As the Pittsburgh Steelers were busy putting the final touches on a 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3 to improve to 3-0 on the season, the Cleveland Browns were at home at FirstEnergy Stadium against the hapless New York Giants and promptly dropped an ugly, winnable game to fall to 1-2 on the season.
Meanwhile in the rest of the AFC North, the Cincinnati Bengals were idle on Sunday as they prepare for a Week 3 Monday Night Football matchup against the Washington Commanders while the Baltimore Ravens climbed into the win column with a big win over the Dallas Cowboys to pick up their first win of the season.
For another week though, the Steelers reign supreme in the AFC North.
Here’s how the AFC North standings look coming out of Sunday’s Week 3 slate with a Sunday night game and two Monday Night Football games to go.
AFC North Standings:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0)
2. Baltimore Ravens (1-2)
3. Cleveland Browns (1-2)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) (Monday Night Football against Washington)
In Cleveland, things are just not going well offensively under head coach Kevin Stefanski. Quarterback Deshaun Watson continues to struggle, and the vaunted Browns’ defense had no answers for the Daniel Jones-led Giants offense, which scored three touchdowns and racked up 340 yards of total offense on the afternoon.
The Browns took an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a 24-yard touchdown pass from Watson to Amari Cooper, who made a great play down the left sideline, taking advantage of a Giants fumble on the first play of the game on the kickoff return.
Despite the quick start from Watson, things fizzled out for the Browns.
New York tied the game a few drives later, thanks to some costly penalties from the Browns defensively.
Safety Ronnie Hickman appeared to pick off a Jones pass, but a roughing-the-passer penalty on Greg Newsome II wiped out the interception. A few plays later Jones hooked up with receiver Wan’Dale Robinson for 20 yards on a 2nd and 16 to move the chains.
Later, Jones hit running back Devin Singletary out of the backfield for a gain of 23 yards, ultimately setting up Singletary’s 1-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game.
After that, it was largely all Giants.
The teams traded punts and then the Giants got going offensively again as Jones hooked up with rookie receiver Malik Nabers for gains of 14 and 28 yards before then finding Nabers for a spectacular 3-yard touchdown. Nabers showed off incredible body control to leap high and then get his feet in for the touchdown, giving the Giants a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter.
On the next drive, Watson fumbled after getting sacked by New York’s Brian Burns. Four plays later Jones hit Nabers for a 5-yard touchdown and a 21-7 halftime lead.
In the second half the Browns tried to bounce back, forcing a fumble on the Giants that gave Cleveland the ball near midfield. But seven plays later, the Browns missed a 53-yard field goal.
The Giants then punted on their next three possessions while the Browns punted twice before then getting it going again. Running back Jerome Ford ripped off a 12-yard run, Watson scrambled for 14 and then found wide receiver Jerry Jeudy for 12 yards, setting up his 5-yard touchdown pass to Cooper for their second scoring connection of the game. Cleveland then went for 2 and converted as Watson found Jeudy, making it a 21-15 game.
That would be it for the Browns as on their next four possessions to close the game, they went punt, Watson fumble, turnover on downs, turnover on downs. That resulted in a 21-15 win for the Giants, dropping Cleveland to 1-2 on the season.
In the loss, Watson struggled again, completing just 21-of-37 passes for 197 yards, two touchdowns and two fumbles lost. He was sacked eight times.
Cooper led the Browns with seven receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns. For the Giants, Jones completed 24-of-34 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns with Nabers leading the way with eight receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Nine different players were credited with at least half a sack for the Giants in the win.
At 1-2 (0-2 at home), the Browns will travel to Las Vegas in Week 4 to take on the Raiders at 4:25 ET/PM
In Dallas, the Ravens bounced back from a tough Week 2 loss against the Raiders to put it on the Cowboys in rather impressive fashion.
Baltimore jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter and then held on after Dallas made a furious fourth-quarter comeback.
The Ravens forced a quick punt from the Cowboys to open the game and then marched right down the field. Baltimore went 71 yards in five plays, highlighted by a 30-yard strike from Lamar Jackson to tight end Charlie Kolar, setting up a 9-yard Jackson run for the game’s opening score.
Dallas responded with a nice drive that finished with a 65-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey — yes, you read that right — to make it a 7-3 game.
But the Ravens took off after that.
Seven plays and 70 yards later, it was 14-3 Ravens. On the drive, Jackson hit wide receiver Nelson Agholor for 56 yards, setting up a 1-yard Derrick Henry rushing touchdown.
After a fumble by the Cowboys and then two punts each from the two teams, the Ravens made it 21-3 before the half.
Henry ripped off runs of 12 and 13 yards, Jackson found Henry out of the backfield for 23 yards, and later hit Justice Hill for gains of 17 and 8 yards. Jackson capped the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman.
Dallas responded with another Aubrey field goal to make it 21-6, but by that point it was seemingly all Baltimore, which leaned heavily on King Henry early in the second half.
Opening the second half, Baltimore went 70 yards in five plays as Henry had a 29-yard run, Jackson added a run of 16 yards, and Henry capped the drive with a 26-yard touchdown and a 28-6 lead.
However, the Cowboys didn’t go quietly.
The Cowboys responded with 19 straight points to make it a game as Dak Prescott heated up, and it came after another Justin Tucker missed field goal for the Ravens, this time from 46 yards.
After Tucker’s miss, Prescott recorded a 1-yard rushing touchdown to make it 28-12 after a failed 2-point conversion.
The Cowboys recovered an onside kick, and then struck quickly. Seven plays and 56 yards later Prescott found wide receiver Jalen Tolbert from 15 yards out to make it 28-18 Ravens. The Cowboys failed on the 2-point try again, but then got a stop on the Ravens and got the football right back.
After a quick three-and-out from the Ravens, Dallas went 91 yards in 11 plays, capped by a Prescott 11-yard touchdown pass to KaVontae Turpin, making it a 28-25 game after an extra point.
The Ravens settled down after that and put the game away for the 28-25 win to move to 1-2 on the season.
In the win, Jackson threw for 182 yards and a touchdown on 12-of-15 passing while Henry carried the ball 25 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson added 89 yards on 12 carries.
The Ravens will take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 on Sunday Night Football.
