Browns unable to spoil Ravens ironic celebrations

A sour taste in the mouth.

The Cleveland Browns were blown out 41-17 on Sunday by a Baltimore Ravens team that was ironically kicking off their 30th anniversary celebrations.

It has been 30 years since Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in a move that resulted in the city of Cleveland suing the NFL and keeping their franchise name and likeness – which was transferred to an expansion team four years later in 1999.

A move that has since condemned the Browns to the worst record in the NFL since reactivation in 1999, all whilst the team that took their players and personnel went on to win two Super Bowls.

For the Ravens to be celebrating 30 years since they took the last successful football team away from Cleveland, in a game against Cleveland, felt like a kick in the mouth for every Browns fan.

Same old story

As was the same for most of the 2024 season, the Browns defense played well but were unable to overcome the deficiencies on the other sides of the ball.

Special teams and the offense gave up seven direct points and indirectly gave up another 14 points due to turnovers resulting in the Ravens having the ball inside the Browns five-yard line.

If we are counting fairly, the Browns defense only gave up 13 points in this game. Yet once again, the Browns were comfortably beaten.

The Browns only scored more than 20 points three times last season. They have failed to do it in both games so far in 2025. This is not a new trend for the Browns offense.

Offensive struggles continue

Turnovers. Bad offensive line play. Inconsistent quarterback play. All things the Browns offense have been unable to shake off from last year.

Despite putting an emphasis on protecting the ball, the Browns offense have four turnovers in two games so far this season. And that is not even counting the blocked punt against the Ravens.

The Browns have lost the turnover battle for nine straight games dating back to last season. They have a 1-8 record in those games.

After having one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in 2020, the position group has gotten worse every year since. A combination of injuries, coaching changes and core players getting older has decimated the unit over the last couple of years.

With four of the five starters being in the last year of their contracts, this season is the end of the road for a unit that has been together for five years.

Despite the struggles up front not helping, quarterback Joe Flacco was still poor in this game.

A terribly thrown interception, multiple sacks and a fumble that was recovered for a touchdown. Flacco looked every bit of 40 years old on Sunday.

After a decent performance in Week 1, Browns fans will be hoping that Flacco’s performance in Week 2 is not a sign of what is to come.

With two rookie quarterbacks waiting in the wings, it will not take long before momentum shifts towards playing the one of the younger guys.

Any positives?

The Browns 36th pick in this year’s draft made his debut after only practising once in three months due to off the field issues.

Running back Quinshon Judkins looked promising and finished the game as one of the Browns best offensive players, despite being somewhat limited.

Finishing the game with 10 carries for 61 yards rushing, the rookie displayed his ability to get downhill using his speed and power, running north to south and embracing contact. He also had the Browns longest offensive play of the game with a 31-yard run in the fourth quarter.

After winning the back-up job during training camp, rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was given the opportunity to get garbage time reps after the Browns pulled Flacco from the game after going down 31 points.

Gabriel completed all three of his pass attempts and was even able to throw a touchdown pass to fellow rookie Dylan Sampson.

While the Ravens had pulled some of their starters on defense at this point, the rookie still showed positive signs in his first real NFL action.

Should the team turn to the rookie at any point this season, everything we have seen from Gabriel so far suggests that he will not look lost out there.