Browns’ defense flips the script as Cleveland stuns Ravens originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cleveland Browns turned a miserable start into one of their most satisfying wins of the season. Baltimore scored 10 points in the first quarter, but Cleveland’s defense shut the Ravens out for the rest of the game and gave the Browns time to claw back.
The comeback came together in the fourth quarter. A forced fumble by linebacker Carson Schwesinger and recovery by Tyson Campbell gave Cleveland a chance to tie the game. Audric Estime finished the drive with a touchdown, making it 10–10 and setting up a tense finish at Huntington Bank Field.
The Browns’ kicker, Andre Szmyt, had a chance to put Cleveland ahead earlier but missed from 48 yards. The miss ended his streak of 25 consecutive field goals, giving the Ravens another opportunity to hold on. Instead, Szmyt got another chance in the final seconds—and made it count, drilling a 37-yard field goal for the 13–10 win.
Cleveland’s defense gave the offense room to recover
The Browns did not need a high-scoring afternoon to beat their division rival. They needed their defense to stop the bleeding after Baltimore’s early lead and keep the game within reach.
BROWNS WIN AND ARE IN FIRST PLACE https://t.co/rTec7Vizin
— NFL (@NFL) October 18, 2026
That response was the story of the afternoon. After the Ravens’ opening-quarter surge, Cleveland kept them off the scoreboard. The fourth-quarter forced fumble was the most direct payoff, turning a defensive play into the Browns’ first touchdown and a tie game.
Cleveland’s offense then had to make one more drive matter. Deshaun Watson connected with Jerry Jeudy for a key gain as the Browns moved into position for Szmyt’s second attempt. This time, the kick went through, and the home crowd got the finish it had been waiting for.
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A divisional win with real value
The result moves Cleveland to 4–2 and puts the Browns at the top of the AFC North. That is a remarkable shift for a team that looked in trouble after falling behind by 10 points in the opening quarter.
The win also showed how Cleveland can compete when its offense is not producing consistently. The defense gave the team a path back into the game, and Szmyt responded after a costly miss with the kick that decided it.
There is still plenty for the Browns to clean up, especially after the slow start. But a division win over Baltimore carries weight, and the way Cleveland earned it should make the result feel even bigger. The Browns absorbed the Ravens’ early punch, kept them scoreless for three quarters and found just enough offense to finish the comeback.