AFC North: Browns Comeback Beats Ravens; Bengals Lose Late

The Baltimore Ravens remain in first place in the AFC North at 7-3, but they suffered a devastating 33-31 loss to the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. The Cincinnati Bengals four-game winning streak was also snapped, falling to the Houston Texans on a last-second field goal 30-27 at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals remain in last place in the AFC North at 5-4. The Steelers and Browns are both 6-3 and will meet each other for a huge showdown next week on the shores of Lake Erie. Pittsburgh defeated Cleveland, 26-22, in Week 2 at Acrisure Stadium.

Dustin Hopkins nailed a 40-yard field goal as time expired to shock the Ravens in Baltimore, as the Browns railed from 14 points down in the fourth quarter. The Browns scored 14 points within 41 seconds during the rally. Deshaun Watson threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Moore with 8:57 remaining. Cornerback Greg Newsome II then picked off Lamar Jackson and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown to cut the Ravens’ lead to 31-30. Hopkins missed the extra point.

The Ravens got one first down on the ensuing drive and punted. Watson led the Browns on a 12-play, 58-yard drive to set up the game-winning field goal for Hopkins. The methodical drive drained 4:55 off the clock.

Watson’s first pass of the game was picked off by strong safety Kyle Hamilton and returned 18 yards for a touchdown. Ravens rookie undrafted running back Keaton Mitchell rushed for a 39-yard touchdown on Baltimore’s first drive of the game to take an early 14-0 lead. So the Browns battled back from 14-point deficits twice in the game. Watson rebounded after the pick-six and finished with 213 yards passing, 37 yards rushing, a touchdown and a 74.8 quarterback rating. He actually out-played Lamar Jackson, who completed 13 of 23 passes (56.5%) for 223 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 67.8. Jerome Ford led the Browns in rushing with 107 yards on 17 carries (6.3 average), while Amari Cooper led Cleveland in receiving with six receptions for 98 yards (16.3 average).

The Browns trailed the Ravens 40 seconds into the game and did not lead until the game-winning field goal as time expired. They trailed for 59 minutes and 20 seconds, the most in a win since at least 2000, per ESPN Stats & Info. 

Cincinnati Bengals WR Tyler Boyd at Heinz Field for a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 24, 2023. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Bengals Drop One Late

Rookie C.J. Stroud continues to be remarkable, as he led the Texans on a last-minute, game-winning drive for the second consecutive week. Stroud, who finished with 356 yards passing, led Houston on a six-play, 55-yard drive to set up a 38-yard field goal by Matt Ammendola to edge the Bengals, 30-27, as time expired. Stroud completed two explosive passes on the game-winning drive, a 25-yarder to Dalton Schultz and a 22-yarder to Noah Brown. Brown finished with seven catches for a season-high 172 yards (24.6 average), and Devin Singletary had a banner day with 150 yards rushing and a touchdown on 30 carries (5.0 average). The Texans out-gained the Bengals, 544-380.

Joe Burrow had a solid outing, but he was picked off twice in the fourth quarter. Overall, he completed 27 of 40 passes (67.5%) for 347 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 90.3. Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd both had over 100 yards receiving. Chase had five receptions for 124 yards (24.8 average) and a touchdown, which was a 64-yarder. Boyd caught eight passes for 117 yards (14.0 average).

A 50-yard field goal by Evan McPherson and a 64-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Chase got the Bengals within 3 points at 20-17 with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Stroud answered by capping a six-play, 75-yard drive with an 8-yard rushing touchdown to give the Texans a 27-17 lead. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt picked off Stroud with 3:41 remaining in the fourth quarter to set up a 1-yard Joe Mixon rushing touchdown to cut Houston’s lead to 27-24. Following a three-and-out forced by Cincinnati, Evan McPherson tied the game with a 31-yard field goal. Stroud didn’t give Burrow another opportunity, however.

As mentioned, the Steelers will meet the Browns in a pivotal AFC North game in Cleveland next Sunday at 1 p.m. In Week 11, the Ravens face the Bengals on Thursday Night Football in Cincinnati.

AFC NORTH STANDINGS

UPCOMING AFC NORTH SCHEDULE

Week 11
Thurs., Nov. 16, 8:15 p.m. Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, Nov. 19, 1 p.m. Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns

Week 12
Sunday, Nov. 26, 1 p.m. Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, Nov. 26, 4:05 p.m. Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos
Sunday, Nov. 26 8:20 p.m. Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers

Week 13
Sunday, Dec. 3, 1 p.m. Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, Dec. 3, 4:25 p.m. Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Rams
Monday, Dec. 4, 8:15 p.m. Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars
BYE: Baltimore Ravens