NFL GAME RECAP

Browns lose on blocked FG return

The Sports Xchange

December 01, 2015 at 10:15 am.

Nov 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns kicker Travis Coons (6) reacts to having his kick blocked in the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Ravens won 33-27. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns kicker Travis Coons (6) reacts to having his kick blocked in the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Ravens won 33-27. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

CLEVELAND — Will Hill returned a blocked field goal 64 yards on the final play of regulation Monday night, lifting the Baltimore Ravens to a 33-27 win over the Cleveland Browns.

The Ravens (4-7), playing with backup quarterback Matt Schaub plus backup running backs Javorius Allen and Terrance West, avenged a 33-30 loss to the Browns on Oct. 7 in Baltimore.

The loss was doubly painful for the Browns. Starting quarterback Josh McCown, who missed the two previous games with a rib injury, was knocked out of Monday’s game with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter. Austin Davis replaced him and tied the game, 27-27, on a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Travis Benjamin with 1:47 to play.

Cleveland kicker Travis Coons attempted a winning 51-yard field goal on the final play. Defensive end Brent Urban blocked the kick. Hill scooped it up and sprinted down the left sideline for the touchdown.

The Browns (2-9) took their sixth consecutive loss — every game since they beat the Ravens. They fell for the 14th time in 16 games dating back to last season.

The Browns trailed 17-3 with just under 10 minutes left in the first half before scoring 17 straight points. They took the lead 20-17 on a 52-yard interception return by linebacker Karlos Dansby.

The lead did not last long. The Ravens, mixing run and pass, surged back on top 24-20 with a 12-play, 80-yard drive capped with a 15-yard pass from Schaub to wide receiver Kamar Aiken.

Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker added a 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for a seven-point lead before the Davis-to-Benjamin pass tied the score.

Schaub finished 20-for-34 for 232 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions.

McCown was 21-for-38 for 212 yards and a touchdown, while Davis completed seven of 10 passes for 77 yards and a score. Neither Cleveland quarterback was intercepted.

The Ravens jumped out to a 7-0 lead on an 82-yard punt return by Kaelin Clay after the Browns first possession stalled and stretched the lead to 10-0 on a 49-yard field goal by Justin Tucker on their second possession.

The Browns cut the lead to 10-3 on a 31-yard field goal by Travis Coons. Ravens quarterback Matt Schaub needed only three plays to boost the Ravens lead to 17-3 on a 13-yard touchdown pass to Javorius Allen.

The Browns answered by finishing off a nine-play, 69-yard drive when McCown, scrambling and eluding pass rushers, fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to Marlon Moore to shrink the Ravens lead to 17-10.

The Browns had a chance to tie the game before halftime, but failed to score a touchdown on first-and-goal from the 3 and settled for a 21-yard field goal by Coons.

NOTES: QB Joe Flacco (knee) missed his first game with the Ravens after 137 consecutive starts since being drafted in 2008. … Baltimore RB Javorius Allen started in place of Justin Forsett, who is out with a broken arm. … Justin Gilbert made his first start of the season for the Browns at left cornerback. … Cleveland rookie Cameron Erving started at left guard in place of Joel Bitonio (ankle).

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