Cleveland Browns (2-6) – Baltimore Ravens (5-3): 29-24
It was not until Deshaun Watson's injury that Cleveland found a quarterback capable of making him score more than 20 points in a game. For his first start, Jameis Winston (27/41, 334 yards, 3TDs) will seek a prestigious victory, against a division rival. He was, of course, well helped by the Baltimore defenders who should have intercepted him at least three times.
A single mistake paid for in cash
The first half of the match was balanced. On offense to start the game, Baltimore seemed unstoppable on its first possession. But it ends with a 4&1 where Derrick Henry (11, 73 yards, 1TD) finishes too short. A stop which will give confidence to the Cleveland defense since it will completely muzzle Lamar Jackson (23/38, 289 yards, 2TDs) for almost two quarters.
Opposite, Winston is not great but he remains clean. Helped by a more productive ground game than usual, the former Buccaneers allowed his team to advance enough to score two field goals. Heading into the break, the Browns were ahead 6-3.
This is where the first turning point of the match occurs. Winston doesn't see Kyle Hamilton's blitz that comes behind his back and makes him drop the ball. On the Browns' 25 yards, Jackson does not let this opportunity pass. He found Nelson Agholor who gave the Ravens the lead at halftime, 6-10.
Festival of missed opportunities for Baltimore
As soon as he returns from the locker room, Winston launches his catch-up operation. On his first three possessions, he found David Njoku and Cedric Tillman (7 receptions, 99 yards, 2TDs) to allow Cleveland to reach the 20-point mark for the first time this season. The Ravens are not giving up and Mark Andrews shows that he is back. But at the start of the fourth quarter, it was the Browns who were in front, 20-17.
Baltimore will then start shooting itself in the foot. First, Justin Tucker misses a field goal that would have tied the game. It is then Rashod Bateman who lets slip a potential reception of around fifty yards.
Winston will seek a prestigious victory
Trailing by six points after a new field goal, the Ravens, carried by the Jackson/Flowers duo, move up the field and Derrick Henry finishes 1 yard from the endzone.
The Browns are then 1 point behind and Winston has 2 minutes and 30 seconds to go for a field goal. Cleveland's quarterback is going to do more than thathe will find Tillman a second time in the endzone.
However, he went too quickly and left Baltimore one last chance to win this match. But today, Jackson seemed very alone, and even if he struggled to give his receivers a chance to change this game one last time, it was Cleveland who created the feat of this eighth week.
