When Justin Tucker drilled a 55-yard field goal to put Baltimore up 10 points with 11 minutes, 24 seconds left to go, the stage was set to see if the Ravens could close out a game. They talked about it all week after three losses in those circumstances this season.

On the ensuing drive, the Ravens defense gave up a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to narrow the lead to three. It was the offense’s turn and it moved into scoring range before Justice Hill coughed up a fumble.

The Browns quickly moved back down the field and had a 34-yard touchdown to Amari Cooper that, for a split second, seemed to be yet another cruel punch to the gut. Except this time, a flag actually helped Baltimore, as offensive pass interference waived it off.

With new life, the Ravens closed it out behind a blocked field goal. Another penalty helped, backing the Browns up and making a 56-yard attempt even longer. Cade York’s low kick drilled linebacker Malik Harrison in the face. Game over.

Gus Edwards scored two touchdowns in his long-awaited return, staking Baltimore to a double-digit lead in the second half.

“We kind of had the lead again. What’s going to happen?” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “Focus on what you’ve got to do within the play, not within the situation and the circumstances. Circumstances really doesn’t matter. What matters is the play call and doing your job.”

Baltimore (4-3) has blown a double-digit lead in the second half of each of its three losses this season. The Ravens led 23-13 after Justin Tucker’s 55-yard field goal with 11:24 remaining, but the Browns quickly responded with a 2-yard touchdown run by Kareem Hunt to make it a three-point game. Then a fumble by Baltimore’s Justice Hill gave Cleveland the ball at its own 16 with 3:12 to play.

“The margin of error in this league is pretty slim,” Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett said. “You go out there and play pretty well and sometimes you still don’t get the results that you want, but that can’t change the way we come to work.”

Cleveland (2-5) has lost four in a row. Chubb had 91 yards on 16 carries.

Edwards hadn’t played in a game that counted since Baltimore’s playoff loss to Buffalo on Jan. 16, 2021. He missed all of last season and the first six games of this one following a major knee injury.

He rushed for 66 yards Sunday and scored on runs of 7 and 1. The latter came on a fourth-down play in the third quarter that made it 20-10.

“I’m even fortunate to be playing right now with the type of injury I had,” Edwards said. “It was ACL, hamstring, LCL.”

The Ravens trailed 10-3 after one — the first time all season they were behind after any quarter except the fourth. Their offense seemed to find a rhythm late in the second, when Lamar Jackson led a 10-play, 80-yard drive, and Edwards’ first TD put Baltimore up 13-10 at halftime.

Brissett lost a fumble in the third, giving the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 25, and Edwards capped that short drive with another touchdown.

This was the first game all season Baltimore didn’t score first, and the first time the Ravens allowed any points on an opponent’s first possession. Cleveland marched 75 yards in 11 plays after the opening kickoff and took the lead on a 2-yard run by Chubb.

The teams traded field goals, and then Baltimore settled for another one that made it 10-6 even after a punt return had given the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 21.

Neither team had a great deal of success passing — and the Browns lost tight end David Njoku to an ankle injury after he caught a team-high seven passes for 71 yards. Jackson was sacked three times and threw for only 120 yards. Brissett was 22 of 27 for 258 yards, but he was sacked five times and fumbled on one of them.

“You’ve got to take the ball away, you can’t give it away,” Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said. “All the little things, playing clean football, all those things.”

INJURIES—– Edwards’ return is another chapter in Baltimore’s ongoing injury saga in the backfield. He and J.K. Dobbins missed all of last season with knee injuries. Dobbins returned earlier this season but is now on injured reserve. Justice Hill returned from a hamstring injury Sunday and ran for 26 yards. … Browns TE Pharaoh Brown was evaluated for a concussion, and LB Jacob Phillips had a shoulder injury.

Matchup
1st Downs	18	17
Passing 1st downs	8	5
Rushing 1st downs	8	11
1st downs from penalties	2	1
3rd down efficiency	2-11	7-15
4th down efficiency	1-1	2-2
Total Plays	56	63
Total Yards	336	254
Total Drives	10	10
Yards per Play	6.0	4.0
Passing	223	94
Comp-Att	22-27	9-16
Yards per pass	7.0	4.9
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Sacks-Yards Lost	5-35	3-26
Rushing	113	160
Rushing Attempts	24	44
Yards per rush	4.7	3.6
Red Zone (Made-Att)	2-4	2-4
Penalties	6-45	3-53
Turnovers	2	1
Fumbles lost	2	1
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Defensive / Special Teams TDs	0	0
Possession	25:56	34:04