4:08 p.m.-CLEVELAND BROWNS FALL TO 0-14 WITH LOSS TO BALTIMORE RAVENS AT FIRSTENERGY STADIUM
CLEVELAND -- The Baltimore Ravens proved to be as opportunistic as advertised in their battle of AFC North Division teams against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Entering the game as the league’s top-ranked defense as it pertains to forced turnovers, the Ravens collected two fumble recoveries and two interceptions of Browns rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer on the way to a 27-10 victory.
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco completed 26 of his 42 attempts for 288 yards and one touchdown without a turnover, and rushed for another score early in the second quarter of play.
Conversely, Kizer completed just 20 of his 37 throws for 146 yards with no touchdowns and the two interceptions.
With the setback to the Ravens, the Browns dropped to 0-14 for the second consecutive year, and their 14th consecutive loss of the season dropped the organization to a league-worst 1-29 since the opening game of 2016.
The Browns have not won on a Sunday afternoon since December 13, 2015. The 31 straight Sunday losses are an NFL record, and their 4-47 mark in the last 51 outings is the worst in the league in that four-year span.
Already this season, the Browns set the record for the worst 28-game stretch in NFL history, as they bested the previous mark of 2-26 from the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1976-1977 seasons with a 1-27 mark that has gotten two losses worse since Week 13.
3:05 p.m.-RAVENS FORCE FUMBLE, RECOVER IT FOR TOUCHDOWN
CLEVELAND -- The Baltimore Ravens had the Cleveland Browns backed up deep in their own territory after a punt, and the league’s most opportunistic defense as it relates to creating turnovers got to rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer midway through the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Kizer took the shotgun snap on first-and-10 from his own four-yard line and looked to the right of the formation. Kizer held onto the ball long enough for Ravens rush defensive end Za’Darius Smith to get the strip sack and force a fumble.
Defensive tackle Brandon Williams recovered the ball at the one-yard line. Before guard Kevin Zeitler could get him down by contact, Williams scooted the ball across the goal line for the touchdown, Baltimore’s fourth defensive score of the season.
2:30 p.m.-BROWNS GET LATE FIELD GOAL
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a last-second field goal attempt, and that cut down the Baltimore Ravens’ lead down to just seven points, 17-10, heading into the locker room for halftime of their AFC North Division game at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The big plays of the drive came when quarterback DeShone Kizer found tight end Seth DeValve open in the right flat for a 23-yard gain that moved the ball from Cleveland’s 39-yard line to Baltimore’s 38 with 26 seconds to play in the first half.
Then, three plays later, Kizer found wide receiver Corey Coleman for a 16-yard gain along the right sideline on third-and-15 from Baltimore’s 43-yard line.
2:20 p.m.-RAVENS EXTEND LEAD ON FLACCO-TO-WATSON TD PASS
CLEVELAND -- The Baltimore Ravens converted a Cleveland Browns turnover into a touchdown, and they needed just three plays to do so in their AFC North Division clash at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Former Browns tight end Benjamin Watson caught a pass from quarterback Joe Flacco between the hash marks, turned up the field, sprinted toward the pylon and dove into the end zone for his team-leading fourth receiving touchdown of the season.
The ensuing point-after-touchdown gave the Ravens a 17-7 lead with 59 seconds remaining in the first half.
Earlier in the possession, Flacco connected with wide receiver Mike Wallace on a 12-yard pass.
The Ravens’ third scoring drive of the first half came after a Browns turnover.
On third-and-22 from the Cleveland 32-yard line, quarterback DeShone Kizer completed a pass to running back Duke Johnson on the right side of the formation. After a nine-yard gain, Johnson was stripped of the football by safety Tony Jefferson.
Hybrid defensive back/linebacker Anthony Levine Sr. recovered the ball at Cleveland’s 45-yard line.
2:09 p.m.-RAVENS RETAKE LEAD ON FLACCO TD RUN
CLEVELAND -- The Baltimore Ravens had an answer for the Cleveland Browns’ first scoring drive of the game, and it came in the form of an 11-play, 75-yard possession that quarterback Joe Flacco capped off with a two-yard touchdown run with 3:01 to play in the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Flacco’s first rushing touchdown of the season, and the ensuing extra point, gave the Ravens a 10-7 lead over the Browns.
On third-and-goal from the Browns’ two-yard line, Flacco took the shotgun snap, quickly went through his progressions, pulled down the ball and sprinted untouched into the end zone for the score, Baltimore’s 13th rushing touchdown of the season.
Earlier in the drive, Flacco completed a pair of long passes that flipped the field position.
On first-and-10 from Baltimore’s 25-yard line after a touchback on a kickoff, Flacco found wide receiver Mike Wallace down the left sideline for a gain of 30 yards. Despite tight coverage from cornerback Jason McCourty, Wallace was able to corral the pass with his left hand and hang on as he fell to the ground.
Then, four plays later, Flacco completed a 14-yard pass to tight end Benjamin Watson, which moved the ball down to Cleveland’s 18-yard line.
1:38 p.m.-BROWNS TAKE LEAD ON DUKE JOHNSON TD RUN
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns took a 7-3 lead over the Baltimore Ravens on a 12-yard touchdown run from running back Duke Johnson with 8:12 to play in the first half of their AFC North Division showdown at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Johnson’s touchdown run capped off a five-play drive that travelled 96 yards after the defense came up with a stop of the Ravens on fourth-and-goal from inside Cleveland’s one-yard line.
After the defensive stop, the Browns faced a first-and-10 from their own four-yard line and gave the ball to running back Isaiah Crowell. Despite starting the play five yards deep in the end zone, Crowell took the handoff and burst through the line of scrimmage.
Once Crowell made it through the first wave of defenders, he sprinted down the field for a 59-yard gain, which gave the Browns a first-and-10 from Baltimore’s 37-yard line.
1:11 p.m.-RAVENS TAKE 3-0 LEAD OVER BROWNS
CLEVELAND -- The Baltimore Ravens took the opening kickoff of their AFC North Division game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium and methodically marched down the field to take a 3-0 lead with 8:46 to play in the first quarter.
Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker capped off the 13-play, 62-yard drive with a 31-yard field goal through the uprights in the east end zone.
The Ravens had just one play go for more than nine yards on the drive, and it came on second-and-seven from the Baltimore 38-yard line.
Out of the shotgun formation, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco found wide receiver Jeremy Maclin down the left side of the field for a 22-yard gain. On the same play, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was whistled for being offsides, but the Ravens chose to take the result of the play.
12:40 p.m.-BROWNS AIM TO GET FIRST WIN IN FRONT OF HOME FANS
CLEVELAND -- For two straight years, Cleveland Browns fans have watched the team struggle with issues, both on and off the field, only to enjoy just one victory in their last 29 outings.
While rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer was still in college during the 1-15 season of 2016, the 0-13 start to 2017 has taught him just how passionate Browns fans really are about their football team. And Kizer is anxious to repay that passion with a celebration after a victory.
“They really want to win,” Kizer said. “They deserve to win. Obviously, a city who is a blue-collar, hard-working city, who are obviously very passionate about their Browns, they have been going through some tough times when it comes to our records and our ability to win and win on our home field.”
Defensive back Jason McCourty added, “I think our fans deserve that. This will be our last opportunity to be able to get them a win. I think that this has to ring true for us in this locker room. Obviously, we are playing with everything we have, but if we can try to at least get them one at home before the season, then I think that will be at least a good way to go out for them and keep them encouraged about what we are building here.”
With last Sunday’s 27-21 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns dropped to 0-13 for the second consecutive year, something that no one within the organization thought would happen because of the commitment to improvement from the coaches and players during the offseason program, training camp and the preseason.
With their 13th consecutive loss of the season, the Browns dropped to a league-worst 1-28 since the opening game of 2016.
The Browns have not won on a Sunday afternoon since December 13, 2015. The 30 straight Sunday losses are an NFL record, and their 4-46 mark in the last 50 outings is the worst in the league in that four-year span.
Additionally, the Browns’ losing streak currently stands at 356 days, as their last victory came on December 24, 2016.
“When we are winning, we have this whole thing turned around and we get over this hill that we continue to talk about, I am sure these are going to be the better things that this league has ever seen,” Kizer said.
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