Past Falls to Present in Ravens Win

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Baltimore Ravens' hosting of the Cleveland Browns was loaded with more storylines than your average divisional matchup between perennial contender and bottom-feeder.

The Week 2 meet-up doubled as a homecoming for Joe Flacco, one of Baltimore's favorite sons. Ravens fans remained attached to their Super Bowl XLVII MVP, even while he suits up for a hated AFC North rival. On the sideline opposite of the 40-year-old stood Lamar Jackson, Flacco's successor who's ascension signaled the end of Flacco's Ravens regime.

The two teams entered the showdown as the two most recent losers among their divisional neighbors, having each faltered in their respective season openers. Jackson and friends had failed to win a big game, a theme that's followed him since Flacco's departure, with his favored Ravens needed this one to bounce back to their winning ways.

Baltimore's defense simply overwhelmed the veteran in a 41-17 trouncing, bothering him into a 25-45 outing that the Browns padded in the final minutes. Several big defensive plays, including a Nate Wiggins interception and a Roquan Smith strip-sack, helped shoulder some of the scoring burden off of the Ravens' offense, but Jackson did plenty to come through in coming face-to-face with his old mentor.

All he did was toss four touchdowns, accumulating 225 aerial yards on a 128.6 quarterback rating. He shrugged off an inaccurate start to the outing with several big throws to apply some second-half pressure to the Browns, with his 10-point halftime lead ballooning to the point that both sides pulled their key contributors in the game's final minutes.

Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

While the weathered Flacco didn't stand a chance against the Ravens' defense finally coming together, Jackson wasn't exactly dealt a winning hand in his own pocket. The offensive line's struggles continued, this time holding Derrick Henry back in his quietest game since moving to Baltimore in a 23-yard performance.

Jackson didn't even have to rely on his legs, as he ended up connecting on some of the intermediate and long pass attempts he was missing at the game's start. He scored 41 points to match the 40 he spearheaded in Week 1, feeding Zay Flowers in the flat while Devontez Walker, DeAndre Hopkins and Tylan Wallace made for productive touchdown-haulers.

Jackson prevailed while his fan base welcomed a divisional rival back with open arms, thrusting themselves right back into talks as a top-tier NFL team in sending the Browns even further into their early standings deficit. Flacco brought plenty of winning during his days in Baltimore, but Jackson demonstrated the intrigue of the team's present-day unit in a timely return to form.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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