Baltimore vs. Cleveland
Flacco Throws Three TDs as Ravens Complete Season Sweep of Cleveland, 28-7
John Harbaugh didn’t have to sweat it out for a change. For the first time all season the Ravens had a game decided by more than a single possession, a 28-7 beatdown of the Browns on Thursday night.
“It felt great, we haven’t had one of those in a long time,” laughed head coach John Harbaugh. “A lot of the players on the sideline, really led by Jimmy Smith, mentioned that we finally have one of these games where we can.”
Much like their first meeting against Cleveland this season, it took Baltimore a while to warm up offensively. Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler’s 25-yard score to Seth Devalve proved to be the only touchdown of the first half as the Ravens trailed 7-6 at the break.
The later into the evening it got, the faster Baltimore’s tempo on offense went. Switching to a hurry-up style in the second half, the results soon followed. Quarterback Joe Flacco finished 30-of-41 passing for 296 yards and three touchdowns.
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“Who doesn’t like it?” asked quarterback Joe Flacco. “You get the defense on their heels, and that’s what it’s all about, and that doesn’t always come in the form of two-minute.”
Looking for a change of pace offensively as well, Cleveland replaced Kessler at quarterback with Josh McCown, who was harassed throughout the second half. Terrell Suggs helped force a pair of turnovers and the defense sacked the journeyman on his 7th NFL franchise three times. A feat by the linebacker made all the more impressive by the fact that he’s been playing with a torn bicep muscle.
“It wasn’t anything that I haven’t done before, I have played with a torn bicep before,” the longtime defensive stalwart Suggs admitted. “I have come back from a torn Achilles before, so I guess it is just in my DNA. My mom and dad did something special when they made me. Ozzie (Newsome) knew what he was doing when he drafted me. I have Raven in my DNA. I only know one way to play.”
Baltimore (5-4) has now won back-to-back ballgames in five days following a four-game losing skid. The Ravens started the season 3-0 before the slump.
“This is huge,” said defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan. “We needed it and everybody on the team understood what was at stake, and I think that was why we were able to get these critical wins.
Meanwhile, the team in the other locker room lamented a historic low. Cleveland (0-10) has opened the year with 10 consecutive losses for the first time since joining the league back in 1950.
“It sucks losing, but we got to look forward and keep getting better,” Cleveland linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah told the media following the loss. “We’re getting there. We just have to keep on fighting. I’m not used to losing, but we just have to keep getting better.”
Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. caught six passes for 60 yards, as he climbed another rung on the NFL’s all-time ladder. At 14,349 receiving yards he now sits in No. 8 in the record books, passing Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne on Thursday. He needs 232 additional yards to overtake another Colts wideout, Marvin Harrison, at No. 7.
GAME RECAP
The ballgame began with four consecutive punts, two from each side. Baltimore seemed prime to put up points before an overthrow pass intended for Steve Smith Sr. wound up in the hands of Cleveland cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun at the 1-yard line.
A Browns three-and-out would result in the Ravens setting up shop inside Cleveland territory. The ensuing drive would stall inside the 10 and Justin Tucker’s 25-yard field goal put Baltimore up 3-0 with 10:33 remaining in the second quarter.
Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler would complete four passes on the next possession, including a 25-yard scoring strike to Seth Devalve to give Cleveland a 7-3 edge with 6:30 remaining in the half.
Both teams would exchange punts again and Joe Flacco would lead a 12-play, 57-yard drive following the two-minute warning, resulting in Tucker’s second field goal of the evening. The successful 40-yarder made it a one-point ballgame at intermission.
Baltimore would get the ball back after Cleveland opened the second half with another three-and-out. They’d find the endzone for the first time when Flacco found tight end Darren Waller in the back of the endzone for a 4-yard score, as the Ravens retook the lead, 13-7.
Josh McCown replaced Kessler at quarterback and Terrell Suggs quickly welcomed him to the contest. The blitzing linebacker hit McCown’s hand during his throwing motion, giving Jerraud Powers an easy interception opportunity.
Joe Haden returned the favor two minutes later when he stepped in front of a Flacco offering intended for Kenneth Dixon in the endzone.
The following drive went nowhere as Za’Darius Smith sacked McCown on 3rd-and-long, giving Baltimore another short field to work with after a Britton Colquitt punt. Flacco found Breshad Perriman for a 25-yard completion followed by a 11-yard touchdown pass to Smith Sr. Flacco would find Kyle Juszczyk for a two-point-conversion upping the advantage to 21-7 with two minutes left in the third quarter.
Flacco would get another opportunity after Eric Weddle intercepted McCown in the endzone. He’d lead a 12-play, 90-yard drive capped by his third touchdown toss, a 27-yarder to Perriman, giving Baltimore a 28-7 lead with six minutes remaining in the contest.
Suggs harassed McCown once again, forcing a blindside fumble that would be scooped up by Matt Judon at the Browns’ 30.
Following another exchange of punts, Ryan Mallett set up in victory formation to seal the 21-point win.
UP NEXT
Baltimore (5-4) sets sail to AT&T Stadium to take on the streaking Cowboys. Dallas (8-1) has rattled off eight consecutive wins since dropping its season opener to the New York Giants, most recently rallying to win against Pittsburgh 35-30 on an Ezekiel Elliott rushing touchdown with nine seconds left.
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