November 17, 2009

For 30 minutes, the Baltimore Ravens were inefficient, unproductive, and disorganized. In 17 seconds, they changed all that.

Ray Rice scored on a 13-yard run and safety Dawan Landry returned an interception of Brady Quinn 48 yards for a touchdown on Cleveland’s next play as the Ravens overcame a horrendous start for a 16-0 win over the hapless Browns last night in Cleveland.

The Ravens (5-4) didn’t score in the opening half, when they used up their three timeouts in the first 6:15, committed silly penalties, converted just one third down and actually made the Browns (1-8) look respectable.

But on Baltimore’s first possession of the second half, quarterback Joe Flacco connected on a 41-yard pass to Derrick Mason, who spun out of cornerback Brandon McDonald’s tackle and raced down the sideline to the Cleveland 13. Rice took it in from there to make it 7-0.

On the next snap, Quinn (13 of 31, 99 yards, two interceptions), making his first start since being pulled 10 quarters into the season by Cleveland coach Eric Mangini, threw high and wide to tight end Robert Royal and the ball bounced to Landry, who scampered in untouched to make it 13-0.

Browns receiver Josh Cribbs was taken to a hospital for further tests after being injured on a hard hit on the final play of the game. Mangini said Cribbs had movement and feeling in all parts of his body when he left the stadium.