Ravens knock off Browns 23-16

The Baltimore Ravens needed a trick play called “Hurricane” to rally for their fourth consecutive win and spoil Shedeur Sanders’ NFL debut. Tight end Mark Andrews ran 35 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:31 remaining, lifting the Ravens to a 23–16 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

On fourth-and-inches at the Browns’ 35, Baltimore (5–5) appeared ready to run a standard push with Andrews under center. Instead, the Ravens had something else in mind. Andrews veered left, fullback Patrick Ricard delivered a perfect kick-out block on Browns safety Grant Delpit, and Andrews sprinted untouched to the end zone for his first career rushing touchdown.

“It was a great call, and I think the guys just executed really well,” Andrews said, who earlier became Baltimore’s career leader in receiving yards. “We’ve repped it a few times, so we had it down pat and ready to go. Once I saw the open edge and Pat kicking the guy out, I just opened my stride and got there.”

Quarterback Lamar Jackson also anticipated the play’s success after practicing it. “We just needed a couple yards, but for Mark to go for a touchdown, that was amazing. He turned on the jets,” Jackson said, completing 14 of 25 passes for 193 yards with two interceptions.

Baltimore stayed one game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North, continuing its recovery from a 1–5 start. The Ravens and Steelers will meet twice over the final five weeks. “We’re just above water; we’re breathing. We’re not even out of the water,” coach John Harbaugh said. “It’s a typical AFC North battle, and I’m proud of the guys for finding a way to win that game in the second half.”

Baltimore swept Cleveland for the first time since 2020. The Ravens trailed 13–3 with 7:43 left in the second quarter after linebacker Devin Bush’s 23-yard pick-6 of Jackson. Derrick Henry rushed for 103 yards on 18 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to 13–10. Tyler Look’s third field goal with 4:59 left tied the game before Andrews’ game-winning touchdown.

Cleveland struggled with Sanders under center. The fifth-round rookie entered with 12:43 remaining in the third quarter after Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion. Sanders went 4 of 16 for 47 yards with an interception, was sacked twice, and finished with a 13.5 passer rating. He led a final drive to the Ravens 25 but stalled, and his fourth-and-5 pass intended for tight end David Njoku fell short, dropping the Browns (2–8) to their third straight loss.

“I don’t think I played good at all,” Sanders admitted.

The Browns were held to 187 yards of offense, including 64 with Sanders. Gabriel completed 7 of 10 passes for 68 yards in the first half. “We didn’t do a good enough job, period, as a team and certainly as an offense,” coach Kevin Stefanski said.

Myles Garrett sacked Jackson four times, becoming the first player since Arizona’s Chandler Jones in 2019 with two games of at least four sacks in a season. Garrett had previously set a Browns single-game record with five sacks in a 32–13 loss to New England on Oct. 26. He leads the NFL with 15 sacks and is the first player in league history with five straight seasons of at least 13 sacks.

Andrews, in his eighth season, broke Baltimore’s career receiving yards record on an 11-yard reception early in the game. He finished with three catches for 32 yards and now has 468 receptions for 5,806 yards, needing just four more catches to surpass Derrick Mason for the most in team history. “He is always there when we need him. He showed that tonight. He is Mr. Reliable,” Jackson said.

Cleveland’s lone touchdown came from Bush’s defensive score. After a costly penalty last week, he intercepted Jackson at the Baltimore 23 when the pass deflected off running back Keaton Mitchell. Bush ran up the left sideline for the first pick-6 of his seven-year career.

Browns: OT Cam Robinson suffered a knee injury in the second quarter when Kyle Van Noy landed on his leg while Gabriel was sacked. CB Dom Jones and OT Jack Conklin also suffered knee injuries in the second half.