Browns Rally for Ugly 13-10 Win Over Ravens: Who Gets Credit, Who Takes the Heat, and Why the Defense Keeps Them Alive

The Cleveland Browns are 4-2 after a 13-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at Huntington Bank Field. They trailed 10-0 after the first quarter, managed almost nothing offensively for most of the game, and still walked off with a victory on Andre Szmyt’s 37-yard field goal as time expired. Deshaun Watson finished 16 of 26 for 164 yards. Audric Estime scored the tying touchdown on a 2-yard run after Derrick Henry fumbled. Carson Schwesinger had 13 tackles and forced the fumble. The Ravens were without Lamar Jackson and played with Tyler Huntley under center. Baltimore scored on its first two possessions and then went quiet for the rest of the afternoon.

It was not pretty. The Browns had roughly 100 yards entering the fourth quarter. Watson was sacked multiple times. The offense still has clear limitations. But they beat a Ravens team that entered the day with a winning streak, held them scoreless after the first quarter, and found a way to win a division game when the margin was thin. In the AFC North, those are the wins that matter.

Who Deserves Credit

The defense gets the first nod. It limited the Ravens to 235 total yards and forced the key turnover. Henry’s fumble set up Estime’s touchdown and flipped the momentum. Schwesinger was active throughout. The unit held Baltimore to zero points over the final three quarters after the Ravens had scored 10 points early. Against a team that has been competitive this season, shutting them down after the opening quarter was the difference.

Szmyt made the game-winner after missing from 48 yards earlier. Watson connected with Jerry Jeudy for a 33-yard gain on the final drive that set up the kick. Jeudy finished with four catches for 69 yards. Estime, signed off the practice squad earlier in the week with Quinshon Judkins limited, provided the short-yardage score when the Browns needed it. The late drive was functional even if the rest of the offense was not.

Who Takes the Blame

The early offensive performance is still a problem. The Browns managed three points through three quarters and needed a Ravens turnover to get back into the game. Watson was inefficient for long stretches and took multiple sacks. The run game was limited, and the offense did not sustain drives until the final minutes. For a team that relies on its defense to keep games close, starting that slowly against a division opponent remains an issue.

On the Ravens side, the offense stalled after the opening drives. Huntley finished 19 of 31 for 165 yards and one touchdown, but Baltimore scored zero points after the first quarter. Henry’s fumble was costly. The defense generated pressure and limited the Browns for most of the day, but it could not close out the game once Cleveland got the ball with a chance to win.

Where They Rank and What Needs Fixing

Through five games entering Sunday, the Browns ranked near the bottom of the league in points scored (around 27th-28th) and total yards (around 29th). The passing numbers were low, and the run game sat in the bottom half. Third-down conversion was poor. The defense was stronger, ranking around 14th in points allowed and near the top 10-13 in yards allowed in some metrics. They generate pressure and force turnovers at a solid rate.

Sunday followed the pattern. The defense kept the game within reach and created the turnover that made the comeback possible. The offense still needs more consistent production before the fourth quarter so it does not have to live entirely on short fields and late drives. Protecting Watson better and finding a more reliable run game would reduce the number of times the defense has to hold the line for 60 minutes. Cleaning up the early-game starts would also make these wins less dependent on one or two plays.

The Browns are 4-2 and just beat a Ravens team without its starting quarterback in a game they trailed by double digits. The defense continues to give them a chance. The offense still has work to do if they want to stay competitive in a tight AFC North. For now, the win counts, and the record reflects a team that finds ways to stay in games even when the offense is limited.