The Browns rallied late to upset the Ravens in a battle of AFC North rivals. The Athletic's NFL experts and insiders break it all down.
Zac Jackson, Jeff Zrebiec and The Athletic NFL staff
November 13, 2023 at 7:23 AM EST
Todd Olszewski / Getty Images
18 New Updates
Browns cut into Ravens lead with Kareem Hunt rush TD
The Browns finally finish off a drive and get into the end zone on a 3-yard rushing score by Kareem Hunt.
Hunt has now rushed for a touchdown in five straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
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Back-to-back double digit PPR fantasy point games for Odell Beckham Jr.
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
Odell Beckham Jr. hasn’t been a viable fantasy start prospect for most of this season, but that may be changing given his current scoring pace. Beckham tallied 14.6 PPR points last week and his touchdown catch this afternoon gives him 11.0 PPR points today and thus has provided OBJ with consecutive 10+ PPR point games for the first time this year.
Longest catch for Odell Beckham Jr. in nearly two years
The 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Odell Beckham Jr. was Beckham’s longest reception since Week 14 of the 2021 season when he had a 40-yard catch for the Rams against the Cardinals.
OBJ scores in his second straight game after not scoring in first six
The Ravens open the second half with a 78-yard scoring drive, capped by a 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Odell Beckham Jr. After not scoring in his first six games this season, OBJ has now found the end zone in each of the last two weeks.
Ravens go up 24-9
The Ravens were 0-for-4 on third down in the first half. On their first third down of the second half, Lamar Jackson hit Odell Beckham Jr. on a slant. Beckham took it for a 40-yard touchdown, his second score in as many weeks. The Ravens offense, which has struggled against the league's top-ranked defense for much of the afternoon, needed that.
It's 24-9 Ravens with 12:29 left in the third quarter.
Minimal fantasy scoring in first half of Cleveland-Baltimore contest
(Photo: Todd Olszewski / Getty Images)
The first half of the Cleveland-Baltimore game featured minimal fantasy scoring. Lamar Jackson starts these struggles, as he posted only 3.64 points, while Gus Edwards tallied only 2.8 PPR points and Mark Andrews weighed in with a meager 1.8 PPR points. Zay Flowers had a solid showing with 7.4 PPR points, but Keaton Mitchell, who is available in over three quarters of ESPN leagues, will be a huge waiver target this week after scoring 13.4 PPR points in that half.
Jerome Ford notched 7.5 PPR points, a pace that will make fantasy managers happy if he can double that pace. Amari Cooper is in a similar boat with 6.5 PPR points and Elijah Mitchell did OK with 6.0 PPR points, but Deshaun Watson struggled with only 2.96 points. David Njoku and Kareem Hunt were hugely disappointing with 1.4 and 0.5 PPR points, respectively.
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P.J. Walker getting warm
Backup QB P.J. Walker was warming up for the Browns, but Deshaun Watson is back on the sideline after jogging out late from the locker room.
Browns claw back after Ravens' hot first-half start
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
The Ravens enter halftime leading the Browns 17-9 and getting the ball to start the third quarter. However, they were outplayed for a majority of that first half after they jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Kyle Hamilton's 18-yard interception return for a touchdown and rookie Keaton Mitchell's 39-yard run.
Even with two backup tackles, the Browns' offensive line allowed just one first-half sack and paved the way for 98 rushing yards. The Ravens defense, though, has been strong in the red zone and forced Cleveland to field-goal attempts.
Offensively, quarterback Lamar Jackson has not been sharp. He overthrew Zay Flowers for a potential long touchdown. He also threw an interception on Baltimore's final possession of the second quarter. Justin Tucker also had a 5-yard field-goal attempt blocked, which set up a Dustin Hopkins field goal.
On the Ravens' three second-quarter drives, they had a three-and-out, a blocked field goal after Jackson took a sack on third down to force a long attempt and a Jackson interception.
Browns offense getting it done on the ground
Cleveland may have only scored nine points in the first half of this contest, but it wasn’t for a lack of rushing production, as the Browns have gained 96 yards on 18 carries thus far. That is the 19th highest first-half rush yards mark tallied against Baltimore since the 2000 season and could be the path forward for Cleveland to stay in this game.
Another Browns red-zone trip ends with Dustin Hopkins FG
Another trip to the red zone, another Dustin Hopkins field goal, this one from 23 yards out.
Cleveland cuts into the Ravens lead again and now trail 17-9 with 1:02 left in the half. Hopkins, who now leads the NFL with 13 first-half field goals this season, has three so far today. It’s his first game with three first-half field goals this season.
Denzel Ward avoids a concussion
Denzel Ward does not have a concussion. He has a neck injury and his status for the rest of the day is unknown.
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Browns block Justin Tucker field goal
A drive that had it all ends with the Browns blocking Justin Tucker’s 55-yard field goal attempt and Anthony Walker Jr. returns it to the Baltimore 38-yard line.
The block was Cleveland’s second of the season (also Week 7 at Colts), tied with the Packers for the most in the NFL.
Browns settling for FGs in red zone
After the Browns defense forces a three-and-out, Cleveland moves the ball into the red zone and again settles for a field goal.
The Browns entered the day ranked fifth in the NFL in points per drive on red-zone possessions this season (5.4) but have two FGs to show for two red-zone drives today.
Browns cut the lead to 17-6
Dustin Hopkins is good from 28 yards and Browns cut Ravens lead to 17-6 at the 7:30 mark of the second quarter.
Browns having some success running the ball on the Ravens (91 rushing yards) and Cleveland's offensive line is winning at line of scrimmage. But Ravens defense has stiffened twice in red zone. Baltimore entered the game with the league's No. 1 red-zone defense.
Fourth-lowest first quarter fantasy point total from Deshaun Watson
The Browns offense was overwhelmed by the Ravens in the first quarter and that led to Deshaun Watson scoring minus 0.64 points in that stanza. That is the fourth-lowest first quarter point total for Watson, and the second time he has posted a negative first quarter point total in the 2023 season (-1.20 points versus Pittsburgh in Week 2 being the other instance).
Ravens continue to own the first quarter
The Ravens lead the Browns 17-3 after the first quarter.
Baltimore now leads the NFL in first-quarter scoring (79), points allowed (16) and scoring margin (+63) this season.
No other team has a first-quarter scoring differential better than +38 (Chargers).
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Denzel Ward exits game, being evaluated for concussion
(Photo: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
Browns pro bowl CB Denzel Ward left earlier on the drive, went to the medical tent and then the locker room.
He is being evaluated for a concussion. He has a lengthy concussion history.
Browns get a stop ... but Ravens keep racking up yards
The Browns get the red-zone stop and hold the Ravens to a field goal, but Baltimore is up to 125 total yards in the quarter.
Cleveland has allowed at least 125 yards in a quarter five times this season and the Ravens have two of them (in five total quarters played) vs. CLE.
Betting odds heavily in favor of Baltimore
The Ravens started this game as a six-point favorite in pregame markets at BetMGM, but now that Baltimore has a 17-3 late in the first quarter, the Ravens are now listed at -17.5 points in live in-game betting.
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