Szmyt field goal lifts Browns past Ravens in defensive battle

CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Andre Szmyt made a 37-yard field goal as time expired, and the Cleveland Browns rallied for a 13-10 victory over the visiting Baltimore Ravens in an NFL game on Sunday at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns moved to 4-2, and the Ravens also are 4-2 after a game that turned on late special-teams plays and a stout Cleveland defense. Attendance was 65,872. Baltimore led 10-0 after the first quarter, but Cleveland held the Ravens scoreless the rest of the way and scored 13 unanswered points after halftime. Deshaun Watson was Cleveland’s top performer, and Tyler Huntley directed Baltimore’s offense in a game that remained tight into the final seconds.

Tyler Huntley completed 19 of 31 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown for Baltimore and added five carries for 28 yards. His touchdown came on a 2-yard pass to Josh Cuevas with 8:11 left in the first quarter. Tyler Loop added a 34-yard field goal later in the opening quarter to give the Ravens a 10-point cushion. Derrick Henry rushed 17 times for 58 yards and caught one pass for 2 yards. Zay Flowers caught six passes for 66 yards and had one carry for 1 yard. Cuevas finished with four receptions for 44 yards and the touchdown, Ja’Kobi Lane had four catches for 40 yards, and Justice Hill had three receptions for 9 yards. Mark Andrews caught one pass for 4 yards. Baltimore’s defense got eight tackles from Jaylinn Hawkins, eight from Trenton Simpson, seven from Kyle Hamilton, five from Nnamdi Madubuike, five from Roquan Smith and five from Malaki Starks. Smith recorded a sack, Madubuike had half a sack, Travis Jones had four tackles and Keyon Martin had three tackles and a sack. Ryan Eckley punted seven times for 346 yards. Rashod Bateman and Devontez Walker did not record a reception.

Deshaun Watson completed 16 of 26 passes for 164 yards for Cleveland and rushed eight times for 29 yards. Watson had completed 15 of 33 passes for 155 yards and run for 40 yards and a touchdown in a 17-12 loss to the New York Jets in his previous outing. Against Baltimore, the Browns leaned on a balanced short passing game and a late ground push. Jerry Jeudy caught four passes for 69 yards, KC Concepcion had four receptions for 37 yards and returned one punt 13 yards, Denzel Boston caught one pass for 15 yards, Tylan Wallace had one reception for 12 yards, Harold Fannin Jr. had one catch for 9 yards and Blake Whiteheart had one catch for 8 yards. Jaleel McLaughlin rushed nine times for 41 yards and caught four passes for 14 yards. Audric Estime had nine carries for 19 yards and scored the game-tying touchdown on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter. Michael Burton had one carry for 2 yards, Concepcion added two carries for 2 yards, and Malachi Corley returned two kickoffs for 43 yards. Carson Schwesinger made 13 tackles, Quincy Williams had six tackles and a sack, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren had six tackles, Ronnie Hickman had five tackles, and Isaiah McGuire and Maliek Collins each had three tackles and a sack. Sam Kamara had four tackles, Tyson Campbell had one tackle, and Andre Szmyt made two of three field goals. Cleveland’s defense also got two tackles apiece from Grant Delpit, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold and Derek Barnett, and one each from Winston Reid, Adin Huntington, Donovan McMillon, Denzel Ward and Chris Williams. Corey Bojorquez punted seven times for 315 yards.

Cleveland’s comeback began in the third quarter when Szmyt made a 48-yard field goal to cut the deficit to seven. The Browns tied the game with 8:33 left in the fourth quarter when Estime scored from 2 yards out and Szmyt added the extra point. Szmyt missed a 48-yard field goal with 3:44 remaining, but Cleveland got the ball back and moved into position for the game-winner. Szmyt connected from 37 yards as the clock reached zero, setting off the home celebration. Baltimore had a chance to add points earlier in the fourth quarter, but Loop missed a 49-yard field goal wide left. Baltimore’s only points came in the first quarter, when Huntley found Cuevas for the opening score and Loop made the 34-yard kick. Cleveland’s defense protected the one-score margin after halftime and forced Baltimore to settle for a long final sequence without points.

The result left both teams at 4-2. Baltimore had won four of its previous five games, and Cleveland had won three of its previous five. The Ravens had won their previous meeting against Atlanta, 30-23 in overtime, and had also beaten Tennessee, Dallas and Indianapolis this season, with a loss to New Orleans. The Browns had lost at the New York Jets in their previous game, 17-12, after wins over Pittsburgh, Carolina and Tampa Bay and a loss at Jacksonville. Baltimore’s next game is against Cincinnati, while Cleveland is scheduled to visit Tennessee. The Browns’ next three games are on the road, including visits to Tennessee, Pittsburgh and New Orleans. Baltimore’s next three include home games against Cincinnati and Jacksonville and a trip to Buffalo. The Ravens’ upcoming slate also includes games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina. Cleveland’s upcoming schedule also includes games against Houston and Las Vegas. The teams are set to meet again later in the season in Baltimore.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected Cleveland 28, Baltimore 27. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Baltimore with a 68.8 percent probability to win. Baltimore had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -3.5. The total score of 23 went over the over/under line of 39.5.