CLEVELAND — Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston found wide receiver Cedric Tillman for a go-ahead, last-minute 38-yard touchdown as the Browns handed the Ravens a stunning loss, 29-24, on Sunday.

The Ravens (5-3), who’d won five straight games behind a powerhouse offense averaging 33 points per game, had taken a 24-23 lead with 2:39 remaining on a 1-yard carry by running back Derrick Henry. But Cleveland went 79 yards in nine plays, capped by Tillman’s deep-strike score on second-and-15. The touchdown came one play after safety Kyle Hamilton dropped a potentially decisive interception.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson got the Ravens as far as Cleveland’s 24-yard line, but a couple of end-zone throws fell incomplete. He spiked his helmet in frustration afterward.

The Ravens’ defensive woes deepened. The Browns entered the game with the NFL’s worst offense and were without beleaguered starting quarterback Deshaun Watson and leading wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded two weeks ago to the Buffalo Bills. But Cleveland (2-6), which had lost five straight, gained 401 yards and scored at least 20 points for the first time all season.

The Ravens, who dealt with injuries, penalties, special teams woes and a handful of drops on offense and defense, fell a half-game behind the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, who will play the New York Giants on Monday night.

Jackson, who’s struggled at times over his career against the Browns’ athletic defense, went 23-for-38 for 289 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Henry had 11 carries for 73 yards, but an early Browns stop on fourth-and-1 in the low red zone on the Ravens’ opening drive set the tone for a challenging afternoon. They finished with 387 total yards and went 2-for-10 on third down.

Winston, making his first start in the wake of Watson’s season-ending Achilles tendon injury, went 27-for-41 for 334 yards and three touchdowns. He took two sacks behind a much-maligned offensive line and helped Cleveland convert eight of 15 third downs.

Browns wide receivers Elijah Moore and Jerry Jeudy combined for 164 yards, while tight end David Njoku continued to badger the Ravens, finishing with 61 yards and a 23-yard touchdown catch over safety Eddie Jackson. Tillman had seven catches for 99 yards, including a 22-yard catch-and-run score that gave Cleveland a 20-17 lead late in the third quarter.

Hamilton led a banged-up Ravens defense that lost linemen Brent Urban (concussion) and Michael Pierce (calf), benched starting safety Marcus Williams and was missing starting cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins. Hamilton had 10 tackles and a strip-sack late in the first half that set up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to wide receiver Nelson Agholor.

A reason for concern

The Ravens have now lost to Patrick Mahomes (acceptable), Gardner Minshew (never acceptable) and Jameis Winston (rarely acceptable). Yes, they were playing short-handed on defense, but that’s no excuse for the unit’s consistently bumbling performance. Cleveland hadn’t scored more than 18 points all season; it finished with 29. Cleveland hadn’t finished with more than 297 yards of total offense all season; it finished with 401. Something has got to change.

— Jonas Shaffer, Ravens reporter

Baltimore runs on running

The Ravens’ offense starts on the ground. That was made clear when Derrick Henry helped open up the offense in Week 3, and it took off. But, outside of one long run, Henry was quiet Sunday. Without the 39-yard run, Henry’s 7.1 yards per play drop to 3.4. Not only that, but the Browns did a good job containing Justice Hill and Lamar Jackson.

For as many weapons as the Ravens have, they couldn’t get anything going without the run game humming. They went 2-for-9 on third downs and were outgained by one of the worst offenses in the NFL.

But then Jackson started to run more in the final minutes. And what do you know? The rest of the offense fell into place. The Ravens’ defense has been a weakness all season, and the offense has made up for it. But, by taking too long to get the run game going, they fell to what should have been one of their easier opponents.

– Giana Han, Ravens reporter

So many things had to go wrong. They did.

I imagine, for the next few years, doctors and specialists will study the Ravens’ defensive backs and wide receivers in this game to determine why they could not catch footballs that hit them in the hands. If you play against Jameis Winston and don’t get a pick, something’s wrong. As a defensive leader, Kyle Hamilton has to make the game-ending interception. Maybe it was a freak occurrence. Maybe it was choking. We’ve seen both from Baltimore this year.

The dropped interceptions and passes were the loudest part of the loss to the Browns but not nearly the only part of the game where the Ravens struggled. It was another week of offensive line and blocker penalties that stalled drives before they had a chance to get going. The run game hit a lull. The return game left a lot to be desired. The pass rush was not effective enough.

Lamar Jackson brought the Ravens to the cusp of a comeback, but he needed help. After Rashod Bateman’s drop in the fourth quarter, Jackson slammed his helmet into the ground. Same, pal. Same.

— Kyle Goon, columnist

Drops, drops and more drops

The Ravens have let wins slip through their fingers over the last few seasons – their Week 10 loss to this Browns team in 2023 comes to mind. But this one was somehow even more brutal than any they’ve experienced before, but not because Baltimore nursed a large lead for most of the game. Sunday’s 29-24 defeat stung because of missed opportunities, particularly dropped passes and would-be interceptions.

Rashod Bateman has been a phenomenal surprise in the Ravens’ offense this season, but two critical drops stymied drives and prevented Baltimore from putting up more points. Nelson Agholor also had a case of butterfingers, letting an easy first down completion slip through his hands in the third quarter. And of course, Kyle Hamilton’s failure to bring in an errant pass by Jameis Winston on the Browns final drive allowed the Browns to extend their final drive and score a go-ahead touchdown one play later.

If the Ravens make the easy plays, and just catch the football, they come away with their sixth straight win. Instead, they lose in embarrassing fashion.

– Paul Mancano, Ravens Banner Podcast co-host