BALTIMORE — A simple look at the final score didn’t tell the whole story of the Ravens’ 41-17 win over Cleveland.
Lamar Jackson throwing four touchdown passes and Baltimore putting 40 points on the scoreboard for the second straight week might lead one to assume it was another explosive offensive output, but it was the defense and special teams that led the way in Sunday’s home opener. That was especially true in the first half when a tough Browns defense limited an out-of-sorts offense to just 81 yards on 27 plays.
In fact, the Ravens’ 242 total net yards were their fewest in a game started by Jackson since Week 3 of the 2020 season, and the 45 rushing yards were their fewest ever in a contest started by the two-time MVP quarterback. Cleveland held running back Derrick Henry to his lowest rushing output (23 yards on 11 carries) since his final month playing for the Tennessee Titans in 2023. In all, the offense produced only two drives longer than 36 yards all day after averaging a remarkable 8.6 yards per play in Week 1.
But the Ravens won going away anyway, thanks in large part to their maligned defense rebounding from the fourth-quarter debacle in Buffalo last week that four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey labeled “not mature enough.” Making life miserable for old friend Joe Flacco for most of Sunday’s game, the performance was headlined by Roquan Smith’s 63-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and a Nate Wiggins interception returned 61 yards to set up a short touchdown that grew the lead to 20-3 in the third quarter.
“They looked extremely mature today,” quipped Jackson, who found his passing rhythm in the second half. “They got turnovers, kept points off the board except that wild touchdown [off a Humphrey deflection in the third quarter], but those guys just did the whole thing.
“They did what they were supposed to do today.”
If the Ravens are the Super Bowl favorite so many touted them to be before squandering the 40-25 lead in Buffalo, the season’s first two games have showcased their immense upside if they can put all three phases together for four quarters.
8
The special teams provided the early lift Sunday as rookie return specialist LaJohntay Wester returned a punt 23 yards to set up the Ravens at the Cleveland 49 for their second drive, which led to a Tyler Loop 43-yard field goal. The group followed that with a punt block by linebacker Jake Hummel early in the second quarter, which put the offense just outside the red zone and led to a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Tylan Wallace.
It was quite a contrast from the special-teams mistakes sprinkled throughout the season-opening loss to the Bills.
“This was a tough game. The score doesn’t really indicate it, but this was a grind of a football game,” said head coach John Harbaugh, who praised the all-around effort. “You guys all saw the game; you know that’s true.”
It was never truer than coming out of halftime when Jackson hit DeAndre Hopkins for a 41-yard completion that was initially ruled a touchdown before being spotted at the 1-yard line. An incomplete pass, a false start, a Mark Andrews drop, and a Myles Garrett sack on third down forced the Ravens to settle for a field goal and only a 13-3 advantage.
And even after Wiggins intercepted Flacco on the ensuing drive and returned the ball to the 5, the Ravens needed all four goal-to-go plays before Jackson found second-year receiver Devontez Walker for a 2-yard touchdown to finally extend the lead to 20-3.
This time, the Ravens defense didn’t collapse, albeit against a Browns offense that won’t be confused for the Bills anytime soon. Smith led the unit with a game-high 15 tackles — including a career-high three for a loss — as well as the second touchdown of his career, which was made possible by Tavius Robinson’s strip-sack of Flacco on a fourth down in Baltimore territory.
“We just have to play our part for four entire quarters and not just three,” Smith said. “I think it was just more so that, and it just revealed some weaknesses. We said we’re not going to allow that to happen again.”
8That the defense’s rebound effort came on a day when the high-octane offense started slowly was the most encouraging takeaway from a game the Ravens were always expected to win handily. The performance eliminated any danger of Baltimore falling to an inferior opponent and starting 0-2 for the second straight season.
Three Ravens on mend
Humphrey (groin), outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (hamstring), and running back Rasheen Ali (concussion) left Sunday’s game with injuries and didn’t return.
“None of those are any kind of season-ending deals at all,” Harbaugh said. “It’s just stuff we have to look at tomorrow and see where we stand.”
After going to the locker room in the fourth quarter, Humphrey returned to the sideline and was moving around to try to get loose, but he didn’t reenter the game.
