You needed a scorecard to identify some of the Browns playing against the Ravens. No. 89 was kick returner Kaden Davis, who made his first NFL appearance at the age of 26. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst of the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
BALTIMORE, MD
Instant takeaways from Browns 35-10 loss to Baltimore Ravens …
1. Mission accomplished: The Browns accomplished their main objective by losing their season finale with a lineup made up of about 33% backups. Some were deep backups, such as starting quarterback Bailey Zappe, and running back D’Onta Foreman. Which made some of the backups in this game, such as running back Jacob Kobodi, complete unknown guys off the street. Still, the Browns’ defense annoyed the Baltimore Ravens for three quarters before Derrick Henry took over the game with two touchdowns and won going away, 35-10, to cover the largest point-spread (19.5) in the NFL season. The win claimed the Ravens their second consecutive AFC North title with a 12-5 record. The Browns’ sixth loss in a row wrapped up a 3-14 record and preserved no less than the third spot in the 2025 draft. They would move up to No. 2 with a win by either New England (v. Buffalo) or Tennessee (v. Houston) and could move to No. 1 with a win by both.
2. Zapped: When Zappe connected with tight end Jordan Akins for a 16-yard touchdown with 11:33 to play in the fourth quarter, it marked the first time the Browns scored in double figures in four games. Zappe had a chance to cover the spread as he fed Jerry Jeudy enough times late in the game to get his sixth catch of the game and franchise-record of 90. But Zappe was intercepted at the Ravens’ 22 with 2:16 to play, enabling the Ravens to cover the spread. Myles Garrett was held without a sack and enters Sunday’s games tied for the NFL sack lead with 14.
3. King Henry: Ravens running back Derrick Henry was held to 8 yards on 6 attempts in the first half. In the second half, the two-time NFL rushing champion exploded for 130 yards, including touchdowns of 2 and 43 yards.
4. Gawd-awful: The Browns didn’t even try to hide their intentions in this game. On their first offensive play, a 21-yard Zappe pass to Jordan Akins catapulted them to the Ravens’ 49-yard line. What followed: Deep handoff to D’Onta Foreman for 3 yards, handoff to Jacob Kibodi for 3 yards (more on him below), and then on third-and-4 from the 43, another deep handoff to Foreman for a 1-yard loss. Punt.
5. Ravens flummoxed: The Ravens’ No. 1-ranked offense didn’t seem very interested in the first half. They scored one touchdown on a 12-yard catch by tight end Mark Andrews over safety Grant Delpit. Their other score came on a Zappe Pick 6 intended for Elijah Moore. Rookie safety Nate Wiggins stepped in front and returned the interception 26 yards to the end zone. The Ravens turned over the ball on downs at the Browns’ 9 when Jackson was unsuccessful improvising a pass in the end zone to Derrick Henry with Delpit hounding him, and at the Browns’ 23 when defensive tackle Jowon Briggs forced an incompletion on fourth-and-3. Dustin Hopkins made a 23-yard field goal to make the score 14-3, Ravens, at halftime.
6. QB rotation: Zappe’s interceptions upped the Browns' total to 23 on the season. Conversely, the Browns’ defense has four interceptions. After Zappe’s first interception, Dorian Thompson-Robinson played the next offensive possession. He moved the ball from the Ravens’ 9 to the 21, and the Browns punted.
7. Unspecial teams: The Browns’ unspecial teams continued their bad year. In the first half, Corey Bojorquez shanked a punt for 26 yards, which led to the Ravens’ only touchdown drive. Also, the kick coverage guys gave up a 47-yard kickoff return to Keaton Mitchell. That led to the turnover on downs at the 23.
8. Myles amped: Myles Garrett was pumped up all week to separate from Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson for his first sack title. On Baltimore’s first play from scrimmage, Garrett stormed off the snap and tackled Derrick Henry for a 4-yard loss. It was his league-leading 22nd TFL. Garrett hit and chased Jackson a few times in the first half, but couldn’t sack him.
9. Get your scorecards: The Browns fielded two players from their practice squad who made their NFL debuts. One was running back Jacob Kibodi, 26, who spent seven seasons in three college programs and entered the NFL this season as an undrafted free agent with the Saints. The other was receiver/kick returner Kaden Davis, 26, who had been with four NFL teams and one in the UFL before joining the Browns practice squad this week.
10. Pre-game notes: When all the inactives and replacements were completed, the Browns game-day resembled that of an exhibition finale. Inactives: quartrerback Jameis Winston, cornerback Denzel Ward, cornerback Kahlef Hailassie, linebacker Devin Bush, linebacker Jordan Hicks, wide receiver, Michael Woods, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. Among the lineup changes: Zappe started at quarterback, D’Onta Foreman at running back, Jowon Briggs at defensive tackle, Winston Reid at linebacker, and Cameron Mitchell at cornerback.