Schaub's Ravens Debut Wasn't Pretty, but Baltimore Wins 'MNF' Thriller

Just when you thought the 2015 NFL season couldn't get any wilder, Monday night's game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens happened. It was a back-and-forth battle in Cleveland that gave us one of the absolute craziest finishes in recent memory, with the Ravens winning 33-27.

The final three minutes of the game saw Browns backup quarterback Austin Davis come in and tie it with a 42-yard touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin. The Ravens and Browns then exchange punts. Afterward, Baltimore quarterback Matt Schaub threw an interception on his side of the field.

The ending, though, topped everything. The Browns lined up for a 51-yard field goal with three seconds remaining, only to have it blocked and returned for a game-winning Ravens touchdown.

Even though Schaub played an ugly game in his debut as the Ravens starter, Baltimore still found a way to win in the end.

"I've never seen anything like that in my life," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after the game, per Dan Hanzus of NFL.com.

It was an incredibly exciting way to finish a game that had no playoff implications, but plenty of importance for the Baltimore and Cleveland franchises.

For the Browns, it means being one step closer to "earning" the No. 1 overall pick (and possibly a step closer to ending the Mike Pettine era). NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano provided an early look at the 2016 NFL draft order:

For Baltimore, it means that the remainder of the 2015 season doesn't have to be a total waste. At 4-7 and without starting quarterback Joe Flacco and starting running back Justin Forsett, the Ravens' season is probably over. However, that doesn't mean there isn't something to be gained over the final five weeks. 

For starters, the Ravens can use the remainder of the season to build some momentum for next year. The team made it evident that it had no intention of quitting on Harbaugh with its play on Monday night. 

If Baltimore can manage to finish the season with seven or even eight wins, there will be plenty to feel good about in the offseason despite the disastrous start to 2015. 

The Ravens can also use the final month-plus to evaluate some of the young depth on the roster. Part of this comes from the fact that Baltimore is missing starters such as Flacco, Forsett, Terrell Suggs and Jeremy Zuttah out for the season.

Part of this comes from the fact that, despite the injuries, the Ravens are still functioning as a team.

The Ravens, and their fans, got a taste of what some of these young players can do on Monday against the Browns. 

Running back Javorius "Buck" Allen rushed for 4.6 yards per carry, while adding 29 yards and a score on four receptions. Fellow back and former Browns draft pick Terrance West rushed for 5.3 yards per carry. Forsett is under contract for another two years, but West and Allen deserve to be part of the future if they continue to run well.

If Forsett isn't part of that future, these two might form the one-two punch that replaces him.

Wide receiver Kamar Aiken continued to show his growth, as well, catching five passes for 80 yards and a score. The Ravens have to hope that injured first-round draft pick Breshad Perriman can emerge next season as a legitimate No. 1 receiver. If he can, that's great, because Aiken is starting to look like a top-tier complement. 

Then there are young defenders like second-year defensive end Timmy Jernigan, who finished Monday's game with three tackles and a half-sack.

The reason the Ravens have an opportunity to do some legitimate evaluation over the next several weeks is because they have a veteran like Schaub under center. His play, while incredibly shaky at times, was good enough that the young players around him have an opportunity to go out and make plays.

Yes, Schaub threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. He also threw for 232 yards with two touchdowns and avoided being sacked. When he was on, Schaub was allowing players like Allen and Aiken to shine.

He did this while going against a Browns defense that, while often criticized, is actually rated a respectable 13th in pass coverage by Pro Football Focus.

The other benefit to having Schaub under center is that the Ravens have enough talent and good enough coaching to still win ballgames, even when he does things like throw pick-sixes (a classic Schaub trait). A team like the Browns really cannot say the same, even though the quarterback position has rarely been their problem this year.

The Ravens, like Schaub, were far from perfect in this one. The defense gave up 338 yards of net offense and didn't force a turnover. The offense totaled just 16 first downs. At no time, however, did the team fold.

Gaining confidence in being able to win with someone like Schaub is important, because there are still five games to play and because there's no telling exactly when Flacco will be back to 100 percent. The Ravens may have to spend the offseason, or even the beginning of next season, without him.

Preparing for that possibility, while grooming the young talent on the roster, is what the rest of the season should be about.

Playing hard, playing with poise and finding ways to wind ugly games like the Ravens did on Monday night is going to be incredibly important down the stretch. At some point this team is going to be healthy again. By battling through the adversity now, it's probably going to be an even better team once it is.