The Browns dragged themselves through one of those AFC North rock fights and came out with the kind of ugly win that can reshape a division race. Cleveland’s 13-10 victory over Baltimore featured 14 combined punts, eight sacks and two missed field goals, but when it was over, the Browns were standing alone in first place.
And once again, a rookie-heavy roster had plenty to do with it. The kids weren’t all spectacular, and a few of them ran into the usual growing pains, but several first-year players made real impact in a game that never gave anyone much room to breathe.
Spencer Fano kept showing why the Browns are so high on him. For the sixth straight week, the rookie left tackle played every offensive snap and gave up just two pressures with no sacks allowed on Deshaun Watson, according to Pro Football Focus.
His 78.7 pass-blocking grade was second-best on the team, and while his run blocking dragged down the overall number, the broader picture keeps looking better and better for Cleveland. Against a Ravens front that included standout EDGE rusher Trey Hendrickson, Fano kept his footing.
The verdict on him is moving in one direction.
Austin Barber was right there with him, logging all 63 offensive snaps at right guard and turning in his best outing since Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The third-round rookie, who is still learning a new position, finished as Cleveland’s fourth-highest-graded offensive player.
He posted a 73.2 pass-blocking grade and a 71.1 run-blocking mark, gave up two pressures, and was charged with zero sacks. The only real stain on his day was a holding penalty.
Even so, Barber has now played every offensive snap this season and continues to look like one of the biggest draft-day values on the roster.
On the other side of the ball, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren kept his rise going. With Grant Delpit leaving early because of a concussion, McNeil-Warren handled 54 of 57 defensive snaps and finished as PFF’s No. 7-ranked defender among 17 participants with a 73.5 grade.
He collected six combined tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed. Baltimore’s only touchdown came on a 2-yard pass to tight end Josh Cuevas, and that was the lone completion McNeil-Warren allowed in his coverage area.
KC Concepcion didn’t have the splashy breakthrough some are waiting for, but he stayed busy. After last week’s early exit against the New York Jets, he tied for the team lead with four catches on six targets and had zero drops.
He finished with 37 receiving yards, added two carries for 2 yards, and returned one punt for 13 yards. He was PFF’s ninth-highest-graded offensive player, and his 80.1 run-block grade showed he’s affecting the game even when the ball isn’t headed his way.
His breakout still hasn’t arrived, but the signs keep stacking up.
Denzel Boston had a quieter afternoon than he’s had most of the season. He was targeted five times and caught only one pass for 15 yards, making it his least productive game so far.
The Browns’ quarterback play was uneven, and that didn’t help, but Boston still ended the day as Cleveland’s 14th-ranked offensive player out of 17 qualifiers. His overall offensive grade came in at 55.9.
Even with the dip, he remains in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Justin Jefferson was active for a second straight week after spending the first month on the inactive list, but his role stayed limited. He played 13 special teams snaps and did not register any official stats, finishing with a 47.4 grade that ranked 33rd out of 34 participants. That’s a tough phase to stand out in, especially when the Ravens didn’t generate much return yardage.
Ryan returned after missing Week 5 with a calf injury, though his workload was light. He didn’t play on offense and saw just five snaps on special teams, where PFF ranked him 31st. Given Cleveland’s issues running the ball, there’s a chance the Browns will lean on him more for run-blocking help soon.
In Other News...
Browns Suddenly Have Two Young Players Forcing A Tough Rotation Call
With the Browns sitting at 4-2 and alone atop the AFC North after six weeks, the attention in Cleveland has started to shift from the standings to how the rotation holds up as the season wears on. One of the more interesting questions inside the building now centers on how much more work running back J. K. McLaughlin might earn after making the most of limited carries, especially with head coach Todd Monken weighing the eventual return of Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson.
The same kind of squeeze could be coming in the secondary, where McNeil-Warren has also played his way into the conversation for a larger role. Injuries have opened the door for both players, and their recent performances have made it harder to simply hand those snaps back once the roster gets healthier. Monken has said he is hopeful Judkins and Sampson will return, but Cleveland now has a pair of young players making a strong case that the answer to the rotation question is not as simple as it looked a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Face One Test That Could Decide Their Playoff Push
At 4-2 and sitting atop the AFC North, Cleveland has put itself in a far better position than many expected, with wins over both the Steelers and Ravens giving the Browns an early edge in the division race. The schedule ahead looks manageable on paper, with most of the remaining opponents carrying losing records, which only sharpens the sense that this is a team with a real chance to stay in the playoff hunt deep into the season.
Still, the path is far from simple for a club that has historically had trouble finishing off divisional sweeps and turning hot starts into postseason security. The Browns only have a couple of games left against teams that present a more obvious challenge in the Giants and Raiders, and if they want to convert this strong opening into a berth, handling the games they are expected to win may end up mattering just as much as the head-to-head battles that have already gone their way. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Own The AFC North And The Pressure Is On
The AFC North looks upside down through six weeks, with Cleveland sitting atop the division even while carrying the worst point differential among the four clubs. It is the kind of early-season twist that keeps the standings interesting and the rest of the division close enough to make every snap matter, especially with Baltimore still hanging around the playoff picture and Pittsburgh trying to build on an overtime win despite some uneven play.
Cincinnati, coming out of its bye week, now finds itself in a more difficult spot as it tries to close the gap and steady an offense that has not found an easy rhythm. For Cleveland, the bigger issue is not just holding first place, but proving it can keep it while the pressure ramps up from rivals that have already shown they can stay in the race. [Read more 🡒]