The Baltimore Ravens bounced back in dominant fashion, routing the Cleveland Browns 41-17 to even their record at 1-1 and send a message to the rest of the league.
Top two takeaways from the Ravens' 41-17 victory over the Browns:
Lamar Jackson is a way-too-early MVP candidate
Lamar Jackson looked every bit like an MVP candidate, completing 19 of 25 passes for 224 yards, four touchdowns, and a 128.6 passer rating while leading a balanced and efficient offensive attack.
Seven different Ravens caught passes, with Zay Flowers leading the way with seven receptions for 75 yards. Devontez Walker hauled in two touchdowns, DeAndre Hopkins made another highlight-reel diving catch, and Rashod Bateman contributed two grabs for 15 yards.
Defense forced the Browns to bench Flacco
Baltimore’s defense, led by coordinator Zach Orr, was just as impressive, holding Cleveland to 322 total yards on 72 plays, forcing two turnovers, and sacking Joe Flacco twice before the veteran was benched for Dillon Gabriel.
Cleveland was 7-of-18 on third down, and while it put up 14 points in the second half, it was not enough to make up for a three-point first-half performance.
Up next for Baltimore: Monday, September 22 vs. Detroit Lions (8:15 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN)
