Ravens 14, Browns 6
BALTIMORE -- Shortly after Joe Flacco's wife delivered birth to their second child, the quarterback directed the Ravens to their 11th consecutive win over the Cleveland Browns, 14-6 on Sunday afternoon.
Flacco passed for 211 yards and one touchdown as Baltimore evened its record at 1-1. His 5-yard scoring toss to Marlon Brown in the fourth quarter came after Bernard Pierce's 5-yard touchdown run in the third gave the Ravens their first lead.
Baltimore's Ray Rice finished with 36 yards on only 13 carries before leaving in the fourth quarter with a left hip injury.
Flacco played the game even though his wife gave birth to their second child approximately one hour before Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff. He completed 22 of 33 passes without throwing an interception.
The Ravens didn't overwhelm their AFC North rival in victory, but they continue to dominate the series. All 11 wins have comes since Flacco and head coach John Harbaugh joined the franchise before the 2008 season.
Brandon Weeden completed 21 of 33 passes for 227 yards before exiting in the fourth quarter with a thumb injury. The Browns quarterback avoided throwing an interception after tossing three last week, but also couldn't direct his team into the end zone.
Cleveland allowed five sacks after surrendering six in its opening week loss to Miami. Trent Richardson rushed 18 times for 58 yards.
Pierce's touchdown run capped Baltimore's first scoring drive for a 7-6 lead with 5:18 left in the third quarter. During the 12-play, 80-yard drive, Flacco completed all three of his pass attempts -- all on third down -- for 44 yards.
Rice's fumble late in the third quarter set up Cleveland with the ball at Baltimore's 45 yard line, but Weeden's completed pass to Jordan Cameron on fourth-and-four came up an inch short of the first-down marker.
Billy Cundiff provided the only points during an offensively challenged first half as Cleveland led 6-0. The former Ravens' kicker made both of his field goals, including a 51-yarder with 11 seconds remaining in the second quarter, after Baltimore's Justin Tucker missed attempts from 50 and 44 yards.
Cameron's 53-yard reception on Cleveland's first play from scrimmage moved the ball to Baltimore's 7-yard line, leading to Cundiff's first field goal with 8:42 remaining in the first quarter.
Notes: The Ravens have won six straight home openers. ... The Browns started 0-2 for the fifth time in six seasons. ... Team officials pulled Flacco during pregame warm-ups so the quarterback could speak with his wife before she gave birth. ... Tucker missed only three off 33 field goal attempts as a rookie last season. ... Jason Campbell completed 1 of 5 passes for six yards in relief of Weeden.
