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Flacco, Ravens rally to top Browns

Nov 2, 2008 - 10:59 PM By Jeff Brewer PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- With his team facing a two-touchdown deficit, rookie Joe Flacco played like a seasoned veteran.

Flacco passed for a season-high 248 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, rallying the Baltimore Ravens to a 37-27 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Flacco lobbed a 47-yard TD pass to Mark Clayton in the first quarter and hooked up with Derrick Mason for a 28-yard scoring strike that forged a 27-27 tie early in the fourth quarter. Matt Stover's 22-yard field goal with 5:36 remaining gave the Ravens the lead for good at 30-27.

The Ravens sealed the victory when linebacker Terrell Suggs intercepted Derek Anderson and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown with 2:43 remaining.

"I couldn't be more proud to be the coach of the Baltimore Ravens," Baltimore first-year coach John Harbaugh said.

It could prove to be a pivotal win for Baltimore (5-3), which scored 24 unanswered points to sweep the season series from the AFC North division rival Browns (3-5).

Baltimore also received a brilliant outing from rookie running back Ray Rice, who rushed for a season-high 154 yards in place of the injured Willis McGahee.

"When (Flacco and Rice) got drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, we expected them to play like that," Harbaugh said. "I think the defense is more proud of what the offense did than offense is."

Cleveland appeared to have the game in hand, leading 27-13 after a 7-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Jason Wright with 6:07 left in the third quarter.

"We were up 27-13, and I think we got lax and let it get away from us," Browns tight end Kellen Winslow said. "It was a big game and we didn't meet the challenge."

The Ravens came storming back with an 11-play, 79-yard drive capped by Le'Ron McClain's 1-yard scoring run. The key play was a 20-yard pass from Flacco to Mason on third-and-16 at the Baltimore 15.

"Your confidence is always growing," Flacco said. "You get more and more experience each week."

The Browns went three-and-out, and Baltimore's Yamon Figurs returned the ensuing punt 23 yards to the Cleveland 42. Three plays later, Flacco threw a short out to Mason, who slipped the tackle of Eric Wright and covered 28 yards for the touchdown.

On Cleveland's next possession, Braylon Edwards dropped what might have been a 77-yard touchdown strike from Anderson with 12:27 left.

After the teams exchanged punts, Rice bolted 60 yards to the Cleveland 3, setting up Stover's 22-yarder.

Another drop by Edwards forced the Browns to punt after three plays, but the Ravens played it safe deep in their own territory and gave it back to the Browns at the Cleveland 44 with 3:25 to go.

Facing third-and-8 and under pressure from Haloti Ngata, Anderson threw the ball right to Suggs, who sprinted untouched into the end zone to run the score to 37-27.

"I didn't want to hold onto it and take a sack," Anderson said. "I wish I would've handled that a little better, but I'm trying to win games."

It was Suggs' second interception return for a touchdown this season.

"I rushed the passer the play before, and I saw him talking to himself," Suggs said. "In a game time situation, what can he possibly be talking about? I kind of baited him, and he threw it right to me."

The 18th overall selection in this year's draft, Flacco finished 17-of-29. His favorite target was Mason, who hauled in nine receptions for 136 yards.

Anderson completed 17-of-33 attempts for 219 yards and two TDs. Edwards had four catches for 86 yards, including a 28-yard scoring strike that gave Cleveland a 20-13 lead early in the third quarter.

Special teams kept Cleveland in the game in the first half. After Baltimore took a 10-0 lead, Joshua Cribbs returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a score at 5:05 of the first quarter.

With three seconds left in the half, Phil Dawson connected on a career-long 54-yard field goal.