The Baltimore Ravens are now 5-5 following their 23-16 Sunday evening victory over the Cleveland Browns.
It wasn’t without its cavalcade of mistakes and issues. The Ravens trailed from the 8:44 mark in the second quarter as Cleveland kicker Andre Szmyt made a 24-yard field goal to put the Browns up 6-3. Devin Bush nabbed an interception return for 23 yards and a touchdown (7:43), followed by a 6-play, 63-yard drive capped off by a 1-yard Derrick Henry plunge into the end zone with 4:17 remaining in the first half. Baltimore trailed 16-10 at the half following Szmyt’s 46-yard field goal.
The Ravens and Browns struggled mightily in the third quarter with no team finding its way to a touchdown or field goal. Everything changed in the fourth quarter for the Ravens. Tyler Loop made a 24-yard field goal to cut Cleveland’s lead down to 16-13 with 14:06 left in the game, followed by another field goal of 44 yards to tie the game at 16-16 at the 4:59 mark. Mark Andrews pulled off an unlikely 35-yard rushing touchdown while under center to give Baltimore a 23-16 advantage with 2:31 left in the game and eventually the win.
Here are five takeaways from Baltimore’s win over the Browns to cement the team’s second-place spot in the AFC North.
Dominant Rushing Attack
Baltimore had a great day on the ground, rushing 30 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Baltimore displayed its creativity with Andrews under center in their usual short-yardage package, pivoting to the right and rushing 35 yards for a touchdown. Derrick Henry had 18 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown, bouncing back from his paltry performance against the Browns on Sept. 14, in which he had 11 carries for 23 yards. Keaton Mitchell added 31 yards on the ground to add to Baltimore’s rushing attack.
Lamar Jackson Struggles
The Ravens weren’t without their struggles, none the more clear than from quarterback Lamar Jackson. He completed 14 of his 25 passes for 193 yards with no touchdowns and two picks. He was inefficient, seemingly hobbled by a knee injury that reared his head on Wednesday when he missed practice. Jackson had a quarterback rating of 25.9 and a passer rating of 47.6 to display his struggles, while running for his life and being sacked five times for 26 yards lost.
Baltimore will need to keep their two-time Most Valuable Player upright in its next game against the New York Jets. Furthermore, the team cannot afford to get in a shootout with teams that have a high-powered offense when Jackson isn’t himself. Luckily for the Ravens, Jackson’s two interceptions came from tipped passes from his own receivers. That isn’t as likely to happen in the future.
Zay Flowers Shines
One thing is for certain, and two things are for sure – Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is a safety blanket for Jackson. The third-year wideout had three receptions for 78 yards – amounting to 26 yards per catch and with his longest reception going 45 yards. Even with Baltimore struggling to find success in the passing game, Flowers was trusted by his friend and teammate Jackson to deliver.
Ravens’ Defensive Prowess
Baltimore’s defense is seemingly back to its old ways. The Ravens have held teams to an average of 14.25 points in their past four games. It all starts in the way that the team generates pressure – sacking rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders three times for 34 yards (more on their struggles soon). Safety Kyle Hamilton had nine tackles, a sack and two pass deflections and looked like his old self following the acquisition of safety Alohi Gilman. Hamilton lined up as the nickel for most of the game and had multiple big hits. Baltimore cornerback Nate Wiggins also added an interception to boost his team to victory.
Cleveland’s Offensive Inefficiency
Baltimore made not just one, but two rookie quarterbacks struggle. Cleveland signal-callers Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders were completely and utterly ineffective – combining for 81 passing yards and one pick. Cedric Tillman had 52 receiving yards for one bright spot on offense. The Browns had zero touchdowns on offense, staying as the cellar dwellers of the AFC North division.
Kyle J. Andrews is a 2018 University of Baltimore and Mount Saint Joseph High School graduate, along with former sports reporter for the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pa., the Baltimore Sun Media Group, 105.7 The Fan, Baltimore Beatdown, and Fox Sports 1340 AM. He has covered the Orioles, Ravens, high school sports in the Baltimore area and Central Pennsylvania, minor league baseball, Penn State and Maryland athletics and more.