Ravens 25, Browns 15
CLEVELAND -- The Ravens did what they've done during coach John Harbaugh's tenure in Baltimore. Enough to leave Cleveland with a victory, this time 25-15 to give Harbaugh a perfect 10-0 record against the Browns.
Baltimore jumped out to a quick lead Sunday, lost it, then grabbed it back with less than five minutes left hold onto the game and first place in the AFC North.
Quarterback Joe Flacco threw the winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Torrey Smith, who slipped past cornerback Joe Haden, from the Browns' 19 with 4:26 left and then completed the two-point conversion to Anquan Boldin. Justin Tucker tacked on a 43-yard field goal with 2:49 left as the Ravens raised their record to 6-2.
The Browns dropped to 2-7 heading into their bye week.
The Browns kept pecking away after a slow start and had the ball five times in the second half with a chance to take the lead. Four times the rejuvenated Ravens defense turned them back, but on their fifth chance the Browns edged ahead, 15-14, on a 41-yard field goal by Phil Dawson with 8:48 to play. It was Dawson's fifth field goal of the game.
Two plays before the field goal, a touchdown pass from Brandon Weeden to Josh Gordon was erased by an illegal formation penalty on the Browns.
The Ravens led, 14-0, before the Browns converted a first down.
But Cleveland's defense settled down, and the Browns cut the lead to 14-9 with three seconds left in the first half on Dawson's third field goal.
When the Browns played in Baltimore in September, they held Ray Rice to 49 yards rushing in a game the Ravens won, 23-16. Rice had 66 yards by halftime Sunday, including an 8-yard run for a touchdown to cap Baltimore's first drive.
The Ravens took a 14-0 on their next possession with a 12-play, 66-yard drive. Bernard Pierce finished it off with a 12 yard-run around the left side. He ran through the grasp of defensive tackle Phil Taylor on the way to the end zone.
During the game in Baltimore, Flacco spent much of the day testing the Browns secondary with deep throws. He used a different strategy on both touchdown drives by throwing in front of the linebackers. Anquan Boldin caught a total of four passes in the first two touchdown drives for 36 yards.
NOTES: Ravens DT Haloti Ngata missed practice Thursday and Friday with knee and shoulder injuries, but started Sunday's game. ... Browns DT Ahtyba Rubin was inactive for the third time in four games because of a calf injury. ... Browns DT Phil Taylor played and started after missing the first eight games with a torn pectoral muscle.
