Monday, October 07, 2002
Ravens 26, Browns 21
By TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns needed to get Ray Lewis out of the game before mounting a late comeback.
For the second time in six days, Lewis turned a national TV game into his own prime-time special for three quarters as the Baltimore Ravens built a big lead and held on to beat the Browns 26-21 Sunday night.
Lewis, Baltimore's unstoppable middle linebacker, had an interception, forced a fumble that he recovered and made four tackles before he injured his left shoulder and had to sit out the fourth quarter.
Cleveland (2-3) trailed 23-0 at the start of the fourth quarter, but with starting quarterback Tim Couch sitting dazed on the bench with a concussion, the Browns stormed back behind Kelly Holcomb.
After recovering an onside kick, the Browns moved the ball to the Ravens' 17 in the final minute, but Holcomb's final pass was picked off by safety Ed Reed.
Brandon Stokley caught two TD passes from Chris Redman as the Ravens (2-2), who looked pitiful in their first two games this season but now have moved into first place in the weak AFC North.
Matt Stover had four field goals and Jamal Lewis rushed for 187 yards for Baltimore, which was coming off an impressive win on Monday night over previously unbeaten Denver.
Couch suffered a slight concussion after being hit by several Ravens early in the fourth and didn't return. He finished 16-of-26 for 216 yards and threw two interceptions.
Holcomb threw a 37-yard TD pass to Dennis Northcutt with 7:53 left and another to Northcutt with 58 seconds to go. Holcomb, who started the Browns' first two games while Couch rested an injured elbow, went 13-of-23 for 180 yards.
On Monday night, Lewis almost beat the Broncos by himself. He earned AFC defensive player of the week honors after getting 20 tackles, an interception and throwing the key block on Chris McAlister's NFL record 107-yard TD return.
Lewis wasn't quite as dominant against the Browns, but No. 52 was all over the field again, making several big plays that turned the game in Baltimore's favor.
Trailing 13-0, the Browns got the ball to open the second half, but Lewis took it away with a play that showcased his field awareness and speed.
Couch completed a pass to wide receiver Quincy Morgan, who cut across the field for a 22-yard gain when Lewis caught him from behind and punched the ball loose with his right hand.
Lewis recovered at Cleveland's 44, and the Ravens capitalized when Redman hit Stokley for a 35-yard TD to make it 20-0.
Later in the quarter, Lewis was scrambling for a loose ball behind the line and seemed to jam his shoulder as he hit the ground.
Lewis' interception early in the second quarter set up Stover's 43-yard field goal in the second quarter that put the Ravens up 10-0.
Lewis was in the middle of things again on Cleveland's next possession.
On 3rd-and-1 at the 29, Lewis helped stack the line and stuff Browns rookie running back William Green for no gain.
The Ravens then went into the locker room leading 13-0 when Stover kicked a 28-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.
Redman's 30-yard TD pass to Stokley gave the Ravens a 7-0 lead in the second quarter.
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Ravens 26, Browns 21
