Dawgs By Nature
The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens both lost their first game of the 2025 season. Week 2 was designed to right one franchise and give the winner a division victory.
The Ravens were celebrating their 30-year history, which, oddly enough, is against the very city Baltimore stole their franchise. The Browns wanted nothing better than to spoil the party with a much-needed win.
RELATED: RAVENS 30-YEAR ANNIVERSARY HAS BROWNS FANS, MEDIA UPSET
In the end, Baltimore took Cleveland to the woodshed in a 41-17 beatdown. So who played well for the Browns? Who didn’t?
Defense stopping the run – The Ravens RB Derrick Henry is an absolute beast. We all know this. But the Browns stymied the big running back in the first half to the tune of five carries for five yards. He could not run up the middle whatsoever as he was gang tackled by rookie DT Mason Graham and a tandem of veterans Shelby Harris and Maliek Collins. Henry finished the game with 11 carries for 23 yards. No, not a misprint. With Baltimore inside the six-yard line on two separate drives in the third quarter with a first-and-goal, it would be natural to just hand Henry the ball as many times as it took. However, he only had one carry for one yard.
DE Myles Garrett – The talented first ballot Hall of Famer had a great game and was relentless for most of the contest. He was able to grab QB Lamar Jackson as fellow defender Cameron Thomas helped finish off the sack. On the very next play, he nailed RB Justice Hill for a one-yard loss. In the second quarter, WR Zay Flowers caught a short pass in the flats as Garrett ran him down from behind. In Quarter 3 with the Ravens starting on a first-and-goal from the one, after two unsuccessful plays, Jackson dropped back and Garrett beat LT Ronnie Stanley badly for another sack. Finished with five tackles with two QB hits and 1.5 sacks.
Defensive stop – The Ravens had a first down at the one-yard line early in the third quarter after a long catch by WR DeAndre Hopkins. Should be run, run, run, right? Jackson threw a bad ball on first down, then a false start penalty placed the ball on the six. On second down, a nice throw to TE Mark Andrews just wasn’t cradled and fell incomplete instead. Now third-and-goal, Garrett sacked Jackson, which then became three points instead of six. Three plays later for the Browns, the Flacco interception placed the ball on Cleveland’s five with a first-and-goal – again. First down: RB Derrick Henry for one yard with a tackle by LB Jerome Baker. On second, Jackson ran for two yards as S Ronnie Hickman came up and made the tackle. The third down play fell incomplete. Instead of kicking another three, Baltimore went for it and scored on a touchdown pass. Still, two drives with a first-and-goal, and seven straight...
