CLE 5 for -9 yards (50-O.Sc
- Cleveland Browns (Q3 18:15) — (3:15) 6-S.Wallace pass deep right to 15-G.Little for 76 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Arizona Cardinals (OT 11:25) — (11:25) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass deep right to 11-L.Fitzgerald pushed ob at CLE 4 for 32 yards (27-E.Hagg).
- Cleveland Browns (OT 14:53) — (14:53) 6-S.Wallace scrambles left end ran ob at CLE 30 for 15 yards (49-R.Johnson).
- Cleveland Browns (OT 13:00) — (13:00) 7-B.Maynard punts 38 yards to ARI 28, Center-57-C.Yount. 21-P.Peterson to CLE 40 for 32 yards (90-Q.Spears).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Cleveland Browns (Q3 18:15) — (3:15) 6-S.Wallace pass deep right to 15-G.Little for 76 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 16:13) — (1:13) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass short left intended for 85-E.Doucet INTERCEPTED by 22-B.Skrine at CLE 25. 22-B.Skrine to CLE 30 for 5 yards (85-E.Doucet).
- Cleveland Browns (Q4 7:06) — (7:06) 6-S.Wallace sacked at CLE 5 for -9 yards (50-O.Schofield). Arizona challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 6-S.Wallace sacked at CLE 5 for -9 yards (50-O.Sc
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 30:25) — (:25) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass short right to 12-A.Roberts for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
J.Skelton led all passers in efficiency for Arizona Cardinals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Skelton (Arizona Cardinals) · 54 dropbacks · 51.9% completion · -1.9% CPOE · +0.03 EPA/play · +1.87 total EPA
- S.Wallace (Cleveland Browns) · 36 dropbacks · 50.0% completion · -7.2% CPOE · +0.03 EPA/play · +1.15 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Cleveland Browns | Arizona Cardinals |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.019 | -0.004 |
| Offensive success rate | 40.2% | 49.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.032 | +0.035 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.034 | -0.068 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.004 | +0.019 |
| Defensive success rate | 50.5% | 59.8% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Cleveland Browns -0.02, Arizona Cardinals -0.00) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Arizona Cardinals: 12 drives, -0.38 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
- Cleveland Browns: 12 drives, -1.54 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Arizona Cardinals leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- G. Little (Cleveland Browns) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- S. Wallace (CLE) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Cleveland Browns TD (+6) — Q1 56:37 · ARI 1 · Score 6-0
(11:37) 40-P.Hillis up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Cleveland Browns XP (+1) — Q1 56:33 · ARI 2 · Score 7-0
4-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-7-B.Maynard. - Cleveland Browns FG (+3) — Q2 41:38 · ARI 26 · Score 10-0
(11:38) 4-P.Dawson 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-7-B.Maynard. - Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q2 30:25 · CLE 9 · Score 10-6
(:25) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass short right to 12-A.Roberts for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Arizona Cardinals XP (+1) — Q2 30:19 · CLE 2 · Score 10-7
3-J.Feely extra point is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil. - Cleveland Browns TD (+6) — Q3 18:15 · ARI 76 · Score 16-7
(3:15) 6-S.Wallace pass deep right to 15-G.Little for 76 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Cleveland Browns XP (+1) — Q3 18:01 · ARI 2 · Score 17-7
4-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-57-C.Yount, Holder-7-B.Maynard. - Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q4 8:42 · CLE 1 · Score 17-13
(8:42) 26-C.Wells left tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Arizona Cardinals XP (+1) — Q4 8:33 · CLE 2 · Score 17-14
3-J.Feely extra point is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil. - Arizona Cardinals FG (+3) — Q4 5:45 · CLE 15 · Score 17-17
(5:45) 3-J.Feely 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil. - Arizona Cardinals FG (+3) — OT 11:01 · CLE 4 · Score 17-20
(11:01) (Field Goal formation) 3-J.Feely 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Cleveland Browns vs Arizona Cardinals?
The Arizona Cardinals beat the Cleveland Browns 20-17 in Week 15, 2011 on 2011-12-18.
What was the final score of Cleveland Browns vs Arizona Cardinals?
The final score was Cleveland Browns 17, Arizona Cardinals 20 (CLE 17-20 ARI) in Week 15, 2011 on 2011-12-18.
What was the score by quarter in Cleveland Browns vs Arizona Cardinals?
Q1: Cleveland Browns 7, Arizona Cardinals 0; Q2: Cleveland Browns 3, Arizona Cardinals 7; Q3: Cleveland Browns 7, Arizona Cardinals 0; Q4: Cleveland Browns 0, Arizona Cardinals 10; Q5: Cleveland Browns 0, Arizona Cardinals 3; Final: Cleveland Browns 17, Arizona Cardinals 20.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Cleveland Browns vs Arizona Cardinals?
Cleveland Browns touchdown — P. Hillis (Q1 56:37) Arizona Cardinals touchdown — A. Roberts (J. Skelton pass) (Q2 30:25) Cleveland Browns touchdown — G. Little (S. Wallace pass) (Q3 18:15) Arizona Cardinals touchdown — C. Wells (Q4 8:42) Cleveland Browns field goal — P. Dawson (Q2 41:38, 3 pts) Arizona Cardinals field goal — J. Feely (Q4 5:45, 3 pts) Arizona Cardinals field goal — J. Feely (OT 11:01, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Cleveland Browns vs Arizona Cardinals?
J. Skelton (Arizona Cardinals), 51.9% completion, -1.9% CPOE, +0.03 EPA per dropback, +1.87 total passing EPA. S. Wallace (Cleveland Browns), 50.0% completion, -7.2% CPOE, +0.03 EPA per dropback, +1.15 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Cleveland Browns vs Arizona Cardinals?
G. Little (Cleveland Browns) led the game in total EPA with +7.33 on receiving plays. across 9 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+7.76 EPA): (3:15) 6-S.Wallace pass deep right to 15-G.Little for 76 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was -28.0%.
Was Cleveland Browns vs Arizona Cardinals a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Arizona Cardinals won 20-17 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Cleveland Browns
Entered 4-9 Now 4-10 L
Arizona Cardinals
Entered 6-7 Now 7-7 W
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