Josh Cribbs overcame pain and fluid in his ankle to play against the Ravens, finishing with a career-high five catches.
Josh Cribbs ran out of the wildcat formation just once on Sunday, gaining 20 yards and setting up a touchdown with this scamper against the Ravens. Baltimore was "scared of our attack," Cribbs said. "We've just got to win it in the long run."BALTIMORE, Md. -- Josh Cribbs had to rally from a sprained left ankle to play against the Ravens and was in a walking boot after the game. It's a good thing he played.
Cribbs was the only Browns receiver to catch a pass, finishing with a career-high five receptions for 58 yards, including a long of 20.
"I was really questionable for this game," said Cribbs, who felt pain in the ankle Friday in practice and had fluid on it. "I had to work out before the game started and everything. My fans were like 'don't do it if you can't go.' But it's the Ravens. That why I went. It's the Ravens and it's the division."
Cribbs also rushed once out of the Wildcat for 20 and once from the tailback spot for a yard, when Ray Lewis drilled him. But he didn't have many chances on returns for the second straight week, fielding one punt for zero yards and two kickoffs for 27.
"Once we started and my adrenaline started pumping, I didn't even feel [the ankle]," he said. "They're making me wear this boot right now. I'm like 'look, I don't even feel it right now.'"
Cribbs made a sensational 17-yard catch over the middle on a second-quarter touchdown drive. He also had a chance to make a big play with 4:05 remaining, but Seneca Wallace missed him on a deep throw to the right on third and 2. The Browns had to punt and never got the ball back.
"They came after me with an all-out blitz and I wanted to get the ball to Josh Cribbs," said Wallace. "I didn't make a good throw. I've got to put that ball where my receiver can catch it."
Cribbs then lined up as the upback on an apparent fake punt, but the Ravens called a timeout and the Browns ended up punting.
"I was ready," said Cribbs. "We needed [two yards]. We had our offensive line against their punt thing. They didn't stand a chance."
Cribbs loved the way the offense attacked the Ravens' vaunted defense, rushing for 173 yards, including 144 by Peyton Hillis.
"I looked in their eyes and saw fear as [Lawrence] Vickers hit them," he said. "He was knocking them around. They were scared, they were holding us, I was getting a couple penalties [drawn on the Ravens]," said Cribbs. "They [were] scared of our attack. We've just got to win it in the long run."
As for teams kicking away from him?
"They're going to slip up one of these times, and that's what I want."
Where's Mo? Mohamed Massaquoi had one chance at a reception, but the Wallace pass soared too high. He had one catch last week and just three on the season. Chansi Stuckey didn't have any thrown his way. Brian Robiskie was inactive with a pulled hamstring and Carlton Mitchell was inactive with a head injury.
"I'm fine," said Mitchell. He said he had some contact in practice but that it wasn't a concussion.
Hillis not awed: Hillis came into the game saying "we can move the ball on anybody" and backed it up.
His 144 yards rushing was the sixth-most ever against the Ravens and most since 2005. He broke a Ravens streak of 11 straight quarters without a TD surrendered and became the first Browns back to reach the 100-yard rushing plateau against them.
He also became just the fourth back to rush for more than 100 yards against the Ravens in their last 54 games and the sixth in their last 71.
"They put their pants on one leg at a time just like we do," said Hillis, who didn't gloat over his career day. "I'd trade a 20-yard game and a victory for a 150-yard game and a loss," he said.
Last season, he was overlooked by Denver coach Josh McDaniels, carrying only 20 times for 77 yards.
"I always have to believe in myself, that I can have a big game," he said. "Throughout my past, no one ever gave me much of a shot to do anything individually. But, with my faith in the Lord and what I have, I know that I can achieve anything."
A dropped opportunity: T.J. Ward could've had a pick-six on Joe Flacco's first pass, but it flicked off his hands and into Derrick Mason's for a one-yard loss.
"I just took my eyes off it, and it bounced off my fingertips and there was basically no one in front of me, so I definitely thought that was going to be a touchdown," Ward said. "I didn't focus, I took my eyes off of it, and it bounced off my hands. It was just a case of getting overexcited about the situation and not focusing on doing things one at a time."
Harrison hopeful: Jerome Harrison was inactive with his thigh injury, but hopes to be back in practice this week.
"The most frustrating thing was not being to help," he said. "All I could do was try to help the guys that were out there."
Hit by flags: Robaire Smith left the game holding his back, but said afterward he's fine. Smith drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike call against Baltimore's Michael Oher, who punched Smith after Smith shoved Todd Heap, who false-started on the play.
"That's football. It is what it is," said Smith.
Said Oher: "That's my teammate. You've got have your teammate's back."
Ben Watson was flagged for unnecessary roughness in the third quarter when he knocked down Haloti Ngata. It was one of eight Browns penalties for 60 yards.
"You can't do that," said coach Eric Mangini. "I'm tired of talking about the same things."
A key error, explained: Wallace discussed the fumbled pitch to Hillis in the fourth quarter. "That was completely my fault," he said. "That was supposed to be a handoff and I pitched the ball back. It was my mistake."
Extra points: Right tackle John St. Clair left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury and was replaced by Tony Pashos. ... The Browns did not commit a turnover for the first time since Dec. 10, 2009, a 13-6 win over Pittsburgh at home.