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Ravens, Rice run all over Cleveland
Photo
Baltimore running back Ray Rice (27) looks for room to run as tight end Ed Dickson takes out the Browns’ Joe Haden in the second quarter of Sunday’s game in Cleveland. The Ravens won 24-10.
By Tony Grossi
Cleveland Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND
Even a blind squirrel finds the end zone sooner than the Browns in their own stadium.
The little critter skittered to the Dawg Pound end zone and held up play momentarily, amusing die-hard fans still in attendance late in the third quarter. Following the squirrel’s lead, the Browns ultimately made it to the same end zone for their only touchdown in a 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
That touchdown — late, as usual — was the Browns’ eighth in seven home games. The score did not accurately measure the gap between the Browns (4-8) and Ravens (9-3).
“There’s a big gap ... a big gap,” said Josh Cribbs.
Ray Rice chewed up the Browns for 204 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts.
Ricky Williams, who is 34, added 76 and a touchdown as the Ravens ran a franchise-record 55 times for 290 yards.
“This is our worst performance against the run since I’ve been here,” said linebacker D’Qwell Jackson.
“They just whipped us up front. They embarrassed us. It was a slap in the face today,” Jackson said.
Safety Usama Young summed up Rice’s big day: “We were out of position. He made some guys miss. He broke some tackles.”
The Browns were still were in the game, down by 7-0, as the first half wound down. But coach Pat Shurmur decided to try to amble for some points in the final 59 seconds.
A defensive penalty gave the Browns and quarterback the ball at their 36. On first down, Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs dropped an interception. On second down, McCoy’s pass for Ben Watson, who wasn’t looking, almost was intercepted. On third down, Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith jumped the route and intercepted McCoy’s pass for Mohamed Massaquoi.
Smith’s 32-yard return set up a 21-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff.
The best opportunity the Browns had in the third quarter was squandered. First, Peyton Hillis circled out of the backfield and sneaked behind safety Bernard Pollard. McCoy spotted him and delivered the ball on the money for a 52-yard gain to the Ravens’ 5. Two plays later, McCoy hit Evan Moore in the hands in the back of the end zone.
Moore dropped it.
“I have no excuses,” Moore said. “I just have to catch the ball.”
Moore did hang on to McCoy’s 22-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. But by then, the Ravens tacked on two touchdowns by Williams — set up by a 67-yard Rice run — and punt returner Lardarius Webb, who returned a Brad Maynard line drive punt 68 yards.
McCoy finished the day 17-of-35 for 192 yards. He was sacked three times and had to leave with a knee injury in the second quarter. He missed one play.