Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah might not have caught up to Lamar Jackson on this play, but his tackle after a pass in the second quarter knocked Jackson out with an ankle injury. (Cleveland Browns)
Browns are back in AFC North race after thrill ride ends in 24-22 win over Ravens
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Exhale, Browns fans, and breathe deeply. Start hydrating for the next game Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders. Those with heart conditions, take the necessary precautions. COVID sufferers, get plenty of rest.
This crazy season just got crazier.
The Browns are still alive and their odds of winning the AFC North title and hosting a playoff game improved with a 24-22 nailbiter over the Lamar Jackson-less Baltimore Ravens.
Jackson was knocked out of the game early in the second quarter with the Browns ahead, 10-0. The lead was 24-3 later in the quarter and 24-6 at halftime.
Piece of cake, right? Wrong.
The roller coaster started trundling downhill and picking up speed.
Backup QB Tyler Huntley did a Jackson impersonation and put up 16 points in the second half to draw within 24-22.
And then the incomparable Baltimore kicker, Justin Tucker, executed a perfect onside kick – to go with his three field goals of 50, 42 and 55 yards – which the Ravens recovered at their 41 after it bounced off fullback Andy Janovich. Huntley had 1:15 on the clock and two timeouts.
“When they got the onside kick, I said, ‘That’s good.’ We get to finish the game,” said defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Clowney came through with a sack of Huntley on second down and then cornerback Denzel Ward blasted receiver Rashod Bateman after a catch on fourth down four yards short of a first down.
Ballgame.
For the fourth game in a row, the Browns’ defense played hard and relentlessly against a division opponent. Clowney had 1 ½ sacks and was upstaged by Myles Garrett, who got a hat trick in the second quarter – a forced fumble of Huntley, a recovery and his first touchdown in the NFL on a 15-yard return to the Dawg Pound.
Ward set a physical tone knocking running back Devonta Freeman into Wednesday after a catch early in the game besides his game-clinching hit. And heat-seeking linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah dragged down Jackson at the end of a blitz on the play Jackson was hurt.
Huntley’s maniacal keepers and 27 completions skittering around and under pressure made for a nerve-wracking finish, but the defense won this game after the Browns’ offense went as cold as the December dusk in the second half.
“I think he was a little quicker [than Jackson],” Clowney said of Huntley, a 2020 undrafted free agent from Utah. “He made the whole defense miss. Juked us all. We said on the sideline, ‘Hey, I think we need Lamar back out here.’ Naw. But, I thought he was just as quick and just as good as the first quarterback. He came in and played well.”
Garrett’s scoop-and-score after a sack moved him ahead of Reggie Camp for the Browns’ single-season record of 15 with four games to play. The sack statistic was not recognized until 1982, but researchers have examined old play-by-plays to compute sacks of pre-1982ers. Browns defensive end Bill Glass had 15 ½ in 1962 and 16 ½ in 1965. Who’s counting, besides Garrett?
Anyways, it was important for Garrett to come up big after he challenged his teammates Friday to pick up the intensity. They heeded his call.
“Absolutely, they came forward,” Garrett said. “I’m not worried about any feedback [from teammates].”
The defense had to be strong because the offense fell asleep again in the second half with no points.
Baker Mayfield tossed touchdowns in the first half to receiver Jarvis Landry – his first TD catch of the year – and tight end Austin Hooper from the 1. He finished with decent numbers (a 91.9 passer rating) but was only 6 of 12 for 47 yards in the second half.
Mayfield was intercepted in the second quarter throwing behind Landry with a 17-0 lead and almost concussed by a Baltimore defensive lineman with 8:46 to play in the third quarter, ahead, 24-6. He cleared the concussion evaluation and returned after missing one series.
“We did enough to win the game, so check that box off,” Mayfield said. “We got conservative. I think we need to put that team away. We just need to capitalize when the defense is playing like and holding them to points. We were better in the red zone today (2 TDs in 2 trips) and on third down (6 of 13)."
The Ravens’ defense led the league in both categories going into the game.
It was an important triumph for Stefanski, who has never been under .500 in his two seasons except for 0-1 records each year.
Without his beloved 13 personnel available with natural tight ends David Njoku (COVID) and Harrison Bryant (high ankle) inactive, Stefanski and line coach Bill Callahan devised an array of offensive formations using backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and Demetric Felton; extra linemen Blake Hance and Michael Dunn; and Janovich. Even D'Ernest Johnson got five touches (4 runs, 1 pass).
Chubb rushed for only 59 yards on 17 attempts and Hunt only had 5 rushing and 13 receiving before he left late in the first quarter with a right ankle sprain.
Stefanski said Hunt will receive an MRI on Monday. This being a short week with the next game on Saturday, Hunt’s availability for a key AFC game against the Raiders is questionable.
Afterwards, Stefanski was in a jovial mood – by his standards.
He started the game by accepting the ball first after winning the coin toss, which he’d only done once before. The Browns promptly went 3-and-out on three ugly offensive plays. They were promptly booed slinking to the sideline.
Three hours later, the painful start was long mind-erased by another wild ride on a Sunday afternoon.
