Browns fail to ruin Baltimore celebration, lose by plenty

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

BALTIMORE, MD

Instant takeaways from Browns’ 41-17 loss to Baltimore Ravens … 

1. S.O.S. in Baltimore: A second straight strong showing early by the Browns’ defense was wasted when the offense struggled and the special teams stunk. Over time, the defense wilted badly and Lamar Jackson – not Derrick Henry – broke the Browns again. The 41-17 defeat dropped the Browns to 0-2 for the first time in Kevin Stefanski’s six seasons as head coach. Joe Flacco ran for his life much of the game and made a big error throwing an interception on the run with the Browns down by only 13-3. He was limited mostly to short passes and throwaways to avoid sacks. The Browns didn't have a run of more than 10 yards until Quinshon Judkins ripped off a 31-yarder late in the game. Dillon Gabriel came in with 4:43 to play and parlayed Judkins' big gain into a nifty, 65-yard TD drive, ending in an 8-yard scoring strike to Dylan Sampson. The Ravens weren’t much better on the ground – Henry had 22 yards on nine attempts – but Jackson was his usual special self, escaping pressure, extending plays and causing cornerbacks to lose their coverages. Jackson had four touchdowns and no interceptions as the Ravens improved to 1-1. For the record, the Ravens’ halftime celebration of their 30^th birthday was tame. It didn’t make the day in Baltimore any more miserable than usual for the Browns.

2. Pouring it on: Jackson’s TD throws came against backup cornerbacks Cam Mitchell (three) and Myles Harden (one), as Denzel Ward was in and out because of cramping. After the third one, Flacco’s second turnover resulted in another Baltimore touchdown. On fourth-and-10 from the Ravens’ 37, Flacco couldn’t avoid a sack by Tavius Robinson, who stripped the ball out on the way down. Linebacker Roquan Smith picked it up and returned it 63 yards to the end zone. Jackson tacked on his fourth score after Flacco failed on a fourth-down pass.

3. A couple good breaks: At least the breaks went the Browns’ way on a scoring drive in the third quarter. On third-and-7 from the Ravens’ 22, a Flacco pass to Harold Fannin at the 18 was ruled no good. With the field-goal unit entering the field, Stefanski challenged the call and it was reversed. The completion led Stefanski to go for it from the 18. Flacco’s desperate pass for Fannin was deflected at the goal line by cornerback Marlon Humphrey and somehow the ball caromed forward and Cedric Tillman pulled it in for the touchdown.

4. Defensive stand: The Browns’ defense was hit with one of those patented Jackson plays after halftime, where he spins out of trouble in the backfield and finds a receiver downfield. It looked like a 42-yard TD pass to DeAndre Hopkins when Greg Newsome lost sight of the ball and got turned around. But replay review ruled Hopkins knee touched just before the goal line and the ball was placed first-and-goal from about a half-yard line. On first down, linebacker Devin Bush defended a pass in the end zone for tight end Zaire Mitchell-Baden. Then, Mitchell-Baden false-started. Next play, Grant Delpit punched the ball out of Mark Andrews’ hands in the end zone. On third down, Garrett sacked Jackson for an 8-yard loss. So what looked like a sure 7 points for Baltimore turned into just 3. Still, a 13-3 Baltimore lead.

5. But not a second time: On the Browns’ next possession, Flacco’s worst decision of the game – throwing on the run – resulted in his interception. Cornerback Nate Wiggins returned it 60 yards and was kept out of the end zone on Joel Bitonio’s tackle at the 5. It looked like the Browns’ defense might stand off a TD again. But on fourth-and-goal from the 2, Jackson rolled to his right and found Devontez Walker beating Cam Mitchell at the back of the end zone for the touchdown. That made it 20-3, Ravens.

6. Szmyt exhales: Andre Szmyt’s first attempt after missing two kicks in the opener came with 1:24 to go in the first half. He made a 38-yard field goal to close the Baltimore lead to 10-3 at halftime. The points were set up by a good defensive stand that pinned the Ravens back to their 8-yard line. Ravens coach John Harbaugh helped by taking a delay of game penalty while trying to draw the Browns offside on fourth-and-1. Why he didn’t call timeout to save himself 5 yards is anyone’s guess. Anyways, Flacco moved the Browns into field-goal range on a 23-yard bullet completion to David Njoku on third-and-13 from the Browns’ 49. Szmyt also converted two PATs.

7. No fireworks: The first half was a defensive tug-of-war. The Browns totaled 120 offensive yards, the Ravens 81. Jerry Jeudy’s 26-yard catch was the longest play of the half. The Browns held Derrick Henry to 5 yards on five attempts, and tackled him for losses of 1 and 4 yards.

8. Unspecial teams: The Browns’ special teams were accomplices in both Baltimore scores in the first half. In the first quarter, Ravens punt returner LaJohntay Wester ripped off a 23-yard punt return to the Browns’ 49. Rayshawn Jenkins saved a long TD with a shoestring trip-up of Wester. Later in the second quarter, Corey Bojorquez’s punt was blocked by Jake Hummel and recovered by Sanoussi Kane at the Browns’ 24. Jackson converted the touchdown on a touch pass to Tylan Wallace over late-arriving Cam Mitchell from 15 yards. Bojorquez appeared banged up on the play. He did return to punt and limped slightly trotting onto the field.

9. Surprises: Quinshon Judkins started at running back for the Browns after practicing only two days since June. Judkins was felled for a 2-yard loss on his first carry, but he had some success thereafter. He had 20 yards on six carries in the first half as the Browns used Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford in the backfield, too. Also, Isaiah Bond took over as punt returner after DeAndre Carter suffered a concussion, possibly on the opening kickoff.

10. Ward out, and in: Cornerback Denzel Ward left the game in the second quarter due to cramping. Ward returned on the second play of the second half, but didn't play in the fourth quarter. Also, left tackle Dawand Jones missed two series and was replaced by KT Leveston.

11. Say what?: Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Ravens had planned on drafting Shedeur Sanders with the 141^st overall pick in the fifth round. But they changed their mind after the Ravens were informed that Sanders didn’t want to be on a roster with Lamar Jackson with zero chance of playing soon. The Ravens previously signed veteran Cooper Rush in free agency to be their QB2. The Ravens then drafted offensive lineman Carson Vinson and the Browns traded up and took Sanders with the 144^th overall pick. Sanders was QB4 in Browns training camp and became QB3 when Kenny Pickett was traded to the Raiders.

12. Pre-game notes: Right tackle Jack Conklin was scratched and made inactive after a pre-game warmup in front of a trainer and line coach Mike Bloomgren did not go great. Conklin wore a heavy brace on his right elbow, which was injured in a mid-week practice. Other inactives: Running back Rocket Sanders, defensive tackle Mike Hall, guard Zak Zinter and Shedeur Sanders (QB3). ). Cornerback Jaire Alexander was a surprise healthy scratch for the Ravens.