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Cleveland Browns, Steelers share AFC North basement as Ravens, Bengals win

By Elliot Kennel

Oct 17, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks up at the scoreboard during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 17, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks up at the scoreboard during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 17, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to throw during the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Baltimore Ravens short circuit Los Angeles Chargers, 34-6

The Baltimore Ravens didn’t simply beat the Los Angeles Chargers, they shut them down, 34-6, short-circuiting their little electric behinds. For some time, this fan has been so impressed with Justin Herbert calling him the emerging best quarterback in the NFL.

Not versus the Ravens, he wasn’t.

Maybe that honor should be reserved for Lamar Jackson, who is playing like the 2019 MVP version of himself, doing absolutely everything for a team that lost three top running backs in preseason, plus two Pro Bowl offensive tackles and a Pro Bowl defensive back and several other valuable players.

At the beginning of the season, we thought there would be no way this Baltimore team could hang with the mighty Cleveland Browns team, right? Well, they are pulling away, now. At 5-1, they’re two games ahead of the weakening Browns, who are now sharing the AFC North basement with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Ravens have their defensive act together, as they totally shut down the Chargers running game, limiting them to a pathetic 26 yards on 12 carries, for a paltry 2.17 yards per carry average. Wunderkind Justin Herbert was limited to only 22 completions in 39 attempts for 195 yards. If that sounds like about two field goals worth of points, that is exactly what they wound up with.

This is the same Chargers offense that looked so strong against the Browns in Week 5, scoring 47 points. The press was singing their praises, including this fan, who considers Justin Herbert to be the true Heir Apparent to the throne of the World’s Greatest Quarterback, currently occupied by Aaron Rodgers. Yet Baltimore shut them down easily.

Meanwhile, Baltimore’s fourth-string running back, Ty’Son Williams, was out with a sprained ankle, so the Ravens had to make do with recycled senior citizens Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell. Somehow, this vintage crew managed to roll up 187 yards on the ground, completely pummeling the Chargers into submission.

Freeman, Murray, and Bell all scored rushing touchdowns, and tight end Mark Andrews led his team in receiving yards with 68, and also contributed his third touchdown reception of the season.

It doesn’t seem to matter how many injuries the Ravens have. They seem to be able to find players to fit their system. Alternatively, they have the ability to modify their system to accommodate the abilities of their players.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw for only 167 yards and the one TD to Andrews, but the ground game was enough to de-electrify the Chargers. Jackson added 51 yards on the ground.

Something else that Browns fans might want to pick up on is that first-round pick Rashod Bateman made his debut for Baltimore and was impactful, making four grabs for 29 yards. This comes as a bit of a surprise because his groin injury was so severe that it required surgery. Early on the thought was that he might be out for quite a long time. Well, he’s back and the Ravens have one more weapon to terrorize the populace with.

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