Joe Flacco has not been elite. It appears that will not matter.
The Browns have turned back into the Browns in the second half, and Flacco has thrown two touchdown passes. His second, to Steve Smith Sr., and subsequent two-point conversion made it 21-7 late in the third quarter.
The problem is the Ravens have lost offensive linemen to injury on each touchdown pass. Guard Alex Lewis was carted to the locker room with an ankle injury after Flacco’s touchdown pass to Darren Waller, and tackle Jeremy Zuttah was helped off the field following the Smith touchdown.
The Ravens were already shorthanded on the line and started their sixth different offensive line combination in nine games. Zuttah was able to return for the next series.
A Terrell Suggs hit on Browns quarterback Josh McCown’s throwing hand led to a Jerraud Powers interception on the Browns’ second series of the third quarter, and the Ravens would be up by more if Flacco hadn’t thrown an interception in the end zone to Browns cornerback Joe Haden.
Haden has intercepted Flacco three times this season and five times in his career.
The Browns made a quarterback switch in the third quarter, replacing rookie Cody Kessler with McCown.
