3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 10 Win vs. Ravens

There were several times on Sunday when it appeared the Cleveland Browns were headed for another lopsided loss to the rival Baltimore Ravens.

Kyle Hamilton opened up the scoring for Baltimore with a first-quarter pick-six. A few plays later, Keaton Mitchell gave the Ravens a 14-0 lead with a 39-yard touchdown scamper. The Browns had just three field goals at intermission, faced a 24-9 deficit in the third quarter and faced a 31-17 deficit early in the fourth quarter.

However, Cleveland scored the final 16 points in regulation, winning on a Dustin Hopkins field goal and moving to 6-3 in epic comeback fashion.

Here are our biggest takeaways from the Browns' Week 9 win over the Ravens.

Statistically, this was far from an impressive game for Deshaun Watson. He handed the Ravens seven points with a pass that was easily read and snatched by Hamilton—though one could argue it was simply a great play by the Ravens safety.

Watson struggled to get into a groove early and was just 6-of-20 for 79 yards and the pick at intermission. However, he came alive in the second half, using both his legs and his arm to bring the Browns back from the brink.

The quarterback finished 20-of-34 for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He led Cleveland to points on its final three possessions and helped set up Hopkins' game-winner with a huge 16-yard run into Ravens territory—a play that may have gotten him banged up.

The 28-year-old could be seen wearing a walking boot on his left foot after the game.

While Watson finished with a passer rating of just 74.8 and got a huge hand in the comeback from Cleveland's defense, He did exactly what needed to be done with the game on the line. This was the sort of gutty performance in a big game that Cleveland fans have been waiting for.

You might not be able to tell from the 33-31 final score, but this game featured two of the top defenses in the NFL.

Cleveland came in ranked first in yards allowed and third in points allowed. Baltimore came in ranked second in yards allowed and first in points allowed. In the end, it was the Browns defense that came out on top.

Yes, the Ravens produced 31 points, but seven came on defense and another touchdown came after a James Proche muffed punt at the Cleveland 12-yard line. Lamar Jackson was picked off twice and sacked three times. And when the Browns defense needed to make plays, it did.

Myles Garrett added 1.5 sacks to his impressive season total (now at 11), while cornerback Greg Newsome II nearly drew the Browns even in the fourth quarter with his first career pick-six.

Newsome's score would have tied the game, but Hopkins' point-after try was no good. Fortunately, he redeemed himself with a 40-yarder as time expired.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski deserves a ton of credit for holding his team together through several key injuries—and Denzel Ward and Juan Thornhill were both ruled out on Sunday.

On Sunday, Cleveland didn't have either of its midseason starting tackles, Dawand Jones or Jedrick Wills Jr. While things were far from perfect, Stefanski consistently found ways to overcome against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

And while his late-game play-calling in the Week 8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks could be questioned, it was practically flawless against the Ravens. When the Browns mounted a 17-play, 10-minute touchdown drive in the third quarter, it seemed to break Baltimore's defense.

The Ravens were gassed on Cleveland's final possession, and the Browns' final six offensive plays were five runs and one kneel-down.

The Browns have to hope Stefanski can dial up another great game plan, because the injury issues aren't going to dissipate and the 6-3 Pittsburgh Steelers are on tap.