Joe Flacco, Ravens Keep Browns Winless With 28-7 Rout

Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes to lead the Baltimore Ravens to a 28-7 home victory over the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night and leave the visitors at a low point in franchise history.

Joe Flacco, Ravens Keep Browns Winless With 28-7 Rout

The Ravens trailed 7-3 late in the second quarter before gaining the lead during a third quarter in which Flacco went 10 for 12 with two scores.

Baltimore (5-4) have won two straight after a four-game losing streak. They are the only team in the AFC North above .500.

The Browns (0-10) have begun a season with 10 consecutive losses for the first time since joining the NFL in 1950. Cleveland has lost 11 in a row on the road (13 in total) since winning in Baltimore in October 2015.

The defeat left the Browns’ all-time record at 461-461-10. Cleveland has never been below .500.

Down 7-6 at halftime, Baltimore moved 64 yards on their first possession of the third quarter to take a 13-7. Flacco connected with five different receivers on the drive, ending with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Darren Waller.

Browns coach Hue Jackson then chose to put in Josh McCown at quarterback after watching starter Cody Kessler go 10 of 17 for 94 yards. McCown’s second pass was intercepted, giving the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 40 with an opportunity to break the game open.

Baltimore advanced to the 15 before Flacco tossed a terrible throw into the end zone that was picked off by Joe Haden. 

The Ravens’ subsequent driver, however, was run on a short field. After a 32-yard punt gave Baltimore the ball at the Cleveland 43, Flacco tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith, after a two-point conversion made it 21-7.

Flacco finished 30 of 41 for 296 yards and two interceptions.

The first time these two teams played this season, during Week 2 in Cleveland, the Ravens had to rally from 20 points down to pull out for a 25-20 victory. Baltimore needed another comeback in this one, although the deficit wasn’t nearly as imposing.

The Ravens will next visit the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Nov. 20, while the Browns will host the Pittsburgh Steelers that same day.

BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 6: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens passes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 6, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)