Baltimore vs. Cleveland
Ravens Survive Turnover-Fest to Top Browns, Hold Top Seed AFC
Lamar Jackson wasn’t at his best in prime time, in fact, he had a career worst four interceptions.
However, the franchise quarterback still had enough flash and the Ravens defense held one of the NFL’s top rushing units in check to squeak out a 16-10 victory over Cleveland on Sunday Night Football.
“Just watch film and critique myself like I always do,” quarterback Lamar Jackson told reporters afterward. “I threw four interceptions, three in the first half. I feel like those drives, when the interceptions came, we could’ve done something on those drives. We could’ve put points on the board. I just told my team, “That’s me. I owe y’all.’”
When Jackson faltered, the defense stepped up. Rookie linebacker Odafe Oweh recorded a sack and a fumble recovery while the Browns’ tandem backfield of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt mustered only 36 yards on 15 attempts.
“I really, really appreciate our players and the way they fight and the way they don’t flinch, they don’t blink,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “No matter what happens, they keep coming back and playing the next play. Defense was just off the charts. I mean, that’s one of the best defensive performances that we’ve seen out here in a long time.”
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Despite all of the mistakes, Jackson still showcased the unique playmaking ability that’s made him the face of the franchise on two separate plays in the third quarter. The first featured Jackson rolling to his right on 3rd-and-4 and throwing off his back foot deep to tight end Mark Andrews. Even with his left arm wrapped by Ronnie Harrison Jr., which drew a defensive pass interference penalty, Andrews corralled the ball with his one free hand just inches off the turf for a 39-yard gain.
“Well, I knew it was a catch,” tight end Mark Andrews assuredly stated. “So, I was like, ‘they better give me that dang catch, man.’ Yes, it was a good one.”
Jackson’s speed and elusiveness was on display three plays later when he dropped back nearly 20 yards and found Andrews again, wide open in the end zone for the Ravens’ only touchdown of the evening, which put them up 13-3 at the time.
The victory gives Baltimore temporary control of the top seed in the AFC. Their 8-3 mark is currently the best in the conference and would give them the lone first round bye under the NFL’s new playoff format.
Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield completed only 18 of his 37 attempts for 247 yards and one third quarter touchdown to David Njoku. His chance for a fourth quarter game-winning drive came up empty after failing to pick up a single first down on the Browns’ final possession.
Jackson finished with a season-low 165 passing yards after missing last week’s win over Chicago with an illness. His teammates consider this performance an anomaly and told the media they fully expect him to bounce back next week in Pittsburgh.
“If you look at the top 5 quarterbacks in the league, no one has a great game every time,” insisted cornerback Marlon Humphrey. “So, for us to pick him up, it was just special, and to end the game on defense.”
Coach John Harbaugh continued his dominance his division rivals, improving to 23-4 against the Browns. His record at home in prime-time games also jumped to 18-2.
GAME RECAP
Cleveland received the opening kickoff and promptly drove deep into Baltimore territory behind a pair of receptions by Jarvis Landry. However, the drive came up empty after kicker Chase McLaughlin pulled a 46-yard attempt wide left behind a violent tug of wind.
Myles Garrett’s league-leading 14th sack on the next drive brought an end to Baltimore’s first possession, forcing a Sam Koch punt.
A defensive pass interference penalty by Marlon Humphrey extended Cleveland’s ensuing possession but solid coverage by Chuck Clark on a pass intended for Austin Hooper brought Jamie Gillan on the field to punt it away.
Baltimore scored the first points of the afternoon on the following series as Justin Tucker drilled a 52-yard field goal try dead center to make it 3-0 with 29 seconds left in the first quarter.
The offense quickly returned to the field after another Cleveland punt and pieced together a 17-play, 59-yard drive. Despite being set up with 1st-and-goal at the 3, rushes by Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray were stopped short of the goal line, and a Lamar Jackson throw to Patrick Ricard fell incomplete. Tucker connected on his second field goal attempt of the afternoon, this one from 25 yards out to cap a near nine-minute drive.
The flurry of turnovers began with just over three minutes until halftime. First from Jarvis Landry, who couldn’t find anyone open on a wide receiver pass and lost the football on an Odafe Oweh hit and Patrick Queen recovered at the Baltimore 35.
Seconds later, Jackson’s throw to Mark Andrews deflected off Cleveland linebacker Malcolm Smith and into the hands of Denzel Ward for an interception. The Browns converted the turnover into three points after McLaughlin’s 45-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright and through to cut their deficit to 6-3 with 1:07 left in the half.
That was still enough time for three more turnovers, as Jackson would be picked twice by Grant Delpit and Ronnie Harrison Jr. In-between, the football fell out of the throwing hand of Baker Mayfield while dropping back to pass and pounced on by Oweh for the fumble recovery. A three-and-out by Cleveland mercifully brought the first half to a close.
The third quarter opened with two beautiful plays by Jackson and Andrews. A 39-yard, one-handed reception by the tight end lead to a 13-yard touchdown as Jackson floated a beautiful pass while dropping back nearly 20 yards in the pocket. The score increased the Ravens’ advantage to 13-3 with under 10 minutes in the third quarter.
After the two exchanged punts, the Browns went 87 yards on only five plays, spotlighted by a 38-yard completion from Mayfield to Landry and a 20-yard TD toss from Mayfield to David Njoku to make it a three-point game again, 13-10 in the closing minute of the third.
Jackson would throw his fourth interception of the evening on the following drive as John Johnson stuck with Andrews on a deep throw downfield. The Browns couldn’t convert the turnover into points though, as Tyus Bowser’s sack of Mayfield forced a 3rd-and-long and a subsequent Gillan punt.
Both halves followed with three-and-outs before a time-consuming Ravens drive ate up all but 75 seconds, capped by Tucker’s third field goal of the game, a 49-yarder to make it a 16-10 Baltimore lead.
Cleveland’s two-minute drill went nowhere as two Mayfield incompletions and a 4th down throw behind the sticks resulted in a turnover on downs. Two kneel downs from Jackson sealed the six-point win and a seat atop the AFC standings with an 8-3 record.
UP NEXT
Baltimore (8-3) renews one of the toughest rivalries in all of sports as they travel to the Steel City to take on Pittsburgh (5-5-1). The struggling Steelers got blown out 41-10 on Sunday in Cincinnati thanks to a 165-yard, two touchdown effort by Bengals running back Joe Mixon.
