CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns fans finally got their wish to see Shedeur Sanders get on the field, but it didn’t have the happy ending they hoped for Sunday at Huntington Bank Field.
The Browns lost 23-16 to the Ravens after Sanders replaced Dillon Gabriel in the third quarter. Gabriel suffered a concussion in the first half and did not play after halftime.
Sanders, who struggled with a gameplan designed for the mobile Gabriel, went 4 of 16 for 68 yards with one interception and one fumble. His passer rating was 13.5.
After fans had been chanting “We want Sanders! We want Sanders!” after an errant first-half throw by Gabriel, Sanders entered the game with 12:43 left in the third quarter and the Browns leading 16-10.
By that point, Browns All-Pro end Myles Garrett had already put on his Superman cape and sacked Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson four times, for a total of 11 in the past four games. The Browns had also intercepted Jackson twice after he had only thrown one this season heading into the game.
After Ravens tight end Mark Andrews took a direct snap and sprinted 35 yards to the end zone to go ahead 23-16 with 2:31 left, Sanders took over at his 35 with 2:31 left, and hit Harold Fannin Jr. with a 25-yard pass over the middle. But after completing a 10-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy and Sanders scrambling for 5 yards, Sanders wasn’t able to throw the gamewinning 25 yard touchdown pass on three tries. He threw out of the back of the end zone for Isaiah Bond, and then a good pass to Gage Larvadain was broken up in the end zone. His last-ditch pass to David Njoku was broken up by Roquan Smith.
The Browns slipped to 2-8, and the Ravens won their fourth straight game to improved to 5-5.
Shedeur Sanders finally gets his chance
With Dillon Gabriel being evaluated for a concussion, Sanders entered the game with 12:43 left in the quarter, and the Browns ahead 16-10.
He completed a 5 yard pass to Cedric Tillman on his first play, and then Ethan Pocic was flagged for holding on second down. On second and 15, Sanders found David Njoku for 7 yards, and then Sanders was sacked for a 11-yard loss on third down by Kyle Hamilton, who performed Sanders’ signature wrist up move after the takedown.
After the Browns punted following the three-and-out, it was announced that Gabriel was out for the game with the concussion. Gabriel, who was off-target again on a number of his throws, had gone 7 of 10 for 68 yards for a 88.8 rating before being evaluated for the concussion. The Browns were also 0-6 on third down with him in the game. The “we want Sanders” chants reverberated through the stadium after he missed tight end Harold Fannin Jr. on a short third down throw near the red zone.
But Sanders had plenty issues of his own, being intercepted on the third play of his second drive by Nate Wiggins on a pass intended for Jerry Jeudy. Fortunately for the Browns, rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger stole it right back, picking off a Jackson pass that had been deflected by Mike Hall Jr.
But the Browns were unable to cash in on the pick and extend their lead. Sanders was almost picked off again on the first play of the drive by Hamilton. A few plays later, he everted to his old habit of retreating under pressure, getting sacked and smothered for a 14-yard sack on third down.
To make matters worse, Derrick Henry, held to only 23 yards by the Browns in the first meeting, ripped off a 59-yard run to the Browns’ 9 with Denzel Ward making the TD-saving tackle. Henry plowed to the 5, and Ronnie Hickman dropped what would’ve been Jackson’s third interception on third and 5. Myles Garrett applied the pressure. The Ravens pulled to within 16-13 on a 24 yard field goal by Tyler Loop.
The Browns punted again from the Ravens’ 46 after Sanders scrambled for 6 yards on third down.
Jackson took over at his 20 with 10:20 left and marched to the Browns’ 26, where Tyler Loop kicked a 44 yard field goal to tie the game at 16 with 4:59 left. Jackson had hit Zay Flowers for an 18-yard pass on third down.
Browns lead 16-10 at the half
The Browns took a 16-10 lead with 58 seconds left in the half on a 46-yard field goal by Szmyt, his third of the half. The score came courtesy of a Ravens offsides on Corey Bojorquez’ punt into the end zone that gave the Browns a first down at their 41.
Gabriel took advantage on the next play, faking a screen to Malachi Corley and finding Cedric Tillman for 26 yards on a deep dig route to the Ravens’ 33. But the drive stalled when Gabriel’s third-down pass to Harold Fannin Jr. in the right flat fell short. The errant toss drew a chorus of “We want Sanders!” chants from the crowd, who had seen the Browns already settle for two field goals.
Jackson took with 58 seconds left in the half and one time out left, but Garrett sacked Jackson for the third time in the game to stymie the drive. The Ravens went three-and-out to put an end to a mistake-filled half for Baltimore.
The Ravens’ bright spot in the first half came the drive after Devin Bush’s 23-yard pick six that made increased their lead to 13-3. Jackson found Zay Flowers for a 45 yard pass to the Browns’ 3, and Derrick Henry scored on a 1 yard TD three players later to close within 13-10.
Browns only get a field goal out of a muffed punt but atone with pick-six
The Browns mustered only a field goal after LaJohntay Wester muffed a punt and Grant Delpit recovered to start the Browns at the Ravens 6. But settled for a field goal after Gabriel’s pass to Jeudy was broken up just inside the the end zone. That put the Browns up 6-3 with 8:44 left in the half. Judkins had gained 3 yards on first down, but lost three on second down.
But the Browns atoned for the missed opportunity on the Ravens’ next drive when linebacker Devin Bush picked off a Jackson pass that went off running back Keaton Mitchell’s hands and returned it 23 yards for a TD. It marked the third INT of his career, and the first in six years, since 2019. It put the Browns up 13-3 and had the Ravens wondering what hit them.
The Browns gash the Ravens on a FG drive
The Browns gashed the Ravens for runs of 13, 12 and 19 on a first quarter drive, but came up short on third down and had to settle for a 30-yard field goal. That tied it at 3 as time expired in the first quarter. Gabriel was booed when he missed Dylan Sampson on a short throw to the left. Sampson followed with the 19-yard run outside to the left, complete with a nasty stiff-arm.
Garrett’s first-quarter sack
Garrett wrecked the Ravens opening 15-play drive by sacking Jackson for 4 yards on third down back to the Browns’ 7 to bring out their field goal unit. Tyler Loop kicked a 25-yard field goal to open the scoring, 3-0, with 4:55 left in the first quarter.
The sack gave Garrett 12 for the season, making him the first player since 1982 to reach a dozen in six straight seasons, surpassing Lawrence Taylor (five from 1985-89).
Injuries
Browns defensive Maliek Collins was active for the game today despite suffering an oblique injury late in the practice week. The Browns had already ruled out defensive end Alex Wright, who suffered a quad injury during last week’s 27-20 loss to the Jets.
Cam Robinson left the game with a knee injury.
Next
The Browns visit the Raiders next Sunday in Las Vegas.
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