Sophia Michaels
For 28 minutes, the Cleveland Browns were in control of their divisional matchup with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Needing a win to keep the slimmest of playoff hopes alive, the Browns held a 6-0 lead late in the first half and had stymied the presumptive MVP both through the air and on the ground.
However, the Browns are the Browns for a reason, and the Ravens hold the league’s best record for a reason. So, when Cleveland stalled out a drive just before the two minute warning and punted the ball back to Baltimore, having failed to capitalize on being the better team for more than six point, everyone could sense the tides shifting. Jackson delivered two passes, one to Mark Ingram to get to midfield and the next a touchdown to a wide open Mark Andrews to swiftly give the Ravens a 7-6 lead with 1:18 to go.
At this point, it seemed like a 7-6 halftime score was destined, which meant Browns first half bettors who had +6 had to feel at least fairly good about their prospects. But these are the Browns, who insist on compounding issues at all times and making miserable decisions regarding clock management, so three incompletions later, they were once again booting the ball back to Jackson with a minute to go.
Jackson managed to begin a march down the field from the Ravens 25, picking apart the Browns defense in seven plays, culminating in a ridiculous touchdown pass to Andrews that will end up on his season-ending (and likely MVP) highlight reel.
If Jackson gets sacked, it might end the half. It would, at the least, lead to a spike and a Justin Tucker field goal to give Baltimore a four-point lead, which would be just fine if you had the Browns first half. Instead, he goes full Johnny Manziel against Alabama and spins free of multiple sack efforts and somehow manages to flick the ball over the head of the Browns DB to find Andrews for his second touchdown of the day.
Just that quickly, over the span of 78 seconds, the Cleveland Browns went from up 6 to down 8, crushing the spirits of first half backers and also the dreams of a miraculous playoff push at 8-8.
Written by: Uproxx
