Get the win. Get out of Cleveland. Get back to .500.
The Ravens checked those boxes during a wild and windy game against the Browns, using a little trickery to get them over the top.
The play of the game came on fourth-and-1 with just over two minutes to play, when Mark Andrews lined up under center. Instead of a "tush push," Andrews delivered a shock. He took the snap, wheeled around, and found wide-open space against a surprised Browns defense.
Andrews' 35-yard touchdown run was the winning margin in Baltimore's 23-16 victory. With their fourth straight win, the Ravens (5-5) are back even heading into their Week 12 home game against the New York Jets (2-8).
The Ravens are alive and have proven to be very resilient. They've overcome a dreadful 1-5 start to their season and they found a way to win this game, when it could have easily gone the other way.
Here are my five thoughts on a victory that didn't come without stress:
Mark Andrews isn't going to forget this night.
Not only did Andrews become the franchise's career leader in receiving yards, but he also scored the game-winning touchdown in a fashion that few would have predicted.
That sums up Andrews in a nutshell. He's willing to do whatever it takes. Always has been, always will be. Andrews turned on the jets once he found running room on the game-winning score, and he wasn't about to be caught from behind.
"It just goes to show what kind of guy, what kind of pro, what kind of player he is day in and day out," said Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton. "One of, if not the most consistent, persons on this team since I've been here. Glad to see him reap the benefits. He's a warrior."
The Ravens were able to dig out of their 1-5 hole because they have a ton of team leaders who didn't even think about giving in. Andrews personifies that with his play, and his game-winning play was a perfect example.
The Ravens are keeping the heat on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This victory kept Baltimore one game behind the Steelers (6-4), who beat the Cincinnati Bengals earlier in the day. It's starting to look like a two-team race in the AFC North between the Ravens and Steelers, who still face each other twice.
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a wrist injury Sunday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, that will be further examined on Monday.
The division could be decided by the Ravens-Steelers head-to-head matchups, but the Ravens want to make sure they stay within striking distance, and winning this game kept them right on Pittsburgh's heels.
When the Ravens play in Cleveland, you can expect this kind of game.
Baltimore entered this contest having lost three of its previous four games in Cleveland. Almost on cue, a cold front blew into town on Sunday morning, and by the afternoon kickoff, the wind chill was in the high 20s.
It was Cleveland kind of weather and a Ravens-Browns kind of rock fight. Hard-hitting. Low scoring. Nerve-racking.
The Ravens weren't giving lip service when they said all week that they expected this. It would've been nice to win going away, but the Ravens will take any win they can get in Cleveland, especially when it gets them back to .500. It gave them their first season sweep over Cleveland since 2020, and the Ravens earned it.
Shedeur Sanders may have nightmares about Baltimore's defense.
The Browns' rookie quarterback got his first chance to play this season and opened the second half for Cleveland after Dillon Gabriel departed with a concussion. This was a moment many had been waiting for, to see Sanders in action, and the crowd gave him a loud ovation when he entered the game.
However, the Ravens' defense was also waiting for Sanders. His first possession ended when he was sacked by Hamilton on a blitz. Then, on Cleveland's next possession, Sanders airmailed a pass that became an easy interception for Nate Wiggins.
Cleveland got the ball right back for Sanders when linebacker Carson Schwesinger intercepted Lamar Jackson on the next play. But the Ravens kept coming after Sanders like he had stolen something from them. Rookie cornerback Keyon Martin sacked Sanders on a blitz, and it was clear that if the Ravens could somehow take the lead, they were likely to win.
Baltimore's defense has played lights out during the four-game winning streak. Chidobe Awuzie, the veteran cornerback who played a huge role in the game with Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey (finger) sidelined, had a huge pass breakup in the end zone when Cleveland threatened to score on its last drive. That was followed by a game-clinching pass breakup by Pro Bowl linebacker Roquan Smith.
This wasn't a pretty game for Baltimore's passing attack, as Jackson (14 of 25, 193 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions) was tormented by Cleveland's pass rush. All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett was brilliant, sacking Jackson four times, but Baltimore's defense held firm.
"The pass rush was incredible, especially in the second half," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "We didn't give them a chance to breathe."
Extra Points:
- Rookie kicker Tyler Loop had a strong night in the tough conditions, making all three field goal attempts, including his longest of 44 yards that tied the game in the fourth quarter.
- Hamilton led the Ravens with nine tackles (three for loss) and had two passes defensed.
- Rookie punt returner LaJohntay Wester muffed a punt for the first time this year, which set up the Steelers in the red zone, but the Ravens' defense responded by holding Cleveland to a field goal.
- Derrick Henry (18 carries, 103 yards) was Baltimore's most consistent offensive weapon and almost took a 59-yarder to the house in the third quarter. However, he was caught from behind by Denzel Ward.
- Red-zone offense remained an issue for the Ravens. They settled for a field goal after Henry's long run gave them first-and-goal at the 9. They also settle for a field goal after a first-and-goal at the 4.
