Ravens Defeat Browns to Clinch Playoff Berth

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE -- The Pittsburgh Steelers playoff hopes were in the hands of the Cleveland Browns, and the Browns made Pittsburgh sweat it out. On the first offensive possession, Mayfield felt the pressure of the stout Ravens defense, and threw an interception into the hands of Baltimore corner Jimmy Smith.  Following the interception, the Ravens were held to a 38-yard field goal. Baker Mayfield showed that he has the ability to bounce back from a bad mistake, as he responded with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Breshad Perriman to take a 7-3 lead. 

The Baltimore Ravens found a weakness in the Browns defense, and that was the ability to stop the power run scheme. Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to back to back touchdowns, as he ran for both  a 25-yard touchdown, and a 8-yard touchdown, taking a 17-7 lead. 

Down by 13 at halftime, Mayfield rallied the troops and prepared for a comeback. Two and a half minutes into the second half, Mayfield found Landry for a 48-yard touchdown, which came from a fake reverse, in which Mayfield flipped the ball into the air and re caught it, then found Landry downfield. The Browns defense made some much-needed adjustments at halftime, as they held Baltimore to two field goals in the second half, and they gave the Browns a chance. In a two-possession game, Mayfield led the Browns down the field quickly, as he found Callaway for a 1-yard touchdown. Needing a stop to have a chance to win, the Browns did exactly what they had to do, and forced Baltimore into a punt. In an attempt to take the Browns on a game winning drive to ruin the Ravens hopes of a playoff berth, Ravens linebacker CJ Mosley picked off Mayfield to seal the victory.

On Mayfield's third touchdown pass of the game, he passed Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson for the NFL record for single season touchdown passes for a rookie quarterback, as he threw for 27 touchdowns. The Cleveland Browns finish the season 7-8-1,  and will pick 17th in the upcoming NFL Draft. 


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