BALTIMORE — Gus Edwards ran for two touchdowns in his first game back from a major knee injury, and the Baltimore Ravens avoided another fourth-quarter collapse thanks to a couple huge Cleveland penalties that helped them hold off the Browns 23-20 on Sunday.
Baltimore (4-3) has blown a double-digit lead in the second half of each of its three losses this season. The Ravens led 23-13 after Justin Tucker’s 55-yard field goal with 11:24 remaining, but the Browns quickly responded with a 2-yard touchdown run by Kareem Hunt to make it a three-point game. Then a fumble by Baltimore’s Justice Hill gave Cleveland the ball at its own 16 with 3:12 to play.
The Browns reached the Baltimore 34 before an offensive pass interference call wiped out a touchdown pass to Amari Cooper, who appeared to hold off cornerback Marcus Peters with his left arm. Cleveland still made it back into position to try a long field goal, but a false start before that snap forced Cade York to try it from 60.
His attempt was blocked by Malik Harrison with 1:59 remaining, and the Ravens were able to run out most of the remaining time.
Cleveland (2-5) has lost four in a row.
Edwards missed all of last season and the first six games of this one, but he rushed for 66 yards scored on runs of 7 and 1. The latter came on a fourth-down play in the third quarter that made it 20-10. Baltimore remained tied with Cincinnati atop the AFC North.
The Ravens trailed 10-3 after one — the first time all season they were behind after any quarter except the fourth. Their offense seemed to find a rhythm late in the second, when Lamar Jackson led a 10-play, 80-yard drive, and Edwards' first TD put Baltimore up 13-10 at halftime.
Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett lost a fumble, giving the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 25, and Edwards capped that short drive with another touchdown.
This was the first game all season Baltimore didn't score first, and the first time the Ravens allowed any points on an opponent's first possession. Cleveland marched 75 yards in 11 plays after the opening kickoff and took the lead on a 2-yard run by Chubb.
The teams traded field goals, and then Baltimore settled for another one that made it 10-6 even after a punt return had given the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 21.
Neither team had a great deal of success passing — and the Browns lost tight end David Njoku to an ankle injury after he caught a team-high seven passes for 71 yards. Jackson was sacked three times and threw for only 120 yards. Brissett was 22 of 27 for 258 yards, but he was sacked five times and fumbled on one of them.
INJURIES
Edwards' return is another chapter in Baltimore's ongoing injury saga in the backfield. He and J.K. Dobbins missed all of last season with knee injuries. Dobbins returned earlier this season but is now back on injured reserve. Justice Hill returned from an ankle injury Sunday and ran for 26 yards. ... Browns TE Pharaoh Brown was evaluated for a concussion, and LB Jacob Phillips had a shoulder injury.
CHAMPIONS HONORED
The Ravens honored their most recent Super Bowl championship team on the 10th anniversary of that 2012 season. Plenty of players from that team were on hand and introduced before the game, including Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, who did his famous dance while taking the field.
Running back Ray Rice, whose career ended in 2014 after video surfaced of him striking his fiancée in the elevator of a hotel, was also on hand and received a big cheer from the crowd.
UP NEXT
Browns: Host the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 31 in a Monday night game.
