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AFC North Week 6 Recap: Browns lose 4th straight, Bengals and Ravens pick up key wins
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AFC North Week 6 Recap: Browns lose 4th straight, Bengals and Ravens pick up key wins

During a week where all the AFC North except the Pittsburgh Steelers played NFC East teams, things are really starting to take shape in the division – unless you’re the Cleveland Browns.

The Baltimore Ravens won a close shootout against the Washington Commanders 30-23, in an all-DMV matchup. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the New York Giants 17-7 on Sunday Night Football. But the Cleveland Browns. Oh, the Browns.

They dropped a 20-16 decision to the Philadelphia Eagles and then doubled as their starting quarterback after the game. Again.

Here’s what the AFC North standings look like after Week 6.

AFC NORTH STANDINGS, WEEK 6

1.Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

2.Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)

4. Cleveland Browns (1-5)

In a highly anticipated matchup between the two DMV teams in the Washington Commanders and the Baltimore Ravens, featuring two dynamic MVP-level quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and rookie Jayden Daniels, the game didn’t exactly live up to expectations.

It started very slowly, as Jackson was picked off on the first drive of the game after a pass bounced off the hands of tight end Mark Andrews and into the arms of rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil for the interception. Daniels then led the Commanders to a field goal and a 3-0 lead.

The Ravens answered with a field goal of their own, but the two teams were quiet for the remainder of the first quarter as they traded points.

Then the Ravens woke up.

Baltimore went on a nine-play, 93-yard drive when Jackson hit wide receiver Rashod Bateman for 23 yards and wide receiver Zay Flowers for 23 yards, then connected with Bateman for a 13-yard gain, setting up Derrick Henry’s 3-yard rushing touchdown and a 10-3 lead.

But credit to the commanders, because Daniels and Washington’s attack answered. The Commanders went 70 yards in eight plays when Daniels ran back Austin Ekeler 25 yards with a great flea flicker on the screen, then capped the drive with an excellent 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terry McLaurin in the back. the end zone to tie the game at 10-10.

Things really got exciting from there as the Ravens responded with a 10-yard, 78-yard drive, leading to a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Andrews and a 17-10 lead. The Commanders wouldn’t go away quietly late in the first half, however, as Daniels led Washington into field goal range.

However, kicker Austin Seibert missed a 52-yard field goal as the Ravens were able to tip the kick and take a 17-10 lead into halftime.

During the second half, the Commanders stayed in rhythm offensively. Daniels led Washington to a field goal to make it a 17-13 game, hitting wide receiver Noah Brown for a 28-yard gain that led to a 55-yard field goal by Seibert.

But again, Jackson stayed too much.

The two-time NFL MVP ripped off a 33-yard run on the ensuing drive, connecting with tight end Isaiah Likely for 18 yards. But the drive stalled, leading to a 32-yard field goal by Justin Tucker and a 20-13 Ravens lead.

From that point on, the Ravens really started to take over. Baltimore’s defense forced a quick punt from Washington and then proceeded on an eight-play, 94-yard drive to take a 27–13 lead.

Jackson found Andrews for 15 yards and later hit his favorite tight end for 38 yards, setting up a 7-yard touchdown from Henry for his second of the game, making it a two-score game.

But as has been the case all season, Daniels didn’t blink.

The rookie quarterback marched the Commanders right back down the field, covering 70 yards in 12 plays, connecting with McLaurin for the second touchdown of the game, this time on fourth down, to make it a 27-20 game to make. Daniels hit tight end Zach Ertz for gains of 11, 24 and 13 yards on the drive. He then hit McLaurin with a six-yard pass on fourth and goal to make it a 27-20 game, throwing a perfect pass and McLaurin making a great catch through contact.

After the Commanders’ seemingly game-changing drive, Jackson and the Ravens quieted the noise. They chewed up nearly six minutes of action as they went on a nine-play, 57-yard drive that led to a 39-yard field goal by Tucker.

On the fifth straight scoring drive for the Ravens, Jackson hit Bateman for gains of 17 and 18 yards, helping set up the field goal.

The Commanders answered with a field goal of their own when Seibert knocked home a 49-yarder to make it 30-23.

But as usual, Henry put the final nail in the coffin for the Ravens. Henry ripped off a 27-yard run before the two-minute warning, allowing the Ravens to run out the clock and cap off their 30-23 win.

In the win, Jackson threw for 323 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 20-of-26 passing and added 41 rushing yards on 10 carries. Henry finished with 132 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, while Flowers led the Ravens in receiving with nine receptions for 132 yards.

For Washington, Daniels finished 24 of 35 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns and added 22 rushing yards on six carries. The commanders only ran 52 yards that day. McLaurin led Washington in receiving with six catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns.

Baltimore improves to 4-2 on the season and will hit the road for Week 7 and Monday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Washington falls to 4-2 and will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 7.

In Cleveland, in a matchup between two struggling teams in the Browns and Eagles, things went as expected.

Cleveland again couldn’t do much offensively as quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled and the run game was largely non-existent. It didn’t help that running back Jerome Ford was injured early, leading Cleveland to turn to D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. turned into the backfield.

The Browns had two three-and-outs and a third punt on a nine-play drive in their first three series of the game before getting on the board with a 43-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins. But that made it a 10-3 game as it was all Philadelphia for the first part of the game.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts hit wide receiver AJ Brown for a 22-yard touchdown, and kicker Jake Elliott hit a 49-yard field goal.

On the ensuing drive, after Cleveland made it 10-3, defensive end Myles Garrett got in well ahead of the Browns. Garrett jumped over the long snapper on a field goal attempt with just seconds left in the first half, blocking the kick. Safety Rodney McLeod picked up the loose ball and raced 50 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 10-10 at halftime despite the Eagles outscoring the Browns 200-71 in the first half.

In the second half, the Browns came out and found some momentum offensively, but Hopkins missed a 52-yard field goal.

A few series later, the Eagles took the lead on a 44-yard field goal by Elliott, capping a seven-play, 27-yard drive highlighted by a 19-yard run from backup Kenneth Gainwell. Elliott’s field goal gave the Eagles a 13-10 lead late in the third quarter.

To the Browns’ credit, they came right back, even if it wasn’t pretty. The Browns went on a 12 play, 39 yard drive and got within field goal range. Hopkins redeemed himself by hitting a 49-yard field goal with 9:49 left in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 13-13.

The Eagles then made a big play on their next series. Hurts found a wide-open DeVonta Smith on a crossing route, leading to a 45-yard touchdown and a 20-13 lead for the Eagles, capping a four-play, 70-yard scoring drive.

Cleveland attempted a comeback and started quickly when Watson hit wide receiver Jerry Jeudy 35 yards on the first play of the drive and then hit Strong 14 yards on the next play. But then the drive stalled and the Browns turned to Hopkins for a 31-yard field goal to make it a 20-16 game.

But the Eagles put the game away when Hurts hit Brown for 40 yards, allowing the Eagles to kneel for the win.

Cleveland falls to 1-5 on the season. In the loss, Watson completed 16 of 23 passes for 168 yards and was sacked five times. Strong led the Browns with eight carries for 43 yards and added two receptions for 35 yards. Amari Cooper hauled in four passes for 42 yards.

For Philadelphia, Hurts was 16 of 25, accounting for 264 yards and two touchdowns and adding 14 carries for 33 yards. Saquon Barkley had 18 carries for 47 yards, while Brown led the Eagles with six receptions for 116 yards and a score. The Browns will take on the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC North battle in Week 7 at 1:00 PM (EST).

After the Steelers’ 32-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on the road, attention shifted to the Bengals and Giants on Sunday Night Football at the Meadowlands.

It started with a bang for the Bengals. Quarterback Joe Burrow showed his wheels on the first drive, racing home 47 yards for the game’s opening touchdown.

That would be the only score in the first half as the Bengals punted five times in a row in the first half while the Giants punted four times and had a huge turnover in the red zone. An ill-advised throw by Daniel Jones, under pressure, resulted in a duck for interception.

Things got ugly early in the second half as the Giants turned the ball over on downs and the Bengals then threw the football away.

That opened the door for the Giants as New York marched 79 yards in 16 plays, leading to a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Tyrone Tracy Jr. to tie the match.

Cincinnati responded with a field goal when Burrow hit wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for a 33-yard completion, ultimately helping set up what looked like a 1-yard Chase Brown touchdown. However, a holding penalty nullified the touchdown and led to a 37-yard field goal by Evan McPherson for a 10–7 lead.

The Giants appeared well on their way to respond, driving 42 yards in 11 plays, but kicker Greg Joseph missed a 47-yard field goal wide left, leaving it a 10-7 game. The Bengals couldn’t do anything after the miss and punted the ball away five plays later, giving the Giants life again.

However, New York was unable to capitalize and turn the ball over after a failed 4th-and-3 incompletion by Jones.

After the turnover on downs, the Bengals put the game away when Burrow hit Andrei Iosivas 29 yards on a 3rd and 12, allowing the Bengals to convert. Two plays later, Brown ripped off a 30-yard touchdown, giving the Bengals a 17–7 lead with 1:52 left in the game.

The Giants completed a drive after Brown’s 30-yard touchdown and reached the Cincinnati 27-yard line. But Joseph missed another field goal and also pushed this one wide left, giving the Bengals the ball back and allowing them to kneel for the win.

In the win, Burrow completed 19 of 28 passes for 208 yards and added 55 yards and a touchdown on four carries. Brown had 53 yards on the ground and a score on 10 carries, while Tee Higgins led the Bengals with seven receptions for 77 yards.

For the Giants, Daniel Jones was 22 of 45 for 205 yards and an interception and added 56 yards on 11 carries. Tracy chipped in with 50 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and added six receptions for 57 yards to tie Darius Slayton as the Giants’ leading receiver.

At 2-4, the Bengals travel to Cleveland for a Week 7 matchup.