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CLEVELAND -- The ball-hawking Baltimore Ravens forced four more turnovers Sunday and converted two of them into touchdowns to defeat the Cleveland Browns 27-10. The Ravens (8-6) kept alive their playoff hopes as a wild-card team. They will clinch a playoff spot by beating the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals in Baltimore the final two weeks regardless what the other contenders do.
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The Browns (0-14) have lost 16 straight games to division opponents dating back to 2015.
The Ravens began the day with 20 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries. Safety Eric Weddle and cornerback Brandon Carr added to the league-leading interception total with a pick apiece. The Ravens had five takeaways in a 24-10 victory over the Browns in the second game of the season.
Defense kept the Browns in the game in the first half, but the Ravens still led 17-10 at intermission.
The Ravens took the opening drive to the Browns 13, but had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Justin Tucker.
Baltimore tried to expand the 3-0 lead in the second quarter and had first-and-goal on the Browns 4, but on fourth-and-goal from the 1, linebacker James Burgess tripped up Ravens running back Alex Collins for a 3-yard loss.
The Browns responded quickly. Running back Isaiah Crowell slammed through a hole at left guard for 59 yards on the first play after the turnover on downs. The Browns stayed on the ground and finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run around left end by running back Duke Johnson.
The Browns' lead did not last long. The Ravens answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a 2-yard quarterback draw by Joe Flacco for a touchdown and a 10-7 lead.
The Ravens expanded their lead to 10 points by taking advantage of a fumble by Johnson after catching a pass from quarterback DeShone Kizer at the Browns 41. Johnson ran 4 yards and had the ball stripped by Ravens safety Tony Jefferson. Safety Anthony Levine recovered.
Three plays later, Flacco hooked up with tight end Benjamin Watson for a 33-yard scoring pass.
A 45-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez on the final play of the first half cut the Browns deficit to 17-10, but the Ravens, capitalizing on their third takeaway, stripped the ball from Kizer in the end zone. Defensive tackle Brandon Williams recovered at the 1 and slid the ball across the goal line for the touchdown and a 24-10 lead.
Kizer is responsible for 25 of the Browns' 36 turnovers this season. He has thrown 19 interceptions and lost six fumbles.
NOTES: Ravens QB Joe Flacco is now 17-2 against the Browns over a 10-year span. ... Ravens S Eric Weddle intercepted his sixth pass of 2017 in the first quarter. ... The Browns waived CB Darius Hillary and promoted DB C.J. Smith from the practice squad. ... A 59-yard carry by Browns RB Isaiah Crowell was his longest gain of the season.
