Baker Mayfield, Browns Defeat Ravens on Last-Second Greg Joseph FG in Overtime

The Cleveland Browns continued their impressive early-season showing with a 12-9 overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC North showdown at FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday. 

Greg Joseph kicked the game-winning field goal with two seconds remaining after Baker Mayfield drove the Browns 65 yards in seven plays. 

Mayfield rebounded from his four-turnover showing last week with a terrific performance against a stout Ravens team. The No. 1 overall pick went 25-of-43 for 342 yards with one touchdown and one interception. 

While the Ravens defense has been among the NFL's best so far this season—it entered Week 5 ranked second in the NFL with 275.8 yards allowed per game and tied for third with 16.3 points allowed—it was Cleveland's group that stole the show. 

The Browns held the Ravens to 4-of-16 on third downs and quarterback Joe Flacco to a season-low 51.8 completion percentage. 

Mayfield's Strong Rebound Proves Browns Have Franchise QB

It's impossible to understate how important Mayfield has been to the Browns since taking over at quarterback in Week 3 against the New York Jets. 

Per Stats by STATS, Mayfield has the third-most passing yards through his first three career games:

Cleveland's offense scored 63 points in its first 61 minutes with Mayfield leading the group. Coming off a 45-42 overtime loss last week against the Oakland Raiders in which he had four turnovers, the rookie's response against an excellent defense in Week 5 was going to be critical. 

Mayfield didn't skip a beat, starting with this touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins late in the second quarter:

Even though the Browns only had 12 points against the Ravens, Mayfield stepped up in the critical moment to give his team a chance to win.

Facing a 2nd-and-21 on their final drive after a botched run on first down, Mayfield got the Browns into a more manageable 3rd-and-8 with a 13-yard scramble. Duke Johnson got the first down with a 28-yard run on the next play. 

The touchdowns will start to come as Mayfield gains more experience and confidence. His ability to not get rattled after a difficult showing last week and taking on a stellar defense this week will help make him a superstar for years to come. 

Flacco's Red-Zone Issues Threaten Ravens' Super Bowl Hopes

The common refrain among Ravens observers to start this season has been Lamar Jackson's presence has rejuvenated Flacco. 

Now in his 11th season, Flacco threw for 1,252 yards and eight touchdowns in the first four weeks. His performance was so impressive that OddsShark gave him the eighth-best odds to win NFL MVP. 

The Browns found the magic formula to bring back the inconsistent Flacco who was often prone to making mistakes. His red-zone interception was the result of pressure from Emmanuel Ogbah:

Even factoring in Cleveland's excellent defense on that particular play, Flacco hasn't been lighting it up in the red zone lately:

On their final drive in the fourth quarter, Flacco got the Ravens down to Cleveland's 14-yard line with just over one minute to play. He had Michael Crabtree open in the end zone on 3rd-and-10 but left the ball too high for his receiver, forcing them to settle for a tying field goal. 

Because of the Ravens' inability to get in the end zone, their defense will essentially have to play perfect football to win games. 

It hasn't been a crippling issue for the Ravens to this point, but it's a glaring one that will need a quick fix if they want to reach their full potential. 

Inept Special Teams Will Cost Browns Playoff Spot

If it wasn't already apparent before Week 5, it became obvious that the Browns have the talent on offense and defense to be an AFC playoff contender. 

The problem is Cleveland's special teams continue to knock everything else off track. Kicker Greg Joseph, who was signed on Sept. 17 to replace Zane Gonzalez, missed the extra point after Higgins' touchdown that would have given the Browns a 7-6 lead. 

After the Browns got in position for a field goal on the final drive in regulation after Baltimore tied the score, Joseph hooked a 55-yard attempt to send the game into overtime. He did redeem himself in overtime, but special teams has been a struggle for the team all year. 

Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star noted how much better the Browns would be if they had a top-tier kicker:

It's not hyperbolic to make that statement. Cleveland settled for a tie in the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers when Gonzalez's 43-yard attempt with 13 seconds remaining in overtime was blocked. 

The following week, Gonzalez missed the go-ahead extra point and game-tying 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter of a 21-18 loss against the New Orleans Saints. 

It's fair to say with an average kicker, the Browns would be, at worst, 4-1 heading into next week.

The overall numbers for Cleveland's defense this season don't immediately stand out as special. They came into Week 5 ranked 18th in points allowed (26.0) and 25th in yards allowed (395.0). 

Upon closer inspection, though, it's easy to see why the Browns will soon be considered among the best defensive teams in the NFL. They added two turnovers to their league-leading total of 15. Flacco averaged 5.3 yards per attempt, his fewest in a game since Week 17 last season. 

Myles Garrett's five sacks through Week 5 have him tied with J.J. Watt, Khalil Mack and Takkarist McKinley for second-most in the NFL. 

Until the Browns find a long-term solution at kicker, they will struggle to reach their potential as a legitimate AFC playoff contender in 2018. 

What's Next?

The Ravens will conclude their three-game road trip in Week 6 at Nissan Stadium against the Tennessee Titans. The Browns will try to get over .500 for the first time since 2014 when they host the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 14.