Ravens wrap up the AFC North with a 35-10 rout of Cleveland; Jackson surpasses 4,000 yards passing
BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes, and the Baltimore Ravens won the AFC North for the second straight season, clinching the division with a 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday.
The Ravens (12-5) will open the playoffs at home against either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore was two games behind the Steelers in the division before winning its final four to finish on top.
Cleveland (3-14) ended a dreadful season with six straight losses. Both Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson took snaps at quarterback in the finale. Neither could move the ball much, and Zappe had an interception returned 26 yards for a touchdown by rookie Nate Wiggins for the game's first points.
The biggest concern coming out of this game for the Ravens was the health of Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers, who left in the second quarter with a right knee injury.
Jackson threw TD passes to Mark Andrews in the second quarter and Rashod Bateman in the third, finishing a spectacular statistical season that might be good enough to earn him a third MVP award. Jackson finished the season with 4,172 yards passing, 41 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. He became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 yards passing with 40 TD passes and four or fewer interceptions.
Jackson also finished the season with 915 yards rushing, becoming the first to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for at least 800. His passer rating of 119.6 wasn't quite enough to break the single-season record of 122.5 held by Aaron Rodgers.
Zappe threw for 170 yards with two interceptions. His 16-yard scoring pass to Jordan Akins made it 21-10 in the fourth, but the Ravens answered with 70-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Derrick Henry.
Henry, who turned 31 on Saturday, added a 43-yard scoring run late in the fourth. He finished the season with 1,921 yards rushing and a franchise-record 16 touchdowns on the ground.
Cleveland has now gone 28 consecutive games without allowing a 300-yard passer. Jackson finished 16 of 32 for 217 yards.
Cleveland DT Mike Hall Jr. was carted off with a knee injury in the third quarter. ... Browns CB Mike Ford Jr. injured his forearm. ... Cleveland CB Martin Emerson Jr. injured an ankle.
Baltimore's postseason opener will feature either a coaching matchup between John and (Chargers coach) Jim Harbaugh, or a divisional clash between the Ravens and Steelers.
Cleveland can look ahead to the draft after the team's quarterback situation looked as unstable as ever this season.
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