BLOCK PARTY: Down 20-0 and needing something, anything, to get them going, the Ravens blocked Cleveland’s extra point and returned it for two points in the first quarter. NEXT: The Ravens (2-0, 1-0 AFC North) will travel to Jacksonville, Fla. on September 25 to take on the Jaguars. There is no such thing as a bad win.
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Veteran Josh McCown will start at quarterback Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Through all the bumps and bruises, McCown stayed in the game, but he didn’t find another touchdown pass after the first quarter. The Browns lead was cut to 20-12.
As the defense started to shut down the Browns, the offense found its rhythm.
Meanwhile, McCown almost changed this narrative by leading Cleveland down the field in the waning minutes before C.J. Mosley picked off a pass intended for Terrelle Pryor at the Baltimore 1-yard-line with seconds left. The Ravens lost nine games previous year by eight points or fewer.
The Ravens got even closer before halftime as they converted Eric Weddle’s late-half interception on McCown into a 52-yard field goal by Justin Tucker with no time on the clock at intermission. Flacco hit Steve Smith Sr. for a big play and connected with Mike Wallace for a pair of touchdowns. The two connected on two passes for first downs, Smith ended the game with 3 catches for 64 yards. The Browns also have injuries in the secondary, which could be a problem, given Mike Wallace’s sudden resurgence in Week 1 for the Ravens.
Following the touchdown both teams’ offense sputtered and neither could get much going.
After another third down conversion – McCown hit tight end Gary Barnidge for 14 yards on third-and-8 – the quarterback threw to the rookie Coleman in the slot.
Pryor was called for taunting because he let the ball out of his hands and it landed on a Ravens defender, taking away a 20-yard completion to the Ravens’ 10-yard line with 27 seconds left in the game.
Late in the fourth Tucker added another field goal to give the Ravens a five point lead with three minutes left to play.
Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (18 carries, 133 yards) had an 85-yard TD and was barely touched on the play, bursting through a gaping hole between the tackles. McCown would throw up a prayer to the end zone and C.J. On third-and-10, Coleman got behind cornerback Shareece Wright in the back of the end zone, caught the pass and kept his feet inbounds (the play survived a replay review) to record the first touchdown on his National Football League career with 9:45 left in the first quarter. Between the two games a year ago against the Ravens, McCown went 57 for 89 for 669 yards and three touchdowns.
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In an emotional weekend that saw the passing of long-time assistant coach Clarence Brooks, the Ravens found a way to pull off a road victory against a division rival that seemed all-but-impossible early in the game.
