CLEVELAND — Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow as the Browns come up with an improbable win over the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 13-3.
Why improbable? Because of the conditions coming into the game. Baltimore was red-hot at 9-4, winners of six of their last seven, and remember, they handled the Browns back in Baltimore in October 23-20.
The Browns were also crippled on defense. Imagine: All of their starting linebackers are lost for the remainder of the year due to injury. But they patched it all together and came up with the defensive performance of the season.
Denzel Ward with a big interception snuffing out a Baltimore scoring rally down at the 10-yard line; John Dotson III knocking the ball away from Demarcus Robinson and then recovering the fumble; the Browns even blocked a field goal by the great Justin Tucker in this game, and Tucker would miss another.
Offensively, a big, big game for Deshaun Watson. It was his first game at home as the Browns' new starting quarterback, and as the game went on — just like it has for the last couple of weeks — he got better and better, and threw a touchdown pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones. Turns out, it was the game's only touchdown.
Boy, that kid Donovan Peoples-Jones is getting better and better and better, and remember, he was a sixth-round draft choice.
The other key factor was the Browns' running game, once again, was having a devil of a time trying to get any room for either Nick Chubb or Kareem Hunt, and as the game went on, it became even more alarming. They needed first downs.
Then, suddenly, in the fourth quarter, Chubb and the offensive line got going. Chubb ended the game with 99 yards, and he really helped the Browns run out the clock and keep the Ravens offense off the field to preserve the win, the Browns' sixth win of the season and their third win inside the AFC North.
They're 6-8 overall; they're 3-2 in the division, with one more to play right at the end of the year. You know where: In Pittsburgh against the Steelers. Next week, the Browns — back on a Saturday game — will take on the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Eve, and you have to think Deshaun Watson will be even more comfortable going into that game.
After a tough loss in Cincinnati, things are looking much better for the Browns.
Listen to Jimmy's calls of today's game in the player below: