BALTIMORE, Md. — Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was thrilled with the gift he received from Browns rookie defensive tackle Phil Taylor at the end of the game: a jump on fourth-and-2 that cost the Browns a chance at a comeback in the 20-14 loss.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been in position for that to happen,” Flacco said. “It’s never worked.”

With two minutes left in the game, the Ravens were clinging to the 20-14 lead and facing the crucial fourth down at the Browns’ 37. Everyone in M&T Bank Stadium knew the Ravens were going to try to draw the Browns offsides.

“In the timeout, we talked about the potential of that happening,” said coach Pat Shurmur. “I’ve seen it, and we had a nice huddle to discuss that might happen. And then you’re out there playing and you can’t do that.”

Sure enough, Taylor bolted off the line and wrecked the Browns’ hopes of tying or winning the game.

“We got them,” Flacco said. “[Coach] John [Harbaugh] was like ‘there’s no way they jump.’ In that situation, we got fortunate.”

Immediately afterward, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson put his hands on Taylor’s head and offered words of encouragement.

“He said ‘hold your head up,’” Taylor said. “It’s tough. Of course you feel bad, but you’ve just got to move on.”

Flacco executed the fake perfectly, then took a knee three straight times to end the game.

“They gave us a first hard count and we stayed onsides,” Taylor said. “The second time, I jumped.”

Jackson defended the mistake.

“We talked about it before the play, but it was the first time he had been in that situation,” Jackson said. “I was telling him, ‘You played a great game,’ and it’s a great learning experience for him. You hate to be that guy. I had my fair share of mishaps today, but you play in this league a long time and things like that are going to happen. You just have to be able to learn from them and try to minimize those mistakes.”

Added cornerback Sheldon Brown: “The only way to learn in this game as a young player is to be out there doing certain things. Unfortunately it happened, but we have to play faster and start faster. You can never point the blame or the finger at one person.”

Jackson said the bright side is that Taylor played the whole season and gained valuable experience as a rookie.

“He’s done a tremendous job all year,” Jackson said.

TDs on Jackson: Jackson gave up the Ravens’ two touchdown passes, a 5-yarder to tight end Ed Dickson and a 42-yarder to running back Ray Rice. Rice caught the ball at about the 25 and ran it in.

“Ray is a great back,” Jackson said. “He understood how I was manipulating a lot of running backs throughout the year. Being in man coverage, I’m able to hug. He took a chance. He got out real fast and once his feet are moving and he’s downhill, I tried to close the gap as quick as I could but it was a great ball by Flacco and there was no chance I was catching him.”

On the one to Dickson, Jackson had his back to the ball when it floated to Dickson.

“I’ve just got to close the air between him and the ball and I’ve just got to do a better job covering,” Jackson said.

Steelers game moved to later start: As a result of the NFL’s flex scheduling, the Browns-Steelers game Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium has been moved from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Cribbs TD: Wasted in the loss was Josh Cribbs‘ career-long 84-yard punt return for a touchdown that pulled the Browns to within 20-7 in the third quarter. It was his third career punt return for a score and 11th total return touchdown of his career, which is the fifth-most in NFL history. It was his first punt return for a touchdown since the 2009 season opener, when he returned one 67 yards against Minnesota on Sept. 13. Cribbs has totaled 20 career touchdowns; two rushing, three on punt returns, seven receiving and eight on kickoffs.

“It felt great,” said Cribbs, who was questionable for the game with a groin injury. “‘I saw all of the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy. It was just a walk in.’”

Hillis sensational: Browns running back Peyton Hillis followed his 99-yard game in Arizona with a 112-yard effort against the Ravens’ second-ranked run defense. Heading in, the Ravens had allowed only eight 100-yard runners in its previous 81 games and 10 in its past 98 games. One of those was Hillis’ 144-yard outburst here last season.

“It was tough [this season] because I knew I was hurt and I was injured and trying to go back out there and trying to play when you’re not 100 percent is tough because you know you really can’t help your team,” he said. “Then a lot of people are doubting you or thinking that you’re not trying to play hard. I love this team and I love going out there and playing football. It?s what I love to do. I don’t like people questioning that because my heart’s big and I want to do great things for this team.”

Hillis hobbled off for one play with an ankle injury but came right back in.

“My ankle popped there for a second,” he said. “I got a little concerned, but it wasn’t hurting. So they just took me to the sideline and cut off the tape and [re-taped] me then I was fine after that. I was just a little worried and concerned I didn’t hurt anything, which I didn’t.”

Hillis passes: Hillis tried to make something happen on back-to-back passes in the fourth quarter, but Wallace threw too short to him on third-and-5 at the 45 because of pressure by Ed Reed and Paul Kruger, and he was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-5.

“I think they were pretty much playing zero coverage there toward the end trying to hurry up and get the ball out,” Hillis said. “The second one that came to me, I caught and maybe I could have made something happen, but the defender was on me pretty quick. And the first time, if the ball got to me I think something great would’ve happened. But Seneca did a great job. He threw off his back foot there but he made a lot of crucial throws throughout the whole game, so you’ve gotta be proud of him about that.”

Maynard superb: Punter Brad Maynard recorded three more punts inside the 20-yard line. On the season, he has placed 30 of his 75 punts inside the 20 and has zero touchbacks. His inside-the-20 total is the second-most in Browns history. Bryan Wagner holds the record with 32 in 1989.

Draft order: The Browns’ draft order ranges from No. 3 to No. 9. Here are the scenarios:

If the Browns lose to Pittsburgh and finish with a 4-12 record:

They draft No. 3 if Jacksonville beats Indianapolis and Minnesota beats Chicago.

They draft No. 4 if Jacksonville beats Indianapolis and Chicago beats Minnesota.

They draft No. 4 if Indianapolis beats Jacksonville and Minnesota beats Chicago.

They draft No. 5 if Indianapolis beats Jacksonville and Chicago beats Minnesota.

If the Browns beat Pittsburgh and finish with a 5-11 record:

They draft anywhere from No. 6 to No. 9, depending on several outcomes.

Plain Dealer reporter Tony Grossi contributed to this report.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco laughs after the game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving. / US PRESSWIRE

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David Ginsburg

Associated Press

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The Arizona Cardinals could have sulked over debatable calls or blamed an offense that went stone cold in the second half.
Instead, after falling to the Baltimore Ravens 30-27 on Sunday, the Cardinals acknowledged that they’re simply going to have play better to win close games.
Arizona soared to a 24-3 lead late in the first half, but the Ravens staged the biggest comeback in their history and won on a 25-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff as time expired.
Outscored by three touchdowns in the second half, the Cardinals (1-6) lost their sixth straight. Four of those defeats have been by four points or fewer.
“It’s hard right now,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “Our guys are very disappointed after today’s game because it was an opportunity to do something nobody thought we could do. But our guys believe in what we’re doing. If you look at what we did the first half, it shows that if we do it the right way, we can be a good football team.”
In the second half, the Cardinals made only six first downs and were penalized nine times for 87 yards.
The Ravens, on the other hand, played to form.
“Those guys came out in the second half with a different approach,” said Patrick Peterson, who returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown but was flagged for pass interference prior to Ray Rice’s second touchdown run.
“They just made more plays than we did in the second half,” Peterson said. “We definitely thought there was a couple of bad calls in the second half, but that’s how the game goes.”
Using a fumble by Joe Flacco and Peterson’s sensational punt return, Arizona scored three touchdowns during a five-minute span of the second quarter to take a 24-3 lead.
Baltimore (5-2) answered with a 24-point run and moved in front 27-24 when Rice scored his third touchdown on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
Arizona pulled even with a 45-yard field goal by Jay Feely with 8:55 left, but the Ravens won it with a 37-yard, beat-the-clock drive in the final minute.
After the Cardinals were forced to punt from deep in their own territory, Baltimore took over at the Arizona 44 with 52 seconds left. A 36-yard completion from Flacco to rookie Torrey Smith moved the ball to the 5, setting the stage for Cundiff’s game-winner.
The Ravens’ previous biggest comeback was from 19 points down against Tennessee in 2006.
“We woke up, plain and simple,” said former Arizona star Anquan Boldin, who caught seven passes for 145 yards and was a key contributor in the rally.
Flacco went 31 for 51 for 336 yards, and Rice ran for 63 yards on 18 carries. In a 12-7 loss to Jacksonville on Monday night, the 5-foot-8 running back was limited to 28 yards on eight carries.
Kevin Kolb threw for 153 yards and a touchdown, and Peterson became the eighth player in Cardinals history to have at least two punt returns for touchdowns in a single season. The last one to do it was Vai Sikahema in 1986.
“Once I got past the first surge, I pretty much knew it was going to be me and the kicker, and I didn’t know where he was,” Peterson said. “Once I broke the last tackle, I just saw nothing but the end zone.”
The Ravens began the second half with an 80-yard drive in which Flacco went 5 for 5, including a 37-yarder to Boldin that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Rice to make it 24-13.
“I felt like the way we came out at halftime is what turned it around,” Baltimore linebacker Jameel McClain.
Late in the third quarter, Boldin caught passes 21, 23, 27 and 9 yards during an 88-yard march that ended with another 1-yard TD run by Rice.
The momentum turned even further in Baltimore’s direction immediately after the ensuing kickoff.
On first down, Kolb was hit by Terrell Suggs while throwing a pass that was intercepted by McClain and taken 8 yards to the Arizona 22. Three plays later, Rice ran in from the 3.
Two holding penalties against the Ravens extended the Cardinals’ bounce-back drive that ended with a field goal.
Mistakes by Baltimore also played a big part in Arizona’s big second quarter.
With the game tied at 3, the Ravens’ five-minute misadventure began when Flacco fumbled upon being sacked by O’Brien Schofield. Darnell Dockett recovered at the Baltimore 2, setting up a 1-yard scoring run by Beanie Wells.
Peterson then broke six tackles on his punt return. Thirteen seconds later, Richard Marshall picked off a pass that bounced off Smith’s chest. That led to a 10-yard touchdown pass from Kolb to Early Doucet for a 24-3 lead with 3:46 remaining in the second quarter.
A field goal by Cundiff cut the gap to 18 points at halftime.
Asked to assess the mood at halftime, Wells said, “We just didn’t want to let up. We wanted to keep on fighting. We wanted to go out there and prove that we’re a good football team. We came up short, unfortunately.”
Notes: The Cardinals placed TE Todd Heap (hamstring) on the inactive list. Heap played 10 seasons in Baltimore before signing with Arizona as a free agent this year. … Ravens LB Ray Lewis missed a few plays in the first half with a right shoulder injury. … Baltimore has won six straight at home. … It was McClain’s first career INT. … The loss dropped Arizona into a last-place tie with St. Louis in the NFC West.

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The health of Joe Flacco is a major priority for the Baltimore Ravens, and that responsibility falls on an offensive line that must do a better job of protecting the quarterback.

Flacco was sacked twice, threw an interception and lost a fumble Sunday in Baltimore’s 29-14 win over the Houston Texans. He was also hit seven times, according to the stat sheet.

“We can do better,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We don’t need Joe getting hit like that.”

The last thing the Ravens (4-1) need is to lose Flacco, especially because his backup is untested rookie Tyrod Taylor. So it is imperative that Baltimore’s offensive front form a sturdier wall, beginning Monday night against Jacksonville (1-5).

“No question. That’s the truth,” centre Matt Birk said Wednesday. “Joe took too many shots on Sunday. He played great and we won, but certainly up front we need to perform better as a unit.”

In their defence, several of the linemen are still getting used to each other. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie was added just before the season began, and his arrival caused tackle Michael Oher to return to the right side, where he played two years ago as a rookie. Also, newcomer Andre Gurode has been playing left guard in place of injured Ben Grubbs.

Harbaugh said the problem against Houston could be attributed to a few lost 1-on-1 battles and mistakes in the protection scheme. Clearly, this revamped line might need some time before it starts performing as a cohesively.

“We fit Andre in there, and I think he’s done a great job filling in for Ben. McKinnie is very new to this, and we moved Mike back over to the right side,” Flacco noted. “As a team, we’re going to do nothing but get better, and that includes those guys. They’re going to get more and more used to each other and playing in the positions that they’re in.”

The running game, led by Ray Rice, has been effective. But Flacco has absorbed 10 sacks in five games, fumbled five times and thrown four interceptions, mainly because of pressure in the pocket.

Fortunately for the Ravens, the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder knows how to take punishment. In his first three seasons he never missed a start, and this season it’s been more of the same.

“Ever since I’ve been here, when people ask me about Joe, I say I love Joe,” Birk said. “He’s tough as nails and he stands in there. Even when he knows he’s going to get hit, he still keeps his feet on the ground and throws the ball.”

Flacco considers that to be merely part of the job description.

“Every now and then you’re going to get hit a little bit. That’s the name of the game as an NFL quarterback,” he said. “I’m going to have all the confidence in the world in those guys at all times.”

And he will never complain about them, either.

“They want to do nothing more than to protect me and make holes for Ray,” Flacco said. “You know where their hearts are. I’m optimistic about it, and feel great so far about where they are.”

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The health of Joe Flacco is a major priority for the Baltimore Ravens, and that responsibility falls on an offensive line that must do a better job of protecting the quarterback.

Flacco was sacked twice, threw an interception and lost a fumble Sunday in Baltimore’s 29-14 win over the Houston Texans. He was also hit seven times, according to the stat sheet.

“We can do better,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We don’t need Joe getting hit like that.”

The last thing the Ravens (4-1) need is to lose Flacco, especially because his backup is untested rookie Tyrod Taylor. So it is imperative that Baltimore’s offensive front form a sturdier wall, beginning Monday night against Jacksonville (1-5).

“No question. That’s the truth,” center Matt Birk said Wednesday. “Joe took too many shots on Sunday. He played great and we won, but certainly up front we need to perform better as a unit.”

In their defense, several of the linemen are still getting used to each other. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie was added just before the season began, and his arrival caused tackle Michael Oher to return to the right side, where he played two years ago as a rookie. Also, newcomer Andre Gurode has been playing left guard in place of injured Ben Grubbs.

Harbaugh said the problem against Houston could be attributed to a few lost 1-on-1 battles and mistakes in the protection scheme. Clearly, this revamped line might need some time before it starts performing as a cohesively.

“We fit Andre in there, and I think he’s done a great job filling in for Ben. McKinnie is very new to this, and we moved Mike back over to the right side,” Flacco noted. “As a team, we’re going to do nothing but get better, and that includes those guys. They’re going to get more and more used to each other and playing in the positions that they’re in.”

The running game, led by Ray Rice, has been effective. But Flacco has absorbed 10 sacks in five games, fumbled five times and thrown four interceptions, mainly because of pressure in the pocket.

Fortunately for the Ravens, the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder knows how to take punishment. In his first three seasons he never missed a start, and this season it’s been more of the same.

“Ever since I’ve been here, when people ask me about Joe, I say I love Joe,” Birk said. “He’s tough as nails and he stands in there. Even when he knows he’s going to get hit, he still keeps his feet on the ground and throws the ball.”

Flacco considers that to be merely part of the job description.

“Every now and then you’re going to get hit a little bit. That’s the name of the game as an NFL quarterback,” he said. “I’m going to have all the confidence in the world in those guys at all times.”

And he will never complain about them, either.

“They want to do nothing more than to protect me and make holes for Ray,” Flacco said. “You know where their hearts are. I’m optimistic about it, and feel great so far about where they are.”

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Steelers fall flat

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
Sunday, September 11, 2011 9:51 PM CDT

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens had just beaten their bitter rivals in record-breaking fashion, and some of the players felt inclined to put some perspective on their 35-7 manhandling of the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Although their overwhelming victory Sunday provided a bit of payback for January’s playoff loss — and don’t think the Ravens did not remember that game — coach John Harbaugh and his players have turned their attention toward this season.

And Baltimore could not have possibility started it any better.

Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes, Haloti Ngata led an inspired defense that forced a team-record seven turnovers, and the Ravens rolled to their most lopsided victory in a hotly contested series that began in 1996.

“The whole thing about ghosts, demons, monkeys on your back — that’s not real to us,” Harbaugh said. “This is the 2011 Baltimore Ravens.”

Ray Rice ran for 107 yards and scored twice for the Ravens, who bolted to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and never let up. It was a rematch of a second-round playoff game in which the Steelers rallied to beat Baltimore 31-24.

That day, the Ravens let a 21-7 halftime lead evaporate with three turnovers in the third quarter. At halftime of this one, Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis spoke loudly in the locker room after his teammates compared the two games.

“They were saying, ‘We’ve been here before,’” Lewis said. “No, we haven’t been here before. This is a whole new year.”

This time, the Ravens got three takeaways in the third quarter to turn a 21-7 advantage into a rout.

Revenge? Not quite. Just a chance to move on.

“That playoff taste? Now it’s over,” Rice said. “They beat us in the playoffs, all right. We got that burden off our shoulders, boom, we’re one up on them. That’s how we got to approach this.”

Ngata was the driving force Sunday, causing a fumble and deflecting a pass that produced an interception. Ed Reed also picked off two passes for the Ravens, who mercilessly harassed nemesis Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger had won seven straight starts against the Ravens, but in this one he was 22 for 41 for 280 yards and three interceptions.

“I guess they were waiting for this one,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s not the way you want to start it for us, obviously (but) I’d rather this be a Week 1 loss than a Week 13, 14, 15 loss.”

The defeat ended Pittsburgh’s eight-game winning streak in season openers. The Steelers committed six turnovers after halftime and were dominated on both sides of the field.

“We got beat into submission,” linebacker James Farrior said.

Flacco went 17 for 29 without an interception, getting the best of Roethlisberger and giving the Ravens an early advantage over their AFC North foes.

“This was a huge win for us against Pittsburgh today, but without us playing great in these next 15 games, it’s not going to mean anything,” Flacco said.

In the past 51 games, only twice has Pittsburgh allowed a runner to reach 100 yards. Rice did it both times.

Rice had more yards at halftime on rushes (89) and catches (38) than Pittsburgh did on its 26 offensive plays (113).

The Steelers won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, giving the Ravens the chance to get the ball first. Baltimore made the most of the opportunity — and didn’t take much time doing so.

Rice ran for 36 yards on the first play, then carried for 3 yards to the 27 before Flacco lofted a touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin.

Baltimore turned a Roethlisberger miscue into a touchdown to make it 14-0 late in the first quarter. Roethlisberger fumbled when sacked by Terrell Suggs and Ngata recovered the ball at the Pittsburgh 37.

Flacco’s 29-yard completion to tight end Dennis Pitta set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Rice.

The Steelers then got their first score of the 2011 season, an 11-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Emmanuel Sanders.

Baltimore went up 21-7 with an 84-yard march in which Flacco converted three third-and-6 situations, the last with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Rice on third down.

In the third quarter, Ngata forced a fumble on the first play from scrimmage by driving into Rashard Mendenhall immediately after the running back took a handoff. Ngata recovered the loose ball, and Flacco threw an 18-yard TD pass to Ed Dickson on the next play.

To add insult, Baltimore added a 2-point conversion when holder Sam Koch ran the ball in on a fake kick.

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BALTIMORE - 

It’s torture time for the Baltimore Ravens.

It’s opening Sunday on the 2011 National Football League season and who do the Ravens draw but the Pittsburgh Steelers, their hated enemy, a team they can’t beat in the clutch.

There is no love lost between the two AFC North powerhouses but for the Ravens, the Steelers are an itch they can’t scratch, a team that psychologically and on the field simply has gotten under their collective skin.

The Steelers are Lucy to Baltimore’s Charlie Brown with victory about as elusive as the football that Lucy keeps pulling away while poor Charlie whiffs on his kick and falls flat on his back each and every time.

Down and out, that’s the way the Steelers usually leave the Ravens. Pittsburgh won two of the three they played last year including a heartbreak loss by Baltimore in the divisional playoff round.

In that one, played in frigid weather in Pittsburgh, the Ravens open up a 21-7 lead in the first half, only to self destruct in the second half and blow the proverbial golden opportunity.

In the third quarter of that game the Ravens offence went fumble, three-and-out punt, interception, fumble. In the quarter, they racked up a total of minus-four yards of offence.

Then in the final two minutes of the game with the score knotted 24-24, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger connected with Antonio Brown on a desperation heave on third and 19 that put the ball at Baltimore’s four-yard line.

Pittsburgh would go on to win 31-24 and deliver another kick to the cojones.

“What a better way to win and put Baltimore out of the tournament,” Steelers veteran receiver Hines Ward crowed at the time. “They asked for us and kept asking for us. Sometimes, like my mama always said: ‘Be careful what you ask for.’

“It seems like every time we get into the playoffs, they keep wanting to play us. At the end of the day, they have to worry about this loss the whole offseason.”

Well, the off-season has come and gone and the Ravens are still trying to figure out how to beat the Steelers.

They haven’t come close when Roethlisberger is taking the snaps as Big Ben is on a seven-game winning streak when facing them. Against a team as tough and gifted as Baltimore, that’s just an incredible roll.

Things have gotten so bad, the Baltimore players so spooked, that Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs refuses to utter either ‘Pittsburgh’ or ‘Steelers’.

Joe Flacco is touted as one of the best young quarterbacks in the game. But when he comes up against Pittsburgh, he continually rolls craps.

In that bitter loss on Jan. 15, Flacco was 16-for-30 for 125 yards — hardly the stuff of legend.

Given the recent history and litany of crushing defeats, the Ravens are certainly not lacking in motivation for Sunday’s game. But can they turn the tide? Can they deliver?

“They’ve spoiled our Super Bowl dreams for the last two out of three years,” Suggs said recently. “We have to switch that you know.

“It’s sickening and it ends our season every year and we lose to our division rival. I’m sick of it. I’m disgusted. I’m tired of having a sick feeling in my stomach for a whole year.

“Game on. Let’s go.”

Unlike the Steelers, who pretty well stood pat, the Ravens have made a number of changes from the team that was beaten at Heinz Field.

They have added wide receiver Lee Evans, he of Buffalo Bills fame, to add speed to the receiving corps, acquired big offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, and to beef up their short-yardage game and provide blocking for Ray Rice, obtained bruising fullback Vonta Leach.

Although they have been defined by the ferocity of their defence and their great middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the Ravens have a new defensive coordinator in Chuck Pagano whose stated mission is to return to an attacking, aggressive, blitzing style and give the defence more of a swagger.

Along the way, though, the Ravens also lost the services of receiver Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap, who was a favourite third-down target of Flacco.

That prompted the hated Ward to poke them with a stick by declaring: “When you lose a Mason or a Heap, that does a lot to a locker room. Those guys were emotional leaders out there. All of the pressure comes on Flacco probably.

“Some organizations feel like they have to go young. I think we do a great job of mixing veteran guys with a nucleus of young guys that are waiting in the wings.”

And that more or less is where the Ravens find themselves — waiting in the wings, waiting for another kick at the proverbial can.

They get that opportunity today.

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