The Browns fall to the Ravens 24-17, and fall to 0-3, thanks primarily to three touchdowns from Baltimore receiver Anquan Boldin.
Ben Watson gathered in this pass in the first half and added a TD catch early in the fourth quarter for the Browns, but the team couldn't quite hold on and fell to 0-3 with a 24-17 loss on Sunday.BALTIMORE, Md. -- The Browns reversed two season-long trends Sunday. They scored in the second half, and scored a touchdown on the Baltimore defense.
The one trend Cleveland couldn't uproot in its third game of the season, however, was the trend of losing.
The Browns fell, 24-17, to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore receiver Anquan Boldin scored three touchdowns while dominating Browns cornerback Eric Wright in helping the Ravens seal the victory in the fourth quarter. The Browns dropped to 0-3 while Baltimore improved to 2-1.
The Browns were the first team to show success against the Ravens defense this season, as running back Peyton Hillis and tight end Benjamin Watson both scored touchdowns. Baltimore had not allowed a touchdown in 11 quarters until Hillis powered in a 1-yard score at the end of the second quarter.
Cleveland's defense held Baltimore in check for the third quarter, which helped set up the Browns' second touchdown of the game, a 1-yard pass from Seneca Wallace to Watson at the start of the fourth quarter. Hillis continued to churn up yards, and rattled off a 48-yard dash that brought the Browns into Ravens territory. Joshua Cribbs successfully employed the Wildcat offense in rushing behind left tackle Joe Thomas and left guard Eric Steinbach for another 19 yards to set up the touchdown.
Hillis finished with 144 yards rushing on 22 carries.
However, the Ravens countered in the fourth quarter, with quarterback Joe Flacco finding Boldin in the end zone -- who faked and beat Wright for a third time -- on a 27-yard touchdown pass.
Boldin had three touchdowns on eight catches for 142 yards. He recorded his 600th career reception on his first touchdown. Boldin, in his eighth season, became the fastest in NFL history to have 600 receptions, snagging his in the 98th game of his career.
The Browns were playing without a slew of starters thanks to injuries. Quarterback Jake Delhomme, running back Jerome Harrison, nose tackle Shaun Rogers and receiver Brian Robiskie all were inactive Sunday. Additionally, right tackle John St. Clair suffered a sprained ankle after the first drive of the game and did not return.