Brandon Pays Back Chargers in 30-24 Victory : AFC: Browns end three-game losing streak on former Charger’s interception return.

SAN DIEGO — Bernie Kosar’s brand of schoolyard ball pulled the Cleveland Browns back from the brink of a blowout, allowing David Brandon to put a blemish on John Friesz’s career-best day.

Brandon scored on a 30-yard interception return with 7:20 remaining in overtime, lifting the Browns to a 30-24 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

Brandon, a Charger from 1987-90, beat receiver Nate Lewis to Friesz’s pass and scored uncontested as the Browns (3-4) ended a three-game losing streak. Brandon, a linebacker who spent last year on injured reserve, was left unprotected by the Chargers and signed with Cleveland as a Plan B free agent.

“All during overtime, they were trying to get the ball out to the flats and get into field-goal range,” Brandon said. “I knew sooner or later, he was going to throw it in there.

“I was trying to hide so he wouldn’t see me and make a break on it. After I caught the ball, I wasn’t going to get caught.”

Kosar, who extended his string of passes without an interception to a club-record 233, rallied Cleveland from a 17-3 deficit and completed 26 of 42 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns, both to Leroy Hoard. It was his 15-yard touchdown pass to Hoard with 4:09 left that tied the score, 24-24.

Friesz, a second-year pro who matched Kosar in a second-half shootout, completed seven of nine passes for 55 yards to move the Chargers (1-7) from their 20 to the Cleveland 24 in the final minute of regulation. A holding call moved the ball back to the 34, and John Carney missed a 49-yard field-goal attept as time expired.

Friesz completed 33 of 54 passes for 321 yards, all career bests, with one touchdown and two interceptions.